Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dallas, TX
VS
Montgomery, AL
🏆 Montgomery leads 13 of 23 categories
Dallas
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$63,985 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High
Population
1,300,642 ✓ Larger
Montgomery
Alabama
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,166
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
199,819
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Dallas, TX
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.0%)
Households earn $9,819 more per year on average
More college-educated — 36.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (658.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Montgomery
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Montgomery, AL
Pros
Homes cost $129k less ($141,900 vs $270,700)
10% less violent crime than Dallas
Rent averages $279/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,305)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Dallas
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Dallas by $9,819/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Dallas
Median Income
$9,819
$63,985 vs $54,166/yr
Dallas
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.2% unemployment
Montgomery
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Montgomery
Violent Crime
10% lower
594.6 vs 658.2 per 100k
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$129k less
$141,900 vs $270,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Montgomery, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $270,700 | $141,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,305 | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,985 ✓ Higher | $54,166 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.4 min | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.9% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 136⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 173⚠ High | 156⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.5% ✓ Higher | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% | 87.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DALLAS ISD | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.7°F | 60.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer | 94.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.4" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" | 0.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,300,642 ✓ Larger | 199,819 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 53.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.4% ✓ More | 23.7% |
| Over 65 | 11.0% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dallas's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Montgomery's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Montgomery is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Montgomery leads 13 of 23 categories. Dallas wins 10 and Montgomery 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 Dallas to Montgomery or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($270,700 vs $141,900 median home), income ($63,985 vs $54,166), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dallas, TX and Montgomery, AL are about 612 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.