Dallas vs St. Louis
Compare Dallas, TX and St. Louis, MO on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
St. Louis is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,033/mo versus $1,409/mo in Dallas — a gap of about $376/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,209/mo against $1,758/mo. State income tax also separates them — Dallas's rate is roughly 0% versus 4.7%. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (263 vs 256 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Climate is a real differentiator: Dallas runs summer highs near 96°F and winter lows near 33°F, while St. Louis runs 90°F and 21°F. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with St. Louis; if walkable daily life matters more, Dallas screens stronger on the walkability proxy (21 vs 16). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
St. Louis leads 64 to 59 on the cost and climate screen.
St. Louis leads 83 to 80 on the work screen.
Both cities are close on the daily life screen.
Dallas leads 72 to 59 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Dallas is roughly $144,755 in St. Louis using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Dallas | St. Louis | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,409/mo | $1,033/mo | St. Louis |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,758/mo | $1,209/mo | St. Louis |
| Median home value | $299,000 | $219,000 | St. Louis |
| State income tax | None | 4.7% | Dallas |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 27.3 min | St. Louis |
| Safety score | 48/100 | 61/100 | St. Louis |
| School score | 8/10 | 7/10 | Dallas |
| Walkability estimate | 21/100 | 16/100 | Dallas |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 6/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 198.6 | 173.9 | Dallas |
| Mountain distance | 134 mi | 14 mi | St. Louis |
| Coast distance | 234 mi | 560 mi | Dallas |
What stands out
Dallas stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Major airport access
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
Dallas tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Very hot summers
St. Louis stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 25 miles
- Mountain access within 14 miles
St. Louis tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
Common questions
Is Dallas cheaper than St. Louis?
On public benchmarks St. Louis is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,409/mo in Dallas vs $1,033/mo in St. Louis; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,758/mo vs $1,209/mo; state income tax is 0% vs 4.7%.
Is Dallas or St. Louis safer?
St. Louis screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 48/100 for Dallas and 61/100 for St. Louis (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Dallas or St. Louis?
School screens show 8/10 for Dallas vs 7/10 for St. Louis, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Dallas and St. Louis?
Dallas: summer highs near 96°F, winter lows near 33°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. St. Louis: 90°F / 21°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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