City comparison
Dallas, TX versus Irving, TX 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 $1,931 in Irving, and median household income lands at $63,985 versus $76,686. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Dallas takes weather, while Irving takes job market. The widest gap is median income, where Irving leads by 20% — 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 Irving do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Dallas and Irving reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Dallas, TX
Irving, TX
Rent
Neck and neck
Dallas and Irving are about even on rent.
Dallas
$1,931/mo
Irving
$1,931/mo
Typical rent in Dallas is $1,931 a month versus $1,931 in Irving — close enough that housing cost should not decide the move by itself. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets, then pick the city that wins the categories you actually live in: safety, schools, pay, or weather.
Median income
20% higher
Irving's median income is 20% higher than Dallas
Dallas
$63,985
Irving
Winner$76,686
Median household income is $76,686 in Irving versus $63,985 in Dallas, so typical pay runs 20% higher in Irving — about $12,701 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, Irving 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
Neck and neck
Dallas and Irving are about even on crime index.
Dallas
109 (100 = avg)
Irving
109 (100 = avg)
Dallas and Irving post similar crime indexes (109 vs 109, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.
School scores
Neck and neck
Dallas and Irving are about even on school scores.
Dallas
A- · 84/100
Irving
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Dallas, A- in Irving). 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
5% more comfortable
Dallas weather is 5% more comfortable than Irving
Dallas
Winner92°F typical
Irving
93°F typical
Dallas scores 5% 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 93°F in Irving. Dallas reads as hot, long summers; Irving reads as hot, long summers. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Irving's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Dallas is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Dallas if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (92°F) beat Irving on this page's weather index by 5%. Irving may pay more or cost less, but Dallas is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Most movers who want a balanced city without a clear dealbreaker category should start here. Dallas wins more of this comparison's categories than Irving, which is the practical definition of "better overall package" when you do not have a single non-negotiable.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Irving is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 20% higher here ($76,686). Start with Irving if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
If the job market is your priority, Irving is the clear choice.
If weather matters more to you, Dallas pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Dallas offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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