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Cost of Living: Clarksville, TN vs Dallas, TX

Wondering how far your dollar stretches in Clarksville compared to Dallas? Below we break down housing costs, rent, taxes, income, and quality of life using 2026 data so you can make an informed relocation or remote-work decision. Every number is computed from Census, BLS, and Zillow data specific to these two metro areas.

TL;DR

Clarksville cost-of-living index is 89 vs 105 for Dallas (US = 100). Median home: $235,000 vs $370,000. Median rent: $1,000/mo vs $1,275/mo.

Source: Census ACS · Zillow ZHVI/ZORI · BEA RPP, 2026

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Dallas is 18.0% more expensive than Clarksville
COL Index: Clarksville 89 vs Dallas 105 (national avg = 100)
Written by Jere Salmisto, Founder & Quantitative Systems Builder, CalcFi·Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial·Last reviewed 2026-04-19

Clarksville vs Dallas — At a Glance

ClarksvilleMetricDallasDifference
89Cost of Living Index105+18.0%
$235,000Median Home Price$370,000+57.4%
$1,000Median Monthly Rent$1,275+27.5%
$56,400Median Household Income$69,400+23.0%
0.7%Property Tax Rate1.8%+160.9%
3.4%Unemployment Rate3.8%+11.8%
25 minAverage Commute28 min+12.0%
30.4Median Age34.8+14.5%
330,000Metro Population7,760,000+2251.5%

Data sourced from Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, and ApartmentAdvisor (2024-2025). COL Index: 100 = national average.

Housing Comparison: Clarksville vs Dallas

Monthly mortgage assumes 6.5% interest, 30-year fixed, 20.0%down payment. PITI includes principal, interest, property tax, and homeowner's insurance.

Clarksville

Median Home Price$235,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$47,000
Loan Amount$188,000
Principal & Interest$1,188/mo
Property Tax$135/mo
Insurance$69/mo
Monthly PITI$1,392/mo

Dallas

Median Home Price$370,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$74,000
Loan Amount$296,000
Principal & Interest$1,871/mo
Property Tax$555/mo
Insurance$108/mo
Monthly PITI$2,534/mo

Rent & Affordability Ratios

Median Monthly Rent$1,000 vs $1,275 (+$275/mo)
Annual Rent Difference$3,300/yr more in Dallas
Home Price-to-Income Ratio4.2x (Clarksville) vs 5.3x (Dallas)
Years to Save 20% Down (15% savings rate)5.6 yrs (Clarksville) vs 7.1 yrs (Dallas)

Buying a home in Clarksville costs $1,392/month (PITI) compared to $2,534/month in Dallas — a difference of $1,142/month or $13,704/year. The price-to-income ratio is 4.2x in Clarksville versus 5.3x in Dallas, suggesting Clarksville is relatively more affordable for homebuyers relative to local incomes. At a 15% savings rate, it takes 5.6 years to save a down payment in Clarksville compared to 7.1 years in Dallas.

Tax Comparison: Clarksville vs Dallas

Estimated on each city's median household income, single filer, standard deduction, 2025 rates.

Tax CategoryClarksvilleDallas
Gross Income$56,400$69,400
State Income TaxNoneNone
Federal Income Tax$4,639$6,717
FICA (SS + Medicare)$4,315$5,309
Property Tax (on median home)$1,622/yr$6,660/yr
State Sales Tax Rate7.0%6.3%
Total Tax Burden$8,954 (15.9%)$12,026 (17.3%)
Take-Home Pay$47,446$57,374

Tennessee has no state income tax, giving Clarksville residents a significant tax advantage. On median household income, total taxes (federal + state + FICA) come to $8,954 in Clarksville (15.9% effective) versus $12,026 in Dallas (17.3% effective). After taxes, take-home pay is $47,446 in Clarksville and $57,374 in Dallas. Property taxes add $1,622/year on the median Clarksville home versus $6,660/year in Dallas.

Salary Equivalence: What Your Income Is Worth

A $56,400 salary in Clarksville equals
$66,539
in Dallas
A $69,400 salary in Dallas equals
$58,825
in Clarksville

These figures adjust for cost of living using the formula: adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). If you earn $56,400 in Clarksville (COL 89) and relocate to Dallas (COL 105), you would need $66,539 to maintain the same purchasing power. This means you would need a raise of $10,139 to maintain the same standard of living in Dallas.

Quality of Life: Clarksville vs Dallas

Average Commute
25 min
Clarksville
28 min
Dallas
3 min shorter in Clarksville
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Clarksville
3.8%
Dallas
Clarksville lower
Metro Population
0.3M
Clarksville
7.8M
Dallas
Dallas is 23.5x larger

Beyond costs, quality of life matters. The average commute in Clarksville is 25 minutes versus 28 minutes in Dallas, a difference of 3 minutes each way. Clarksville's lower unemployment rate of 3.4% versus 3.8% suggests a stronger job market. Dallas skews slightly older with a median age of 34.8 vs 30.4 in Clarksville.

