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

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Strongly Favorable
Cost Index: 103.1 → 100.1
Rent Delta: -$111/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 3% lower cost of living
  • + $111/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Moving from Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 103.1 to 100.1 (100 = US average), so a Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary needs to be multiplied by 0.97 to hold the same purchasing power in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,931/month in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to $1,820/month in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell - a lower 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 $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington versus $72,107 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell - a raw gap of $1,369 lower. The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell labor market has 2,837,930 tracked jobs against 4,019,090 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell are 395 and 300 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.7:1 at origin versus 14.4:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,566/year in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington versus $6,591/year in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell. Our composite verdict - Strongly Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

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

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell more expensive than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has an RPP of 100.1 compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington's 103.1 (100 = national average). Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell is $1,820/mo vs $1,931/mo in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington.
What are salaries like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The median salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell is $72,107 compared to $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. That's a -$1,369 difference.
Is Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell safer than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The violent crime rate near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell is 300 per 100K vs 395 per 100K near Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (state-level data). Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell to match my Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary by 0.97. For example, a $75,000 salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington would need to be $72,794 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Strongly Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Strongly Favorable" means the destination 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)