Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dallas, TX
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 San Antonio leads 14 of 23 categories
Dallas
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$63,985 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High
Population
1,300,642
San Antonio
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
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 0.9 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 36.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $4,392 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (658.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 10% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $73k less ($198,000 vs $270,700)
10% less violent crime than Dallas
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Dallas
Rent averages $116/mo less ($1,189 vs $1,305)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 58°F
Cons
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 5.0%)
Median income trails Dallas by $4,392/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Dallas
Median Income
$4,392
$63,985 vs $59,593/yr
Dallas
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.9% unemployment
San Antonio
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Violent Crime
10% lower
594.1 vs 658.2 per 100k
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$73k less
$198,000 vs $270,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dallas, TX | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $270,700 | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,305 | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,985 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.4 min | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.9% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 173⚠ High | 156⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.5% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% | 83.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DALLAS ISD | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.7°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer | 94.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.4" | 34.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,300,642 | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 34.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 51.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.4% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 11.0% | 12.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dallas's cost of living index is 103.3 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Antonio leads 14 of 23 categories. Dallas wins 9 and San Antonio wins 14. 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 San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($270,700 vs $198,000 median home), income ($63,985 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dallas, TX and San Antonio, TX are about 253 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.