Other Cost of Living Comparisons

Clarksville vs New YorkCOL 89 vs 187Clarksville vs Los AngelesCOL 89 vs 173Chicago vs ClarksvilleCOL 114 vs 89Dallas vs New YorkCOL 105 vs 187Dallas vs Los AngelesCOL 105 vs 173Chicago vs DallasCOL 114 vs 105

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clarksville or Dallas more expensive?

Dallas is 18.0% more expensive than Clarksville overall. Dallas has a cost of living index of 105 compared to 89 for Clarksville (national average = 100). The biggest difference is housing: the median home costs $370,000 in Dallas vs $235,000 in Clarksville.

How much more does housing cost in Dallas vs Clarksville?

The median home price in Dallas is $370,000, which is $135,000 more than Clarksville's median of $235,000. Monthly rent follows a similar pattern: $1,275/month in Dallas vs $1,000/month in Clarksville, a difference of $275/month or $3,300/year.

What salary do I need in Dallas to match my Clarksville income?

To maintain the same standard of living, a $56,400 salary in Clarksville is equivalent to $66,539 in Dallas. This is based on the cost of living index ratio: Clarksville's COL index of 89 vs Dallas's 105. Conversely, $69,400 in Dallas equals $58,825 in Clarksville.

Which city has lower taxes, Clarksville or Dallas?

On a median household income, the combined federal, state, and FICA tax burden is $8,954 (15.9% effective rate) in Clarksville vs $12,026 (17.3% effective rate) in Dallas. Property taxes on the median home are $1,622/year in Clarksville (0.7% rate) vs $6,660/year in Dallas (1.8% rate). Sales tax rates are 7.0% in Tennessee and 6.3% in Texas.

What is the median household income in Clarksville and Dallas?

Clarksville median household income: $56,400/yr. Dallas median household income: $69,400/yr (Census ACS).

How does rent compare in Clarksville vs Dallas?

Median monthly rent: $1,000 in Clarksville vs $1,275 in Dallas. Annualized that is $12,000 vs $15,300.

Which city is better for remote workers, Clarksville or Dallas?

Clarksville offers a lower cost of living (index 89 vs 105), which lets remote-workers keeping a coastal salary stretch further. Dallas typically wins on amenities and labor-market depth.

Where does the data on this comparison come from?

Clarksville and Dallas numbers are pulled from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI (home values, rent), the U.S. Census Bureau ACS (income, demographics), and BEA RPP (cost-of-living index). Each value is timestamped on the page.

How often is this Clarksville vs Dallas comparison updated?

Source feeds (Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, Census ACS, BEA RPP) are refreshed on their native cadence. Page caches revalidate every 24 hours via Next.js ISR.

Does this comparison replace tax or financial advice?

No. The Clarksville vs Dallas cost-of-living page is educational reference using public data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for material decisions.

Explore More

All City ComparisonsClarksville COL CalculatorDallas COL CalculatorSalary GuidesMortgage Affordability CalculatorRent vs Buy Calculator

Sources & Citations

  1. Zillow Research — ZHVI (home values) & ZORI (observed rent index) — zillow.com/research/data
  2. U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — census.gov/acs
  3. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by state and MSA — bea.gov/rpp
  4. Tax Foundation — effective state and local tax rates — taxfoundation.org
  5. Freddie Mac PMMS — weekly national average mortgage rates — freddiemac.com/pmms
  6. Internal Revenue Service — federal income tax brackets and standard deduction — irs.gov
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — unemployment and wage statistics — bls.gov
Methodology & Assumptions

Home prices use Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI)[1]; rents use Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI)[1]. Median household income comes from the Census ACS 5-year estimates[2].

COL indices use the BEA Regional Price Parity methodology[3], normalized so 100 = national average.

Property tax rates are effective rates from the Tax Foundation[4], expressed as % of owner-occupied home value. Mortgage estimates assume 6.5% fixed rate[5], 30-year term, 20.0% down, $1,800/yr homeowners insurance.

Federal tax calculations[6] assume single filer, standard deduction. State tax uses the top marginal rate times taxable income after the state standard deduction. FICA = 6.2% Social Security (up to wage base) + 1.45% Medicare.

Salary equivalence uses adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). This captures cost-of-living shift but not state income tax differences.

Unemployment figures are the most recent monthly MSA-level readings from the BLS LAUS series[7].

Last reviewed is computed from the maximum retrievedAt across every source this page consumes.

City data from Census Bureau[2], BLS[7], and Zillow[1] (2024-2025). Tax calculations use 2025 IRS rates[6], single filer, standard deduction. Mortgage estimates assume 6.5% PMMS rate[5], 30-year term, 20.0% down. COL Index: 100 = national average[3]. Last reviewed 2026-04-19.