Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Dallas, TX
🏆 Dallas leads 13 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045
Dallas
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$63,985
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,300,642 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
Households earn $10,085 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Dallas
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 97°F
Cons
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $312,800
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,399/mo
Dallas, TX
Pros
10% less violent crime than Charlotte
Homes cost $42k less ($270,700 vs $312,800)
Rent averages $94/mo less ($1,305 vs $1,399)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 52°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (658.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Charlotte by $10,085/yr
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Charlotte
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Income
$10,085
$74,070 vs $63,985/yr
Dallas
Violent Crime
10% lower
658.2 vs 733.2 per 100k
Dallas
Median Home Value
$42k less
$270,700 vs $312,800
Dallas
Summer Heat
6.6°F warmer
July avg high 96.9°F vs 90.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Dallas, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $312,800⚠ High | $270,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High | $1,305 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 ✓ Higher | $63,985 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 26.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 11.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 168⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 173⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 160⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 36.5% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 80.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | DALLAS ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 57.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" | 41.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 1.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 | 1,300,642 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% ✓ Higher | 41.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | 24.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 11.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Dallas's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Dallas leads 13 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 10 and Dallas wins 13. 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 Charlotte to Dallas or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $270,700 median home), income ($74,070 vs $63,985), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Dallas, TX are about 927 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.