City comparison
Durham, NC versus Dallas, 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 $1,508 a month in Durham and $1,472 in Dallas, and median household income lands at $81,619 versus $70,518. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Durham takes job market, safety, and weather, while Dallas takes affordability. 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 Durham can feel further apart than Durham and Dallas do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Durham and Dallas reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Durham, NC
Dallas, TX
Rent
2% cheaper
Dallas rent is 2% cheaper than Durham
Durham
$1,508/mo
Dallas
Winner$1,472/mo
Typical rent runs $1,472 a month in Dallas versus $1,508 in Durham, so Dallas is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $36, or $432 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
16% higher
Durham's median income is 16% higher than Dallas
Durham
Winner$81,619
Dallas
$70,518
Median household income is $81,619 in Durham versus $70,518 in Dallas, so typical pay runs 16% higher in Durham — about $11,101 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
71% lower crime
Durham's crime index is 71% lower than Dallas
Durham
Winner32 (100 = avg)
Dallas
109 (100 = avg)
Durham's crime index is 32 versus 109 in Dallas (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 71% lower in Durham. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Durham is the easier city. Dallas can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
School scores
Neck and neck
Durham and Dallas are about even on school scores.
Durham
A- · 84/100
Dallas
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Durham, A- in Dallas). 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
Durham
Winner77°F typical
Dallas
91°F typical
Durham scores 73% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 77°F in Durham and 91°F in Dallas. Durham reads as warm weather most of the year; Dallas reads as hot, long summers. 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
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 16% higher ($81,619), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 77°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 71% lower than Dallas (32 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.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Dallas
Dallas is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $1,472 a month. Choose Dallas if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
If weather is your priority, Durham is the clear choice.
If cost of living matters more to you, Dallas pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Durham offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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