Residential comparison · 13 facts
Dallas, TX vs Philadelphia, PA
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 Dallas needs about $97,500 in Philadelphia to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Philadelphia, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $73,500 in Dallas.
A few differences
- Philadelphia is lower on property tax rate (0.95% vs 1.9%).
- Philadelphia is lower on sales tax (8% vs 8.25%).
- Dallas is lower on groceries index (98 vs 104).
Dallas vs Philadelphia · facet by facet
| Facet | Dallas, TX | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $400,000 | $230,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,850/mo | $1,900/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.9% | 0.95% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 6.82% |
| Sales tax | 8.25% | 8% |
| Cost of living index | 101 | 101 |
| Groceries index | 98 | 104 |
| Utilities | $185/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $57,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% | 5.4% |
| Crime index | 54/100 | 60/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 234 days | 207 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: Dallas, TX · Philadelphia, PA
Questions & answers
- Is Dallas cheaper than Philadelphia?
- Dallas and Philadelphia display the same day-to-day cost index; the differences show up facet by facet in the table above.
- What household income in Philadelphia equals $85,000 in Dallas?
- A household earning $85,000 in Dallas needs about $97,500 in Philadelphia to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Philadelphia lifestyle costs about $73,500 in Dallas.