CostIndexUSA

Bellingham, WA vs Dallas, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWA
Bellingham
103.3
overall index
$1,875/mo rent
TX
Dallas
103.1
overall index
$1,625/mo rent

Bellingham and Dallas have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+4.4%
Bellingham
112.9
Dallas
117.9
🛒 Groceries2.1%
Bellingham
105
Dallas
102.8
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Bellingham
104.4
Dallas
104.7
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Bellingham
94.5
Dallas
94.7
Utilities9.2%
Bellingham
99.9
Dallas
90.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Bellingham to see what you'd need to earn in Dallas to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Dallas, TX
$79,800
$200 less needed in Dallas

Formula: salary × (103.1 ÷ 103.3) = salary × 0.9981. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Bellingham, WA

Median Home Price
$598,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
112.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
26.6×

Dallas, TX

Median Home Price
$358,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,625
Housing Index
117.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.4×

Dallas has 4.4% higher housing costs compared to Bellingham.

Income & Job Market

Bellingham, WA

Median Household Income
$74,900
Per Capita Income
$42,700
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
92,314
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyManufacturingTourism

Dallas, TX

Median Household Income
$86,900
Per Capita Income
$49,500
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
1,304,379
Top Industries
FinanceTechnologyHealthcareTelecommunicationsReal Estate

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Bellingham, WA
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Dallas, TX
4.5×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.