Moving to Dallas: A Practical Guide to the City
Dallas sits at the heart of one of the fastest-growing metros in the country, with no state income tax, a car-first layout, and a wide range of neighborhoods. Here is a grounded look at what to weigh before you move.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Dallas has been one of the fastest-growing large metros in the United States, drawing new residents with its job market, its relative affordability next to the coasts, and its warm climate. If you are considering a move, here is a practical orientation to help you plan, without the real-estate-brochure gloss.
City versus metroplex
First, get the geography straight. The City of Dallas proper is home to roughly 1.3 million people, making it the third-largest city in Texas and around the ninth-largest in the country. But most people mean something larger when they say Dallas: the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, a region of well over eight million residents that ranks as the fourth-largest metro in the nation and one of the fastest-growing.
Where you land inside that region shapes everything: your commute, your schools, your taxes, and your daily life. Decide early whether you want an urban-core neighborhood, an established in-city area, or a suburb.
Taxes and cost of living
Texas has no state individual income tax, which is a genuine draw. The trade-off is relatively high property taxes, among the higher effective rates in the country, with school districts driving much of the bill. Factor property tax into any housing budget, because it changes the real monthly cost of a home meaningfully.
On the whole, Dallas remains markedly cheaper than major coastal metros like New York or San Francisco, largely because of housing. It is, however, one of the pricier markets within Texas. Treat online cost-of-living comparisons as rough estimates rather than precise figures.
Getting around
Dallas is a car-oriented city. DART, the regional transit agency, runs about 93 miles of light rail across four lines and dozens of stations, and it recently added the Silver Line commuter rail across the northern suburbs. That is a substantial system by U.S. standards, and the Katy Trail serves parts of the core, but most residents still drive. Major freeways include I-35E, I-30, US-75 (Central Expressway), the LBJ Freeway, and the Dallas North Tollway. Weigh commute times heavily, because the metroplex is large and traffic is real.
Climate
Expect a humid subtropical climate: hot summers, with July and August highs frequently near or above 100 degrees, and mild winters, with January highs in the upper 50s. Spring brings the region's severe-weather and tornado season, which is worth understanding but not fearing.
Jobs and the economy
The DFW economy is one of the deepest in the country, anchored by around two dozen Fortune 500 headquarters. Recognizable names based in the region include AT&T, Texas Instruments, American Airlines, ExxonMobil, McKesson, Charles Schwab, and Southwest Airlines, among many others. That corporate density is a big part of why people keep moving in.
Before you commit
Visit in person if you can, rent before you buy, and spend time in a neighborhood at different times of day. The right fit depends on your commute, your budget, and whether schools are a priority.
People move to Dallas for opportunity. They stay for the neighborhoods, so choose yours carefully.
For a closer look at specific areas, from walkable Uptown to historic Oak Cliff, see our full guide to Dallas neighborhoods.