Dallas
United States · North America · 1.3M people
Sprawling Texan business hub with no state income tax and hot summers.
Ranked #215 of 303 overall · 32.78, -96.80
Overview
With a population of around 1.3 million, Dallas is one of United States's notable cities, part of the wider North America region. It has become a go-to base for remote workers over the past few years. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. People who choose to settle in Dallas tend to point to solid infrastructure for remote work and reliable healthcare as the deciding factors. Against its 48 tracked peers in North America, Dallas's 6.1/10 overall score sits 0.2 points below the regional average of 6.3, though a lower average score doesn't rule it out — it depends entirely on which criteria matter most to you. On CityMatch, Dallas scores 6.1/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #215 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is internet & connectivity at 9/10, while public transport is its softest spot at 4/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Comfortable on a moderate budget.
No particular red flags.
Worth checking seasonal pollution patterns.
Public transport has real gaps.
Reasonably comfortable year-round.
Standard care access, nothing exceptional.
Fast, reliable connectivity.
Is Dallas right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Healthcare scores 7/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
At 6/10, Dallas is genuinely easy on the budget — one of the more affordable options for the lifestyle it offers.
Trade-offs
Transport is the soft spot at 4/10 — plan on a car or regular rideshares rather than relying on public transit alone.
Environment and air quality score just 5/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Is Dallas safe?
Dallas scores 6/10 on safety — solidly average. Nothing here suggests a specific red flag, but the usual big-city precautions (watching belongings, being aware at night) still apply.
At night
Nighttime is fine in most central areas, but it's worth checking which neighborhoods quiet down early versus stay lively and populated.
For tourists
Tourists are generally fine sticking to well-trodden areas; the usual advice about watching belongings in crowds and transit hubs applies.
For families
Safety, healthcare (7/10) and environment (5/10) together suggest a reasonable, if not exceptional, environment for families.
For solo travelers
Solo travel here is broadly fine with standard precautions; it's worth reading recent, specific traveler reports rather than relying on the city's reputation alone.
On public transport
We'd be more selective about late-night public transport here — daytime use is generally fine, but off-peak service and platforms are worth a second thought.
Practical tips
- →Stick to well-lit, populated streets after dark, as you would in most cities.
- →Keep valuables out of sight rather than out of caution about any specific threat.
What's the climate like in Dallas?
Climate here (6/10) is comfortably in the "fine, not exceptional" range — a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Seasonal character
Expect a normal four-season rhythm (or a wet/dry split closer to the equator), without extremes dominating the calendar.
Comfort level
Comfort is generally good, with the odd day or short stretch that calls for planning ahead rather than year-round ease.
Best time to live here
Shoulder-season months (spring and autumn, broadly) tend to be the safest bet if you can choose when to visit or move.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Dallas
Put together, quality of life in Dallas is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: dallas doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's worth planning around.
Pace & lifestyle
Dallas doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (5/10) and climate (6/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (4/10) has real gaps — plan on a mix of public options, walking and rideshares depending on where you end up living.
Culture & leisure
Dallas isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Dallas tends to suit people who prioritize internet & connectivity and healthcare over public transport — see "Who Dallas suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Dallas?
Environment (5/10) points to some real seasonal pollution patterns worth knowing about if air quality affects you personally.
Public spaces
We don't have a dedicated public-space or waste-management score — the environment figure above (driven mainly by air quality) is the best available proxy, and it suggests room for improvement in at least some areas.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Dallas suits
Digital nomad
Digital nomads — remote workers who need fast internet and an affordable, pleasant base (fit score 6.5/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 6.4/10 here).
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 6.3/10 here).
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 6.3/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
At 6/10 for cost of living, Dallas lands in a middle ground where costs are manageable without being a bargain.
Safety
Safety here (6/10) is solidly average: no specific area to avoid categorically, but standard urban awareness applies.
Climate
Weather here (6/10) is reasonably pleasant most of the year, with a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Quality of life
Quality of life in Dallas is uneven rather than uniformly good or bad — a 6.1/10 average built on a clear high point in internet & connectivity and a clear weak point in public transport. The average across all seven criteria is 6.1/10.
Transport
Dallas's transport score of 4/10 suggests public options exist but don't cover everything — expect to lean on other ways of getting around at times.
Internet & remote work
At 9/10 for internet, Dallas is squarely in "video-call without worrying about it" territory.
Why choose Dallas?
Dallas isn't the right fit for everyone, but for the right profile — someone who values internet & connectivity and can live with public transport — it scores well at 6.1/10 overall. Use the comparisons and rankings below to see how it stacks up against the alternatives.
Featured in these rankings
You may also like
Nashville
United States · North America
Fast-growing music-industry hub with a booming downtown scene.
Charlotte
United States · North America
Banking hub in the US South with a lower cost of living than the coasts.
Atlanta
United States · North America
Sprawling southern hub, cheap by coastal standards but car-dependent.
Monterrey
Mexico · North America
Mexico's industrial and business hub, mountain-ringed and increasingly modern.
Mexico City
Mexico · North America
Vast high-altitude capital with rich culture and notable smog.
Continue exploring
Best cities in United States
Nearby cities
Cities with a similar climate
Safer alternatives
Cheaper alternatives
Comparable quality of life
If you're interested in Dallas, you may also compare:
Frequently asked questions
Is Dallas safe?
Dallas scores 6/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual precautions you'd take in any mid-sized city.
What budget do I need to live in Dallas?
Dallas scores 6/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Dallas good for families?
Dallas is a reasonable family option — safety (6/10) and healthcare (7/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is Dallas a good city for students?
Dallas isn't an obvious student pick: affordability (6/10) and transport (4/10) average out lower than the cities we specifically tag for students.
Is Dallas suitable for digital nomads?
Yes — Dallas is one of our tagged digital-nomad destinations, with an internet score of 9/10 and a cost-of-living score of 6/10 to match.
What's the climate like in Dallas?
Dallas scores 6/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Dallas pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Dallas scores 6/10 on climate and 5/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Dallas a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 5.5/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Dallas?
Yes — Dallas scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Dallas a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 6.3/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Dallas?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Nashville and Charlotte are the closest matches to Dallas in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Dallas worth living in?
Reasonably — Dallas scores 6.1/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Dallas?
Based on its score profile, Dallas suits people who value internet & connectivity and healthcare more than the average mover — see the "Who Dallas suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Dallas walkable, and is public transport good?
Not especially — Dallas scores just 4/10 on transport, so expect to lean on a car, bike or rideshares more than public transit alone.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Dallas?
Internet & connectivity is Dallas's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Dallas?
Public transport is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 4/10 — the lowest of Dallas's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.