City comparison
Bellingham, 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 $1,794 a month in Bellingham and $1,931 in Dallas, and median household income lands at $64,026 versus $63,985. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Bellingham takes affordability, job market, and weather, while Dallas takes safety. The widest gap is typical weather, where Bellingham leads by 73% — 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 Bellingham can feel further apart than Bellingham and Dallas do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Bellingham and Dallas reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Bellingham, WA
Dallas, TX
Rent
7% cheaper
Bellingham rent is 7% cheaper than Dallas
Bellingham
Winner$1,794/mo
Dallas
$1,931/mo
Typical rent runs $1,794 a month in Bellingham versus $1,931 in Dallas, so Bellingham is 7% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $137, or $1,644 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
1% higher
Bellingham's median income is 1% higher than Dallas
Bellingham
Winner$64,026
Dallas
$63,985
Median household income is $64,026 in Bellingham versus $63,985 in Dallas, so typical pay runs 1% higher in Bellingham — about $41 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
6% lower crime
Dallas's crime index is 6% lower than Bellingham
Bellingham
116 (100 = avg)
Dallas
Winner109 (100 = avg)
Dallas's crime index is 109 versus 116 in Bellingham (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 Bellingham. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
School scores
Neck and neck
Bellingham and Dallas are about even on school scores.
Bellingham
A- · 84/100
Dallas
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Bellingham, 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
73% more comfortable
Bellingham weather is 73% more comfortable than Dallas
Bellingham
Winner61°F typical
Dallas
92°F typical
Bellingham scores 73% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 61°F in Bellingham and 92°F in Dallas. Bellingham 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. Bellingham 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
Bellingham is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 7% cheaper here at about $1,794 a month. Choose Bellingham 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 1% higher ($64,026), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 61°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 Bellingham (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, Bellingham is the clear choice.
If safety matters more to you, Dallas pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Bellingham offers the better overall package.
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