Dallas–Fort Worth: what paychecks leave after rent
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area: 4,049,800 jobs, median pay of $51,440 across all occupations, and a $1,536 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Dallas–Fort Worth, earning the all-occupations median of $51,440, takes home about $3,626 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 42% of that. The median wage is 0.84× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (18% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (75%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $1,614 (±$6), and median household income was $90,275 (±$491).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Dallas–Fort Worth
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $133,290 | $8,531 | 24.0 h | 18% | $6,995 | 2.17× |
| Registered Nurse | $101,420 | $6,682 | 31.5 h | 23% | $5,146 | 1.65× |
| Police Officer | $92,910 | $6,183 | 34.4 h | 25% | $4,647 | 1.51× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $82,620 | $5,579 | 38.7 h | 28% | $4,043 | 1.34× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $65,070 | $4,539 | — h | 34% | $3,003 | 1.06× |
| Truck Driver | $59,530 | $4,168 | 53.7 h | 37% | $2,632 | 0.97× |
| Electrician | $59,010 | $4,133 | 54.1 h | 37% | $2,597 | 0.96× |
| Medical Assistant | $43,100 | $3,068 | 74.1 h | 50% | $1,532 | 0.70× |
| Retail Salesperson | $33,400 | $2,418 | 95.6 h | 64% | $882 | 0.54× |
| Fast Food Worker | $28,070 | $2,060 | 113.8 h | 75% | $524 | 0.46× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area | 5,382,430 | $1,536 | $1,807 |
| Fort Worth-Arlington, TX HUD Metro FMR Area | 2,528,155 | $1,481 | $1,745 |
| Wise County, TX HUD Metro FMR Area | 75,005 | $892 | $1,164 |
HUD splits this metro into several rent areas. Highlighted is the most populous one, which this site uses for every comparison.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.