DC → TX · Capital City to Big D

Moving from Washington to Dallas?

DC to Dallas — DC 8.95% to TX 0% saves $8,950/yr, housing 29% cheaper — federal/HHS → AT&T HQ + American Airlines + Texas Health + JPMorgan Plano + Toyota.

1,340 mi Distance
20 hr Drive time
29% lower Home prices
$8,950/yr Tax savings on $100K

The Story

DC-to-Dallas is federal/HHS → AT&T + American Airlines + Texas Health move. DC 8.95% → TX 0% saves $8,950/yr. Housing 29% cheaper, COL 32% lower. Pull: AT&T HQ (Fortune 30), American Airlines HQ (Fort Worth), Texas Health Resources (Cerner bridge), JPMorgan Plano (largest finance outside NYC), Toyota Plano HQ, ExxonMobil Irving.

Why This Move

Why people move from Washington to Dallas.

AT&T HQ — Fortune 30 telecom
American Airlines HQ (Fort Worth) — aviation
Texas Health Resources + Baylor Scott & White (Cerner bridge)
JPMorgan Plano — largest finance outside NYC
Toyota North America HQ Plano
ExxonMobil Irving HQ + Pizza Hut + 7-Eleven
No state income tax (saves $8,950/yr)
Cowboys + Mavericks + Stars + Rangers

Cost Comparison

The money side of DC → TX.

Washington

Median home$600,000
Income tax8.95% (DC)
Cost index152

Dallas

Median home$425,000
Income taxNone (TX)
Cost index103

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 Washington transplants.

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

Uptown Dallas

If Logan Circle was your scene — walkable, restaurants, bars
Bishop Arts District

If H Street NE was your vibe — artsy, walkable, gentrified
Deep Ellum

If you wanted music + nightlife — historic district, breweries
Plano (suburb)

If Bethesda was your model — top schools, JPM/Toyota-adjacent
Frisco (suburb)

If you wanted master-planned — top schools, family-friendly
Highland Park

If you wanted prestigious — historic, top schools, walkable

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.

DC 8.95% becomes TX 0% — saves $8,950/year on $100K
Housing 29% cheaper — $600K DC becomes $425K Dallas
COL 32% lower
Climate flips humid subtropical to humid subtropical (Dallas hotter summers, milder winters)
Property tax TX 1.8% higher than DC 0.85%
Walkability decrease — DC Metro walkable, Dallas car-dependent
Federal/HHS → AT&T/JPMorgan/Toyota corporate bridge
Sports — gain Cowboys/Mavs/Stars/Rangers, lose Commanders

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-66 W to I-81 S to I-40 W to I-30 W

1,340 miles via Roanoke, Knoxville, Memphis. 20 hours / 2-3 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 1,340 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$5,800-$10,500
Container/PODS$4,200-$7,000
DIY (26-ft truck)$3,000-$5,200
Best monthsOct-Apr (avoid summer heat)
Lead time6-8 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions