Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 103.1 → 101.4
Rent Delta: +$41/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $8K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare

Moving from Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 103.1 to 101.4 (100 = US average), so a Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,931/month in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to $1,972/month in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford - a higher monthly bill of $41, or $492/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 $65,387 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford - a raw gap of $8,089 lower. The Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford labor market has 1,382,410 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 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford are 395 and 210 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.7:1 at origin versus 17.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,566/year in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington versus $10,505/year in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 103.1
RPP 101.4
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,931/mo
$1,972/mo
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
💼 Wages
$73,476
$65,387
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🔒 Crime
395 per 100K
210 per 100K
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
🎓 Schools
14.7:1
17.8:1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
👶 Childcare
$7,566/yr
$10,505/yr
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🌿 Environment
33822 violations
2676 violations
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to see what you'd need to earn in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford more expensive than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford has an RPP of 101.4 compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington's 103.1 (100 = national average). Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford is $1,972/mo vs $1,931/mo in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington.
What are salaries like in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The median salary in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford is $65,387 compared to $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. That's a -$8,089 difference.
Is Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford safer than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The violent crime rate near Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford is 210 per 100K vs 395 per 100K near Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (state-level data). Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford to match my Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington would need to be $73,784 in Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Less Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Less Favorable" means the origin edges ahead on balance. 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)