1st Advantage MortgageAbout 51% of Dallas County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $76,547. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Dallas County
- What Dallas County households earn
- Employment and commuting in Dallas County
- Housing costs in Dallas County
- Dallas County towns compared
- Regional comparison for Dallas County
- Budget math at the Dallas County median
- Who lives in Dallas County, in numbers
- Borrowing situations common in Dallas County
- Checklist for Dallas County applicants
- Who licenses lenders for Dallas County residents
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Dallas County
Dallas County is home to about 2,621,179 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 2nd most populous of 254 county-level areas in Texas. Land area is 873 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 3,002 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Dallas is the biggest of its 21 Census places, at roughly 1,307,930 people (50% of the county total).
What Dallas County households earn
Half of Dallas County households take in less than $76,547 a year and half take in more, 2% below the Texas median of $78,476. That places it 44th among Texas's 254 county-level areas.
| Band | Dallas County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.2% | -1.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.1% | +2.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.4% | -1.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 12.3% | -0.2 pts |
Some 20% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 38% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 13.9%, the same as the state's 13.8%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.491 here. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Dallas County median.
Employment and commuting in Dallas County
The biggest employer of Dallas County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 18% of workers, followed by professional and administrative services (16%). Compared with Texas, the county leans toward professional and administrative services (16% against 13%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.0% in Dallas County. About 68% drive to work alone and 16% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 6.8% of households have no vehicle.
| Sector | Dallas County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 18.4% | -3.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 15.7% | +2.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.6% | -0.4 pts |
| Construction | 9.9% | +1.4 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 9.2% | +2.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.3% | -0.2 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Housing costs in Dallas County
Renters in Dallas County pay a median of $1,565 a month, 12% above the Texas figure of $1,403. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 52% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $303,000, about 4.0 times the median household income. Owners occupy 51% of homes.
| Home costs | Dallas County | Texas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,565/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $303,000 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 51% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 32% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.6% | 6.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 8% | 9% | n/a |
With renters making up 49% of households, many Dallas County borrowers have no home equity to fall back on, so the cheapest written offer on an unsecured loan matters more. When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Dallas County towns compared
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 21 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 97% of Dallas County residents live in one of the 21. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $47,829 in Hutchins to $250,001 in University Park. City guides exist for the linked Dallas County places; everyone else in the county can use this page.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | city | 1,307,930 | $70,518 | $1,472 | 2 mi |
| Irving | city | 256,492 | $81,830 | $1,619 | 13 mi |
| Grand Prairie | city | 201,883 | $81,619 | $1,629 | 15 mi |
| Mesquite | city | 149,299 | $72,537 | $1,513 | 11 mi |
| Carrollton | city | 133,740 | $101,396 | $1,735 | 17 mi |
| Richardson | city | 118,731 | $98,111 | $1,857 | 15 mi |
| DeSoto | city | 56,211 | $82,782 | $1,666 | 13 mi |
| Cedar Hill | city | 48,879 | $101,909 | $1,993 | 16 mi |
| Coppell | city | 42,154 | $146,235 | $2,022 | 18 mi |
| Lancaster | city | 40,820 | $68,302 | $1,704 | 12 mi |
| Duncanville | city | 39,683 | $76,457 | $1,630 | 11 mi |
| Farmers Branch | city | 36,645 | $91,186 | $1,864 | 13 mi |
| Balch Springs | city | 27,255 | $66,942 | $1,378 | 10 mi |
| University Park | city | 25,155 | $250,001 | $3,272 | 6 mi |
Regional comparison for Dallas County
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Dallas County's, from 23 to 36 miles away. Rockwall County leads the group on income ($127,981), Tarrant County trails ($84,207), and Dallas County out-earns 0 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County | - | $76,547 | $1,565/mo | 51% |
| Rockwall County, TX | 23 mi | $127,981 | $1,992/mo | 83% |
| Ellis County, TX | 29 mi | $99,595 | $1,594/mo | 76% |
| Tarrant County, TX | 30 mi | $84,207 | $1,547/mo | 59% |
| Kaufman County, TX | 31 mi | $89,485 | $1,554/mo | 78% |
| Collin County, TX | 32 mi | $121,600 | $1,859/mo | 65% |
| Denton County, TX | 36 mi | $111,498 | $1,728/mo | 65% |
Budget math at the Dallas County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Dallas County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $6,379 gross per month ($76,547 / 12)
- 25% goes to median rent ($1,565)
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $987 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Dallas County's.
Who lives in Dallas County, in numbers
36% of Dallas County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 21% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Dallas County | All of Texas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.1 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 35.7% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 18.1% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 21.5% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.8% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.0% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Dallas County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 19.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 37.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 26.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.9% |
| 60+ min | 7.1% |
Borrowing situations common in Dallas County
Based on the Dallas County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Medical bills. 21% of Dallas County residents are uninsured. Before borrowing for care, ask the provider about financial assistance and payment plans.
- Rent squeeze. 52% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Checklist for Dallas County applicants
Steps that save money for Dallas County residents:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Who licenses lenders for Dallas County residents
Dallas County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Texas Department of Banking. Texas also has the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner for consumer credit. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Texas guide covers state rules in more detail.
Related local guides
More local guides:
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Dallas County?
$76,547 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $78,476 for Texas. It ranks 44th of 254 in the state.
What do renters pay in Dallas County?
$1,565 a month at the median, about 25% of median household income.
I live in a small Dallas County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Dallas, Irving, Grand Prairie, Mesquite, Carrollton and 16 more.
Does living in Dallas County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Dallas County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Is there a Dallas County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Texas it is the Texas Department of Banking.