Example household · Dallas, TX · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

Columbia skyline

Uprootmap

Dallas vs Columbia

Dallas and Columbia

Photo: csch15 / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

Swap city

Other cities

So you know: homicide deaths in Columbia are close to the US rate in this release, 6.7 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).

Why people look at Dallas to Columbia

In 2022-2023, 53 households filed a move from Dallas to Columbia (about 83 people, average adjusted gross income $64,604). 68 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,258 in Dallas and $1,020 in Columbia. Dallas has no state tax on wages. Columbia has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Columbia is 88% of the national level for the same work, against 102% in Dallas.

Columbia averages 217 sunny days, with July highs around 87°F and January nights around 25°F. Dallas is 234 sunny days, 96°F in July, 37°F in January. Commutes average 20 minutes in Columbia and 28 in Dallas.

These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.

How we figure this

Who already made this move

In 2022-2023, 53 households moved Dallas → Columbia (about 83 people, average AGI $64,604). 68 households went the other way.

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.

The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Dallas and Columbia changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 588 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$2,200–$4,100
Container or pod
$1,500–$2,850
Rent a truck
$750–$1,350

Movers in Columbia and how to hire one →

Explore more

Questions

Is Columbia cheaper than Dallas after tax and rent?

Yes. Columbia leaves about $217 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,258 in Dallas and $1,020 in Columbia.

Does Columbia have state income tax?

Columbia is in Missouri, which taxes wage income.

Did people actually move from Dallas to Columbia?

Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.