City comparison
Auburn, WA versus Dallas, TX is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,922 a month in Auburn and $1,931 in Dallas, and median household income lands at $90,115 versus $63,985. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Auburn takes affordability, job market, and weather, while Dallas takes safety. The widest gap is typical weather, where Auburn leads by 89% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Auburn can feel further apart than Auburn and Dallas do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Auburn and Dallas reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Auburn, WA
Dallas, TX
Rent
1% cheaper
Auburn rent is 1% cheaper than Dallas
Auburn
Winner$1,922/mo
Dallas
$1,931/mo
Typical rent runs $1,922 a month in Auburn versus $1,931 in Dallas, so Auburn is 1% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $9, or $108 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
41% higher
Auburn's median income is 41% higher than Dallas
Auburn
Winner$90,115
Dallas
$63,985
Median household income is $90,115 in Auburn versus $63,985 in Dallas, so typical pay runs 41% higher in Auburn — about $26,130 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Auburn is the stronger labor market on paper. Dallas can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
6% lower crime
Dallas's crime index is 6% lower than Auburn
Auburn
116 (100 = avg)
Dallas
Winner109 (100 = avg)
Dallas's crime index is 109 versus 116 in Auburn (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 6% lower in Dallas. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Dallas, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Auburn. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
School scores
Neck and neck
Auburn and Dallas are about even on school scores.
Auburn
A- · 84/100
Dallas
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Auburn, A- in Dallas). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
89% more comfortable
Auburn weather is 89% more comfortable than Dallas
Auburn
Winner64°F typical
Dallas
92°F typical
Auburn scores 89% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 64°F in Auburn and 92°F in Dallas. Auburn reads as mild, livable temperatures; Dallas reads as hot, long summers. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Auburn is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Dallas can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
Auburn is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 1% cheaper here at about $1,922 a month. Choose Auburn if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 41% higher ($90,115), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 64°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Dallas is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 6% lower than Auburn (109 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
If weather is your priority, Auburn is the clear choice.
If safety matters more to you, Dallas pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Auburn offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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