Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dallas, TX
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Dallas leads 13 of 23 categories
Dallas
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,985
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High
Population
1,300,642 ✓ Larger
Santa Ana
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
311,379
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Dallas, TX
Pros
Homes cost $353k less ($270,700 vs $624,000)
Rent averages $580/mo less ($1,305 vs $1,885)
More college-educated — 36.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.0%)
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 Santa Ana by $20,225/yr
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
25% less violent crime than Dallas
Households earn $20,225 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 97°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 58°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Dallas
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Dallas
Median Home Value
$353k less
$270,700 vs $624,000
Dallas
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Dallas
Summer Heat
14.4°F warmer
July avg high 96.9°F vs 82.5°F
Santa Ana
Median Income
$20,225
$84,210 vs $63,985/yr
Santa Ana
Violent Crime
25% lower
493.1 vs 658.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $270,700 ✓ Lower | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,305 ✓ Lower | $1,885⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,985 | $84,210 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.4 min | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.9% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 173⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 81 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.5% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DALLAS ISD | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.7°F | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.4" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,300,642 ✓ Larger | 311,379 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 33.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 44.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.4% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 11.0% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dallas's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Dallas is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Dallas leads 13 of 23 categories. Dallas wins 13 and Santa Ana wins 10. 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 Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($270,700 vs $624,000 median home), income ($63,985 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dallas, TX and Santa Ana, CA are about 1,220 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.