Cost of Living in Arlington, TX
Arlington is about 13% more expensive than the national average.
What Things Cost
Compared to the US average (100)
Census ACS 2024
Census ACS 2024
BEA RPP 2023
BEA RPP 2023
Arlington at a Glance
No state income tax. That saves a typical household thousands per year compared to states like California (13.3%) or New York (10.9%).
Sources: Census ACS 2024, Tax Foundation.
Arlington sits between Dallas and Fort Worth, home to AT&T Stadium (Cowboys), Globe Life Field (Rangers), and UT Arlington. Remarkably for 400,000 people, the city has no public transit system. The entertainment district draws millions annually.
How People Get Around
Source: Census ACS 2024.
Who Lives Here
Source: Census ACS 2024.
Why People Move to Arlington
Cowboys and Rangers games in your city. Housing at $280K with no income tax. UT Arlington is growing. Midpoint between Dallas and Fort Worth means both downtowns 20 minutes away.
Neighborhoods
North Arlington near UTA is more affordable. The entertainment district has hotels and restaurants. South Arlington along Cooper Street is commercial. Viridian is a newer master-planned community.
Things to Consider
No public transit at all. You must drive everywhere. Entertainment district creates game-day traffic nightmares. Property taxes at 1.82% are high. No walkable downtown or distinctive character.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arlington
Voters have rejected transit proposals multiple times. The prevailing attitude has been that car infrastructure serves fine. Via ride-sharing provides some on-demand service.
Near the stadium district, yes. Most residential neighborhoods are far enough to avoid the worst.
Very for DFW. $280K median with no income tax makes homeownership accessible on $55-70K household income. The trade-off is no transit and less character.