Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 100.1 → 103.1
Rent Delta: +$111/mo

Cons of Moving

  • - 3% higher cost of living
  • - $111/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 100.1 to 103.1 (100 = US average), so a Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell salary needs to be multiplied by 1.03 to hold the same purchasing power in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,820/month in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell to $1,931/month in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington - a higher monthly bill of $111, or $1,332/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $72,107 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell versus $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington - a raw gap of $1,369 higher. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington labor market has 4,019,090 tracked jobs against 2,837,930 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington are 300 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.4:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $6,591/year in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell versus $7,566/year in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 100.1
RPP 103.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,820/mo
$1,931/mo
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
💼 Wages
$72,107
$73,476
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🔒 Crime
300 per 100K
395 per 100K
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
🎓 Schools
14.4:1
14.7:1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
👶 Childcare
$6,591/yr
$7,566/yr
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
🌿 Environment
2663 violations
33822 violations
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell to see what you'd need to earn in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington more expensive than Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has an RPP of 103.1 compared to Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell's 100.1 (100 = national average). Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is $1,931/mo vs $1,820/mo in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell.
What are salaries like in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington compared to Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The median salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is $73,476 compared to $72,107 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell. That's a +$1,369 difference.
Is Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington safer than Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The violent crime rate near Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is 395 per 100K vs 300 per 100K near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell (state-level data). Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to match my Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell salary by 1.03. For example, a $75,000 salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell would need to be $77,273 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Unfavorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Unfavorable" means the origin clearly wins on most dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)