Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,480/mo est.

vs
Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,480 in Dallas, TX versus $950 in Morgantown, WV. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 36% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $42,245 in Morgantown, WV — about 38% higher in Dallas, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Dallas, TX
Morgantown, WV

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$836
+34% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$770
+40% in Dallas, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$969
+35% in Dallas, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,038
+33% in Dallas, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$238,200
+19% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$42,245
+38% in Dallas, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$47,350
+8% in Dallas, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
24.0 yr
+9.4 yr in Dallas, TX
Homeownership
42.4%
44.3%
+1.9 pp in Morgantown, WV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
58.1%
+20.7 pp in Morgantown, WV
Avg Commute
26.0 min
17.3 min
+8.7 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.9
216.3
+67% in Dallas, TX
Property Crime
3,412.9
1,976.4
+42% in Dallas, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
67.2°F
53.0°F
+14.2°F in Dallas, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
41.8 in
+4.3 in in Morgantown, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.94/gal
+10% in Morgantown, WV

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
—

Adult base one-way fare — DART vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
15.4
+3% in Dallas, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$24.68
+23% in Dallas, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / WV)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.82%
+4.8 pp in WV

Dallas vs Morgantown — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Morgantown?
Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Dallas, TX's $1,480, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Morgantown?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $31,000 in Morgantown.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Morgantown?
Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Morgantown under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).