Dallas, TX vs Phoenix, AZ
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Sep 2026
Report card
| Category | DallasDallas, TX | PhoenixPhoenix, AZ | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Average | Average | Same |
| Cost of Living | |||
| Crime | High Risk | Elevated | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Good | Great | |
| Sovereignty | High Autonomy | Self-Reliant | |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | Same |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
At 337 mi from the international border, Dallas, TX sits farther inland than Phoenix, AZ, whose 113 mi distance places it in the 12th percentile compared to Dallas’s 51st. The two cities also diverge sharply on jobs: Phoenix posted +2.1% job growth year over year, while Dallas saw -0.6%, a 2.7-point gap that puts Phoenix in the 78th percentile and Dallas in the 11th. Unemployment runs 4.2% in Dallas versus 3.2% in Phoenix, with Dallas 1.0 points higher and in the 74th percentile.
2023 Census figures show household sizes differ too. Phoenix averages 2.7 people per household, 9% larger than Dallas’s 2.4, placing Phoenix in the 73rd percentile and Dallas in the 49th. The comfortable income for a family of 4 in Phoenix is $109,069, which is 29% higher than Dallas’s $84,336; the single-person comfortable income follows the same pattern at $74,197 versus $57,371, a 29% gap. State and local tax burden runs 9.5% in Phoenix, 0.9 points higher than Dallas’s 8.6%, with Phoenix in the 34th percentile and Dallas in the 10th.
Costs and safety metrics also separate the pair. Phoenix’s cost-of-living index of 129 sits 13% higher than Dallas’s 114, and its median home value of $381,900 is 29% above Dallas’s $295,300. Violent crime per 100,000 people is 694 in Phoenix versus 577 in Dallas, a 20% higher rate for Phoenix, though Dallas’s property crime rate of 3,077 is 51% higher than Phoenix’s 2,036. Phoenix’s air quality index of 77 is 40% higher than Dallas’s 55, placing both in the 93rd and 98th percentiles respectively.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
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Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Phoenix, AZ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 11458th pctl | 12967th pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Dallas, TX 114; Phoenix, AZ 129; Phoenix is 13% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $295,30054th pctl | $381,90069th pctl | Median home value: Dallas, TX $295,300; Phoenix, AZ $381,900; Phoenix is 29% higher. |
| Median rent | $1,40364th pctl | $1,45868th pctl | About the same |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $67,76043rd pctl | $77,04155th pctl | Median household income: Dallas, TX $67,760; Phoenix, AZ $77,041; Phoenix is 14% higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $57,37155th pctl | $74,19770th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Dallas, TX $57,371; Phoenix, AZ $74,197; Phoenix is 29% higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $84,33655th pctl | $109,06970th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Dallas, TX $84,336; Phoenix, AZ $109,069; Phoenix is 29% higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Affordable | Stretched | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Phoenix needs about
$84,900
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 114 vs 129). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Phoenix, AZ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 4.2%74th pctl | 3.2%29th pctl | Unemployment: Dallas, TX 4.2%; Phoenix, AZ 3.2%; Dallas is 1.0 points higher. |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | -0.6%11th pctl | +2.1%78th pctl | Job growth (YoY): Dallas, TX -0.6%; Phoenix, AZ +2.1%; Phoenix is 2.7 points higher. |
| Per-capita income | $44,13866th pctl | $40,30958th pctl | Per-capita income: Dallas, TX $44,138; Phoenix, AZ $40,309; Dallas is 9% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 17.2%74th pctl | 14.3%63rd pctl | Poverty rate: Dallas, TX 17.2%; Phoenix, AZ 14.3%; Dallas is 2.9 points higher. |
| CommuteAverage commute | 26 min67th pctl | 25.7 min65th pctl | About the same |
| Work from home | 14.0%67th pctl | 16.9%76th pctl | Work from home: Dallas, TX 14.0%; Phoenix, AZ 16.9%; Phoenix is 2.9 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Stable | Stable | About the same |
| Job market | Stable | Strong | Job market: Dallas, TX B-; Phoenix, AZ A+; Phoenix is graded higher. |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Phoenix, AZ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 57789th pctl | 69493rd pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Dallas, TX 577; Phoenix, AZ 694; Phoenix is 20% higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 3,07793rd pctl | 2,03678th pctl | Property crime per 100k: Dallas, TX 3,077; Phoenix, AZ 2,036; Dallas is 51% higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Rising | |
| Crime & safety | Dangerous | Dangerous | Crime & safety: Dallas, TX F; Phoenix, AZ D; Phoenix is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Phoenix, AZ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ModerateCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Air quality: Dallas, TX A-; Phoenix, AZ B-; Dallas is graded higher. |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Fair | Tap water: Dallas, TX A-; Phoenix, AZ C+; Dallas is graded higher. |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | Power grid: Dallas, TX A-; Phoenix, AZ A+; Phoenix is graded higher. |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
4 rows not shown (data not available)
4 rows not shown: climate comfort isn't available for Dallas, TX; broadband and local food access aren't available for either place; walkability isn't available for Phoenix, AZ.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Phoenix, AZ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxes | FriendlyState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ModerateState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomeschoolHomeschool rules | noneState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | lowState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| FirearmsFirearm laws grade | AState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | AState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| Property rightsProperty rights (eminent domain) | B-State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | B+State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| EnergyEnergy production | Net exporterState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ImporterState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. |
Data: Tax Foundation, state statutes.
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Phoenix, AZ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 2 mi2nd pctl | 9 mi9th pctl | Nearest large city: Dallas, TX 2 mi; Phoenix, AZ 9 mi; Phoenix is 4.1 times higher. |
| Target proximity | Weak | Weak | About the same |
| To borderDistance to international border | 337 mi51st pctl | 113 mi12th pctl | Distance to international border: Dallas, TX 337 mi; Phoenix, AZ 113 mi; Dallas is 3.0 times higher. |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 236 mi47th pctl | 163 mi38th pctl | Distance to coastline: Dallas, TX 236 mi; Phoenix, AZ 163 mi; Dallas is 45% higher. |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Phoenix, AZ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,299,553100th pctl | 1,624,832100th pctl | Population: Dallas, TX 1,299,553; Phoenix, AZ 1,624,832; Phoenix is 25% larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 3,82685th pctl | 3,13479th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Dallas, TX 3,826; Phoenix, AZ 3,134; Dallas is 22% higher. |
| Median age | 33.416th pctl | 34.824th pctl | Median age: Dallas, TX 33.4; Phoenix, AZ 34.8; Phoenix is 1.4 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.4%62nd pctl | 32.3%50th pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Dallas, TX 37.4%; Phoenix, AZ 32.3%; Dallas is 5.1 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.449th pctl | 2.773rd pctl | Average household size: Dallas, TX 2.4; Phoenix, AZ 2.7; Phoenix is 9% larger. |
More about Dallas's residents · Phoenix's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
Moving between Dallas and Phoenix
- Median rent: $1,403 in Dallas, $1,458 in Phoenix
- Median home value: $295,300 in Dallas, $381,900 in Phoenix
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 114 in Dallas, 129 in Phoenix
- Median household income: $67,760 in Dallas, $77,041 in Phoenix
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $84,336 in Dallas, $109,069 in Phoenix
- Unemployment: 4.2% in Dallas, 3.2% in Phoenix
- Average commute: 26 min in Dallas, 25.7 min in Phoenix
- Violent crime per 100k: 577 in Dallas, 694 in Phoenix
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- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Taxes & laws: Tax Foundation, state statutes.
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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