Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Grand Prairie, TX
🏆 Grand Prairie leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Grand Prairie
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$76,626
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
197,279
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $60,761 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 96°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Grand Prairie
Grand Prairie, TX
Pros
Homes cost $590k less ($242,900 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $846/mo less ($1,381 vs $2,227)
13% less violent crime than Arlington
Violent crime is well below the national average (221.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 45°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $60,761/yr
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$60,761
$137,387 vs $76,626/yr
Arlington
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.0% unemployment
Grand Prairie
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Grand Prairie
Violent Crime
13% lower
221.2 vs 254.4 per 100k
Grand Prairie
Median Home Value
$590k less
$242,900 vs $833,300
Grand Prairie
Summer Heat
5.9°F warmer
July avg high 95.5°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Grand Prairie, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $242,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,381⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $76,626 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 28.1 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 9.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 58 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 76 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 26.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 81.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | GRAND PRAIRIE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 58.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 95.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 40.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 197,279 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 59.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 27.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 10.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Grand Prairie's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Grand Prairie is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Grand Prairie leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 11 and Grand Prairie wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Grand Prairie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $242,900 median home), income ($137,387 vs $76,626), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Grand Prairie, TX are about 1,193 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.