Is Dallas cheaper than Durham?

No. Durham is cheaper: typical rent is $1,711 a month versus $1,931 in Dallas — 11% lower. Median household income is $63,985 in Dallas compared with $74,710 in Durham, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Dallas or Durham?

Durham is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 97 versus 109 in Dallas — 11% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Dallas or Durham?

School composites are close: A- in Dallas and A- in Durham. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

New search

City comparison

Dallas, TX vs Durham, NC

Dallas, TX versus Durham, NC is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,931 a month in Dallas and $1,711 in Durham, and median household income lands at $63,985 versus $74,710. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Durham takes affordability, job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Durham leads by 73% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Dallas can feel further apart than Dallas and Durham do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Dallas and Durham reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Dallas report Full Durham report

Dallas, TX

Rent: $1,931/mo
Median income: $63,985
Crime index: 109
Schools: A-
Weather: 92°F

Durham, NC

Rent: $1,711/mo
Median income: $74,710
Crime index: 97
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Rent

11% cheaper

Durham rent is 11% cheaper than Dallas

Dallas

$1,931/mo

Durham

Winner

$1,711/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,711 a month in Durham versus $1,931 in Dallas, so Durham is 11% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,640 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Durham still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Dallas.

Median income

17% higher

Durham's median income is 17% higher than Dallas

Dallas

$63,985

Durham

Winner

$74,710

What this means for your life

Median household income is $74,710 in Durham versus $63,985 in Dallas, so typical pay runs 17% higher in Durham — about $10,725 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Durham is the stronger labor market on paper. Dallas can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

11% lower crime

Durham's crime index is 11% lower than Dallas

Dallas

109 (100 = avg)

Durham

Winner

97 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Durham's crime index is 97 versus 109 in Dallas (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 11% lower in Durham. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Durham, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Dallas. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.

School scores

Neck and neck

Dallas and Durham are about even on school scores.

Dallas

A- · 84/100

Durham

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Dallas, A- in Durham). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

73% more comfortable

Durham weather is 73% more comfortable than Dallas

Dallas

92°F typical

Durham

Winner

79°F typical

What this means for your life

Durham scores 73% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 92°F in Dallas and 79°F in Durham. Dallas reads as hot, long summers; Durham reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Durham is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Dallas can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Dallas

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Dallas

On these five categories Durham takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Dallas because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Dallas only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.

Open the Dallas report →

Fit check

Who should choose Durham

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

Durham is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 11% cheaper here at about $1,711 a month. Choose Durham if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 17% higher ($74,710), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Durham is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 11% lower than Dallas (97 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Durham report →

Bottom line

Dallas vs Durham, called

If weather is your priority, Durham is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Durham pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Durham offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Dallas vs Durham FAQ

Is Dallas cheaper than Durham?: No. Durham is cheaper: typical rent is $1,711 a month versus $1,931 in Dallas — 11% lower. Median household income is $63,985 in Dallas compared with $74,710 in Durham, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Dallas or Durham?: Durham is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 97 versus 109 in Dallas — 11% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Dallas or Durham?: School composites are close: A- in Dallas and A- in Durham. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Durham?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps