Moving from St. Louis to Dallas
Your paycheck buys slightly less in Dallas than in St. Louis (-2.4%); you'd need about $82,300 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Dallas: $82,300
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $82,300 in Dallas, TX to match $80,000 in St. Louis, MO ($2,300 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Texas has no state income tax on wages; Missouri does; includes St. Louis resident tax $800 (inside city limits).
St. Louis vs Dallas: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,154 → $1,718/mo
- Median home value
- $268,300 → $389,500
- Median household income
- $81,679 → $92,733
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 95.1 → 103.1
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (92.2 → 96.5 of 100)
St. Louis vs Dallas cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | St. Louis, MO | Dallas, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 95.1 | 103.1 |
| Median rent | $1,154 | $1,718 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $46,160 | $68,720 |
| Median home value | $268,300 | $389,500 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $1,812 | $2,718 |
| Income needed to buy | $77,642 | $116,495 |
| Median property tax | $3,014 | $5,616 |
| State income tax on $80,000 | $2,761 | $0 |
| City income tax (inside city limits) | $800 | None |
| Metro population | 2,809,527 | 8,344,032 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state, plus the income tax the principal city charges its residents. Commuters who live elsewhere often pay a nonresident rate, and many suburbs levy their own local tax, so unticking a city's box in the calculator estimates a typical suburban rate for it instead.
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 St. Louis, which narrows the gap shown.
- St. Louis, MO: City of St. Louis residents pay a 1% earnings tax (renewed by voters in April 2026). St. Louis County is not included. If you live outside the city but work in it, you still pay the 1% earnings tax on those wages. St. Louis County and the Illinois suburbs have no local income tax. Take-home figures include the resident tax.
Your yearly budget: St. Louis vs Dallas
On an $80,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $44,267 a year in St. Louis and $48,733 in Dallas if you rent: $4,466 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $52,159 and $60,736 ($8,577 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | St. LouisBefore | DallasAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $80,000, single filer | $18,451 | $14,890 | -$3,561 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,550 | $1,965 | +$415 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,155 | $1,429 | +$274 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,003 | $1,901 | -$102 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,260 | $7,932 | +$672 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $13,848 | $20,616 | +$6,768 |
| Total if you rent | $44,267 | $48,733 | +$4,466 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $17,050 | $24,752 | +$7,702 |
| Property tax median home | $3,014 | $5,616 | +$2,602 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,676 | $2,251 | +$575 |
| Total if you buy | $52,159 | $60,736 | +$8,577 |
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. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, 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 September 23, 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 $13,780 a year in St. Louis and $11,349 in Dallas (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from St. Louis to Dallas
About 1,016 households (1,769 people) moved from the St. Louis metro area to the Dallas metro area in 2022–2023, making Dallas the #2 destination for people leaving St. Louis among the 149 metro areas we cover. 584 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $85,287.
Cost to move from St. Louis to Dallas
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $540–$1,930 |
| Moving container | $1,350–$3,000 |
| Full-service movers | $2,220–$7,690 |
Shipping a car instead of driving
Car shipping: $740–$1,120
Shipping a sedan from St. Louis to Dallas on an open carrier costs about $740–$1,120, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 640 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Natural hazard risk: St. Louis vs Dallas
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the St. Louis area among the highest (score 92.2) and the Dallas area among the highest (score 96.5), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $711 vs $390 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Dallas cheaper than St. Louis?
Overall prices in the Dallas area are 8.4% higher than in St. Louis (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,718 vs $1,154 a month, and the median home is $389,500 vs $268,300.
What salary do I need in Dallas to match $100,000 in St. Louis?
About $102,300, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Texas has no state income tax on wages; Missouri does.
How much does it cost to move from St. Louis to Dallas?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 640 miles: roughly $540–$1,930 with a rental truck, $1,350–$3,000 with a container, or $2,220–$7,690 with full-service movers.
How many people move from St. Louis to Dallas?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,016 households (1,769 people) moved from the St. Louis metro area to the Dallas metro area, and 584 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from St. Louis move
- St. Louis to Chicago 1,259 households
- Kansas City 839 households
- Houston 558 households
- Phoenix 504 households
- Los Angeles 465 households
- Tampa 401 households
- New York 399 households
- Springfield 369 households