Detroit-Warren-Dearborn → Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Detroit-Warren-Dearborn to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is neutral, depends on priorities: BEA regional price parity goes from 100.3 to 103.1 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $520/mo.

+$2,173
BLS median salary higher in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
431 to 395
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
16.7:1 to 14.4:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$122
DOL infant care higher / yr in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Neutral, depends on priorities
Cost Index: 100.3 → 103.1
Rent Delta: +$520/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $2K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - $520/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 100.3 to 103.1 (ratio 1.03), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $520/mo ($6,240/yr) from $1,411 in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn to $1,931 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington sits #351 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (bottom third of the corpus). Detroit-Warren-Dearborn is #346/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Neutral, depends on priorities. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $2,173 higher ($71,303 → $73,476). Labor-market size: 1,883,860 tracked jobs at origin vs 4,019,090 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors the destination: Texas scores 65 (C, #19/51) vs Michigan at 49 (F, #42/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 100.3
RPP 103.1
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Rent (2BR)
$1,411/mo
$1,931/mo
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Wages
$71,303
$73,476
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Crime
431 per 100K
395 per 100K
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Schools
16.7:1
14.4:1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Childcare
$7,444/yr
$7,566/yr
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Environment
1120 violations
35693 violations
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Michigan
49 F #42/51
Income tax
72
Property tax
59
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
16
Destination state · Texas
65 C #19/51
Income tax
100
Property tax
55
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
44

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn 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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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026