Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 103.1 → 106.4
Rent Delta: +$270/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $3K higher median salary
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - 3% higher cost of living
  • - $270/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare

Moving from Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 103.1 to 106.4 (100 = US average), so a Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary needs to be multiplied by 1.03 to hold the same purchasing power in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,931/month in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to $2,201/month in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario - a higher monthly bill of $270, or $3,240/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 $76,654 in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario - a raw gap of $3,178 higher. The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario labor market has 1,694,510 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario are 395 and 477 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.7:1 at origin versus 21.5:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,566/year in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington versus $17,920/year in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 103.1
RPP 106.4
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,931/mo
$2,201/mo
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
💼 Wages
$73,476
$76,654
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
🔒 Crime
395 per 100K
477 per 100K
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🎓 Schools
14.7:1
21.5:1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
👶 Childcare
$7,566/yr
$17,920/yr
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🌿 Environment
33822 violations
17550 violations
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to see what you'd need to earn in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario more expensive than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has an RPP of 106.4 compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington's 103.1 (100 = national average). Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario is $2,201/mo vs $1,931/mo in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington.
What are salaries like in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The median salary in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario is $76,654 compared to $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. That's a +$3,178 difference.
Is Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario safer than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The violent crime rate near Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario is 477 per 100K vs 395 per 100K near Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (state-level data). Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario to match my Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary by 1.03. For example, a $75,000 salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington would need to be $77,439 in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario. 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)