Residential comparison · 13 facts
Chicago, IL vs Dallas, TX
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $72,000 in Dallas to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Dallas, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $98,500 in Chicago.
A few differences
- Dallas is lower on property tax rate (1.9% vs 2.1%).
- Dallas is lower on sales tax (8.25% vs 10.25%).
- Dallas is lower on groceries index (98 vs 102).
Chicago vs Dallas · facet by facet
| Facet | Chicago, IL | Dallas, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $360,000 | $400,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,200/mo | $1,850/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| State & local income tax | 4.95% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 10.25% | 8.25% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 101 |
| Groceries index | 102 | 98 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $185/mo |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $65,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 54/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 189 days | 234 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Chicago, IL · Dallas, TX
Questions & answers
- Is Chicago cheaper than Dallas?
- Dallas has the lower day-to-day cost index (101 vs 106 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Dallas equals $85,000 in Chicago?
- A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $72,000 in Dallas to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Dallas lifestyle costs about $98,500 in Chicago.