Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 103.1 → 106.7
Rent Delta: +$324/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $8K higher median salary
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - 4% higher cost of living
  • - $324/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare

Moving from Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 103.1 to 106.7 (100 = US average), so a Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary needs to be multiplied by 1.03 to hold the same purchasing power in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,931/month in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to $2,255/month in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom - a higher monthly bill of $324, or $3,888/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 $81,568 in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom - a raw gap of $8,092 higher. The Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom labor market has 1,060,500 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom. 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
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 103.1
RPP 106.7
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,931/mo
$2,255/mo
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
💼 Wages
$73,476
$81,568
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
🔒 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
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom more expensive than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom has an RPP of 106.7 compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington's 103.1 (100 = national average). Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom is $2,255/mo vs $1,931/mo in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington.
What are salaries like in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The median salary in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom is $81,568 compared to $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. That's a +$8,092 difference.
Is Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom safer than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The violent crime rate near Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom 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 $77,605 in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom. 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)