Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 97.3 → 103.1
Rent Delta: +$793/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $3K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - 6% higher cost of living
  • - $793/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 97.3 to 103.1 (100 = US average), so a Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia salary needs to be multiplied by 1.06 to hold the same purchasing power in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,138/month in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia to $1,931/month in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington - a higher monthly bill of $793, or $9,516/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 $70,931 in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia versus $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington - a raw gap of $2,545 higher. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington labor market has 4,019,090 tracked jobs against 1,341,320 in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington are 365 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.8:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $9,487/year in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia versus $7,566/year in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 97.3
RPP 103.1
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,138/mo
$1,931/mo
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
💼 Wages
$70,931
$73,476
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🔒 Crime
365 per 100K
395 per 100K
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
🎓 Schools
15.8:1
14.7:1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
👶 Childcare
$9,487/yr
$7,566/yr
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🌿 Environment
2788 violations
33822 violations
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has an RPP of 103.1 compared to Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia's 97.3 (100 = national average). Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is $1,931/mo vs $1,138/mo in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia.
What are salaries like in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington compared to Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
The median salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is $73,476 compared to $70,931 in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia. That's a +$2,545 difference.
Is Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington safer than Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
The violent crime rate near Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is 395 per 100K vs 365 per 100K near Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia (state-level data). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to match my Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia salary by 1.06. For example, a $75,000 salary in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia would need to be $79,424 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 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)