City comparison
Dallas, TX vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dallas, TX (103.1) and Philadelphia, PA (102.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dallas, TX goes as far as $99,500 in Philadelphia, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.4% moving from Dallas, TX to Philadelphia, PA ($115,711 → $117,284), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Dallas, TX | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.1 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,480 in Philadelphia | $100,523 in Dallas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,648/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dallas | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 102.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.7 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 103.1 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dallas, TX → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
70 Strong offer
Philadelphia, PA → Dallas, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dallas, TX is in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Dallas, TX to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dallas, TX | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Dallas → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,100 | $68,013 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,186 | $82,289 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,307 | $98,630 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $115,711 | $117,284 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $136,736 | $138,595 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dallas, TX | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Dallas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,070 | $78,570 | $78,981 (+21.4%) |
| Software Developers | $133,290 | $133,040 | $133,735 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,620 | $85,990 | $86,439 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,420 | $101,180 | $101,709 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.