City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 3.0% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $103,000 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA and $1,648 in Dallas, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.8% moving from Atlanta, GA to Dallas, TX ($112,556 → $115,711), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,030 in Dallas | $97,059 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
60 Fair offer
Dallas, TX → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Dallas, TX | Real change, Atlanta → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $67,100 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $81,186 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $97,307 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $115,711 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $136,736 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $65,070 | $63,156 (−17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $133,290 | $129,370 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $82,620 | $80,190 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $101,420 | $98,437 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.