City relocation report 2026

Moving from Oklahoma City to Dallas

Your paycheck buys 8.1% less in Dallas than in Oklahoma City; you'd need about $82,700 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.

About 220 miles by road
Equal salary in Dallas
$82,700
matches $75,000 in Oklahoma City
Price level change
+14.0%
BEA metro prices, 2024
Moving cost (2–3 BR)
$320–$4,990
≈ 220 miles
Households made this move
1,516
IRS, 2022–2023

Equal salary in Dallas: $82,700

Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities

To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $82,700 in Dallas, TX to match $75,000 in Oklahoma City, OK ($7,700 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.

Single filer, W-2 salary. Texas has no state income tax on wages; Oklahoma does; neither city levies a resident income tax.

Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use Oklahoma and Texas, their principal states. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.

Take-home in Oklahoma City
$58,763
21.6% total tax
Take-home in Dallas
$61,593
17.9% total tax
Prices in Dallas
+14.0%
vs Oklahoma City (BEA 2024)
Renting: change after selected costs
-$3,843
per year, after taxes and gross rent including basic utilities; excludes food, transport, healthcare, child care and moving costs

See the full Dallas cost of living report

Oklahoma City vs Dallas: key facts

Median rent
$1,162 → $1,718/mo
Median home value
$253,200 → $389,500
Median household income
$72,930 → $92,733
Price level (U.S. = 100)
90.4 → 103.1
FEMA county-score mean
Very high county-score mean (91.7 → 96.5 of 100)

Oklahoma City vs Dallas cost of living

Price level by category (U.S. = 100)
Oklahoma City Dallas
Oklahoma City housing rents74
Dallas housing rents118
Oklahoma City goods94
Dallas goods103
Oklahoma City utilities74
Dallas utilities91

The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).

Yearly rent at the metro median
Oklahoma City$13,944
Dallas$20,616
MeasureOklahoma City, OKDallas, TX
Overall price level (U.S. = 100)90.4103.1
Median rent$1,162$1,718
Income to rent affordably (30%)$46,480$68,720
Median home value$253,200$389,500
Monthly cost to own (20% down)$1,756$2,779
Income needed to buy$75,244$119,106
Median property tax$2,278$5,616
State income tax on $75,000$2,830$0
Metro population1,497,8218,344,032

Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $75,000, rounded from Oklahoma City's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state.

At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax while you live in Oklahoma City, which narrows the gap shown.

Your yearly budget: Oklahoma City vs Dallas

This fixed budget example uses $75,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.

On a $75,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $40,383 a year in Oklahoma City and $45,161 in Dallas if you rent: $4,778 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $49,193 and $59,946 ($10,753 more).

Your yearly budget, before vs after
Yearly costs on a $75,000 salary in Oklahoma City, OK and Dallas, TX; change is Dallas, TX minus Oklahoma City, OK
Yearly costOklahoma CityBeforeDallasAfterChange
Income and payroll taxes
on $75,000, single filer
$16,237$13,408-$2,829
Car insurance
one car, state average
$1,084$1,429+$345
Gas
12,000 miles at 25 mpg
$1,870$1,776-$94
Health insurance
one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies
$7,248$7,932+$684
If you rent
Rent and basic utilities
ACS median gross rent, 12 months
$13,944$20,616+$6,672
Total if you rent$40,383$45,161+$4,778
If you buy the median home (20% down)
Mortgage payment
median home, 20% down, 7.24%
$16,565$25,483+$8,918
Property tax
median home
$2,278$5,616+$3,338
Homeowners insurance
state median, with a mortgage
$2,225$2,251+$26
Electricity
state average bill
$1,686$2,051+$365
Total if you buy$49,193$59,946+$10,753

Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).

State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.

Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.

Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $11,012 a year in Oklahoma City and $10,894 in Dallas (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).

Who moves from Oklahoma City to Dallas

About 1,516 households (2,395 people) moved from the Oklahoma City metro area to the Dallas metro area in 2022–2023, making Dallas the #1 destination for people leaving Oklahoma City among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,538 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $76,108.

Cost to move from Oklahoma City to Dallas

Moving method (2–3 bedrooms)Typical range
Rental truck (DIY)$320–$660
Moving container$1,100–$2,070
Full-service movers$1,840–$4,990

Natural hazard risk: Oklahoma City vs Dallas

RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 91.7 for the Oklahoma City area and 96.5 for the Dallas area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $420 vs $390 per resident; individual properties can differ.

County hazard-score means, Oklahoma City
County-score mean above 50
Ice storm99
Hail98
Tornado97

The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).

County hazard-score means, Dallas
County-score mean above 50
Hail99
Tornado99
Heat wave98

The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).

Frequently asked questions

Is Dallas cheaper than Oklahoma City?

Overall prices in the Dallas area are 14.0% higher than in Oklahoma City (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,718 vs $1,162 a month, and the median home is $389,500 vs $253,200.

What salary do I need in Dallas to match $100,000 in Oklahoma City?

About $109,400 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Texas has no state income tax on wages; Oklahoma does. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.

How much does it cost to move from Oklahoma City to Dallas?

For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 220 miles: roughly $320–$660 with a rental truck, $1,100–$2,070 with a container, or $1,840–$4,990 with full-service movers.

How many people move from Oklahoma City to Dallas?

IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,516 households (2,395 people) moved from the Oklahoma City metro area to the Dallas metro area, and 1,538 moved the other way.

Related

Where people from Oklahoma City move

More

State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.