Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,480/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/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 $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 18% higher in Dallas, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Dallas, TX
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$1,103
+12% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$1,024
+20% in Dallas, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$1,213
+19% in Dallas, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,394
+11% in Dallas, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$224,500
+24% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$55,269
+18% in Dallas, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$54,310
+6% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
37.0 yr
+3.6 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
42.4%
46.0%
+3.6 pp in Wilmington, DE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
33.1%
+4.3 pp in Dallas, TX
Avg Commute
26.0 min
23.0 min
+3.0 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.9
1,138.2
+72% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
3,412.9
3,182.4
+7% 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
54.9°F
+12.3°F in Dallas, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
43.1 in
+5.5 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.86/gal
+7% in Wilmington, DE

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)
16.4
19.4
+18% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$22.51
+26% 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 / DE)
6.25%
None
+6.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.60%
+6.6 pp in DE

Dallas vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Dallas, TX's $1,480, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Wilmington?
Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).