Moving from Orlando to Dallas

The Story

Orlando-to-Dallas preserves 0% income tax. Housing 16% cheaper ($370K → $310K), COL 3% lower. Pull: corporate HQ density (AT&T, ExxonMobil, McKesson, AIG), American Airlines hub, lower humidity, Cowboys.

Why This Move

Why people move from Orlando to Dallas.

Both 0% income tax — preserve tax-free status
Housing 16% cheaper — $370K Orlando becomes $310K Dallas
Corporate HQ density — AT&T, ExxonMobil, McKesson, AIG, JCPenney
DFW airport hub (American Airlines)
Texas Instruments + tech corridor
Lower humidity than Orlando
Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars, Rangers — sports town
No hurricane risk (inland TX)

Cost Comparison

The money side of FL → TX.

Orlando

Median home$370,000
Income tax0% (FL)
Cost index105

Dallas

Median home$310,000
Income tax0% (TX)
Cost index102

What to Do in Dallas

Things you'll want to know about your new city.

Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Dallas, organized by what kind of day you're planning.

Outdoors & Recreation

Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden — 66 acres on White Rock Lake; pumpkin village in fall, tulips in spring
Klyde Warren Park — 5-acre deck park over freeway in downtown
Reunion Tower GeO-Deck — 470 feet up; 360° views of metroplex
White Rock Lake — 1,015-acre lake with 9-mile trail

Culture & Arts

Dallas Museum of Art — Free general admission; strong contemporary collection
Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza — JFK assassination museum
George W. Bush Presidential Library — On SMU campus
AT&T Stadium (Cowboys, Arlington) — Tours when no game scheduled

Family-Friendly

Perot Museum of Nature and Science — Hands-on science museum; T.rex skeleton
Dallas Zoo — 106-acre zoo; oldest in Texas

Where to Eat

Dallas's essential restaurants.

The dining list every Dallas resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.

Pecan Lodge BBQ Deep Ellum

Brisket and 'Hot Mess' baked potato
Uchi Dallas Japanese McKinney Avenue

Tyson Cole's sister to Austin's Uchi
Mansion Restaurant American fine dining Turtle Creek

Iconic Mansion on Turtle Creek hotel
Lucia Italian Bishop Arts

Tiny Italian by David Uygur
Knife Steakhouse Mockingbird Lane

John Tesar's modern steakhouse
Mister Charles American Highland Park Village

Modern bistro
Tei An Japanese soba Arts District

Hand-made soba noodles, omakase counter
Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House Burgers Lakewood

Cult Dallas burger

Where to Live

Best Dallas neighborhoods for Orlando transplants.

Mapped to the Orlando neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.

Uptown

If Downtown Orlando was your vibe — walkable high-rise, restaurants
Lakewood

If Winter Park was your speed — leafy historic, family, walkable
Bishop Arts (Oak Cliff)

If Mills 50 was your scene — walkable, art, hip
Plano (suburb)

If Lake Nona was your model — top schools, family, affluent
Frisco (suburb)

If Dr. Phillips was your model — master-planned, top schools
Deep Ellum

If you wanted nightlife — warehouses, music, bars

Climate & Walkability

What daily life feels like in Dallas.

Climate

Humid subtropical. Hot summers (75-95°F+, occasional 105°F+ heat waves). Mild winters (35-58°F, occasional ice storms; rare snow). Spring brings tornadoes and severe storms. 234 sun days/year.

Summer75-95°F
Winter35-58°F
Sun days/yr234
Rainfall39 inches

Walkability

Walk Score47/100
Transit Score39/100
Bike Score50/100

Dallas is car-dependent — most errands require driving.

Outdoors & Recreation

White Rock Lake — 9-mile trail, kayaking
Trinity River Audubon Center — wetlands trails
Cedar Hill State Park (30 min south) — hiking, lake
Katy Trail — 3.5-mile rail-to-trail through Uptown
Lake Texoma (1.5 hrs north) — fishing, boating, second-home market
Texas Hill Country (3.5 hrs south) — wineries, hiking

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

Housing 16% cheaper — modest savings
COL 3% lower
Both 0% income tax — no change
Climate flips humid subtropical (perpetual) to humid subtropical (4 seasons)
Property taxes higher (TX 1.6-2.3% vs FL 0.9%)
Tornado risk arrives
Theme park economy → corporate/banking/tech
Sports — gain Cowboys/Mavs/Stars/Rangers, lose Magic

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-75 N to I-10 W to I-49 N to I-30 W

1,100 miles via Gainesville, Tallahassee, Mobile, Shreveport. 16 hours / 2 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 1,100 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$5,000-$9,200
Container/PODS$3,500-$6,000
DIY (26-ft truck)$2,500-$4,500
Best monthsOct-Apr (avoid TX summer + hurricane season)
Lead time6-8 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions