Texas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Dallas County, TX

Prices around Dallas County, TX run 3.1% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $76,547 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,931 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $77,240 a year.

Dallas County, TX at a glance

Median household income

$76,547$6,379 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,931HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)103.1+3.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential TX
Population2,621,179Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Dallas County, TX?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,931Monthly market rent
Share of gross income30.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$77,240To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,914At 30% of $76,547
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Dallas County, TX? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Dallas County, TX, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,582$18,984$63,28024.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,648$19,776$65,92025.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,931$23,172$77,24030.3%
3-Bedroom Home$2,431$29,172$97,24038.1%
4-Bedroom Home$3,091$37,092$123,64048.5%

Rent in Dallas County, TX, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Dallas County, TX

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $76,547 a year ($6,379 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,189/moRent ($1,931 2-BR), utilities (~$143/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,914/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,276/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $76,547 leaves after Texas taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Texas tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$76,547
$30,000$155,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$76,547
Net 82%
Fed 10%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$62,681After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,223Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,411Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,010 / yr
Texas state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,856 / yr

Living in Dallas County, TX: common questions

What is the median household income in Dallas County, TX?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Dallas County, TX is $76,547 per year (approximately $6,379 per month).

What is the average rent in Dallas County, TX?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,582 for a studio, $1,648 for one bedroom, $1,931 for two, $2,431 for three and $3,091 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Dallas County, TX expensive to live in?

Prices there run 3.1% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 103.1, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Dallas County, TX?

To keep a $1,931 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $77,240 a year, or $6,437 a month. That is 101% of what the typical household in Dallas County, TX earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Dallas County, TX?

On the local median income of $76,547 ($6,379 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,189 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,914 for everything else and $1,276 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,931 takes 61% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Dallas County, TX?

Homes in Texas paid 15.9¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $143. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.