Arlington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Arlington
Dallas
Opportunity
63 · Top 36%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
58 · Top 41%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs63 · Bottom 27%
Physical resilience
56 · Top 49%
vs53 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
76 · Top 37%
vs66 · Bottom 47%
Access
96 · Bottom 47%
vs99 · Top 10%
Economic stability
62 · Top 25%
vs53 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Arlington | Dallas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 397,742 | 1,307,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,171 | $70,518 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,148 | $45,811 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,150/sq mi | 3,850/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $304,700 | $320,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,470 | $1,472 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.3% | 42.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.6% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,722 | 7,307 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 5.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.6% | 30.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 97°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.2" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 27.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Arlington
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Dallas
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Arlington, TX · Dallas, TX · How this is calculated: methodology