Written by: Isaac Grant
Date:

Moving can be a complicated process. It has a lot of cogs and quirks, and trying to stay on top of it can be quite a daunting experience. It’s boresome and arduous. However, when moving from NYC to Dallas the terms “boresome and arduous” take a whole other meaning. On top of all the planning, organizing, packing, and moving, you also have to make sure you take all the necessary precautionary measures so your long-distance move can become a reality. Still, a lot of people under-pack and under-prepare. They do not plan enough. And then, once the moving day comes, they throw their hands up in the air in stress and disbelief. How could anyone pull up a long-distance move?! It seems impossible. But, as you are about to see, it’s anything but. Today, Verified Movers will show you the main things you need to know about this move.

Thousands of New Yorkers relocated to Dallas after the outbreak of COVID-19

Not so long ago, this wasn’t a particularly popular move. Don’t get us wrong, Dallas is considered an attractive destination for a while now. Some New Yorkers moved there in the past. But, in the last ten years, and especially in the last three, these numbers have sky-rocketed. So, why is there such a huge interest in Dallas all of a sudden? Well, Dallas has grown rapidly and now it offers a lot of things, getting closer to NYC in terms of opportunities. There are a lot of ways to spend quality time in Dallas, and at the same time, chase great opportunities at pretty low living costs. So, it’s clear why New Yorkers would consider this Texan city as their destination. But how many of them are relocating to Dallas exactly?

Dallas skyline on a cloudy day
You aren’t the only one thinking of moving from NYC to Dallas since thousands of New Yorkers made this switch since the pandemic started

For starters, let’s say that Texas as a whole is extremely popular among New Yorkers. For example, over 20,000 people decided to move from New York to Texas in 2022. To put this in the perspective, just 4 years ago, one year before the pandemic, there were less than 15,000 of these moves. So, it’s clear that the COVID-19 pandemic expedited the number of relocations from NY to TX, and moving from NYC to Dallas established itself as the most common route between these states. Over 2,000 people from the Big Apple chose to call Dallas their home in 2022. Other cities in Texas are attractive destinations to New Yorkers as well, but none of them are as much as Dallas.

Why moving from NYC to Dallas is a great idea?

Dallas, along with the whole Lone Star State, has become so popular, and that did not happen just because of one reason. Yes, as you may have heard, low living costs are definitely one of the main factors here, if not the main one. But, there is much more to Dallas than affordability. This is why we have prepared a list of all the significant benefits you’ll experience upon moving to Dallas from NYC.

A chart saying:
New York City is 58% more expensive than Dallas
The median home price in Dallas is just $331k, nowhere near as in NYC where it's currently at $778k
Dallas has a lower unemployment rate than NYC (3.4% < 5.9%)
There is no income tax in Dallas, while in NYC, on top of the state income tax (4% to 10%), residents are also taxed locally at the rate of around 3%
The average commute time in Dallas is 26 minutes compared to 41 minutes in the Big Apple
Dallas' job growth is predicted at the rate of 45% vs. only 30% in NYC
New York City is much more densely populated than Dallas, and hence, way more crowdy
NYC has a lower minimum hourly wage than Dallas (15$ < 18$)

Housing costs are significantly lower in Dallas than in NY

We wanted to discuss housing costs separately because they represent the largest difference between these cities. As you know, housing costs are one of the main indicators of the quality of our lives. So, seeing that they’re twice lower in Dallas suddenly makes this relocation a great choice. While we saw that the median home price in Dallas is currently only $331k, we wanted to mention the rental prices as well. For example, the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Dallas is $1,500. The same-sized apartment in NYC costs $3,400 a month. The difference only becomes larger with larger units. So, housing is definitely the deciding factor for many people to go on this move, and it’s certainly a sound reason for a person to relocate.

A bridge in Dallas
Once you move to Dallas, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the low real estate prices.

Reasons not to go on this move

We’ve seen so many potential upsides of making this move. A lot of the same goes for New Yorkers who want to live anywhere else in Texas. But, Dallas really is the place to be nowadays. However, don’t forget that every relocation has its pros and cons. So, switching NYC for Dallas will have its downsides. After all, if this wasn’t the case, then there wouldn’t be over 10,000 people moving from Texas to New York. Of course, we’re not saying that moving from NYC to Dallas is a bad move. In fact, we firmly believe it’s a good one. But, it’s important to be aware of all the downsides before hitting the road. And that’s exactly why we’re going to introduce you to these downsides, and help you make the best choice.

A chart saying:
The average annual salary in Dallas is $65,000 which is much lower than in NYC, where it's $86,000
The violent crime rate in Dallas is higher than in NYC (37/100 > 28.2/100) 
It's the same story with a property crime tax; Dallas - 50.7/100; NYC - 24.9/100
Dallas imposes a huge property tax of 2.56% while New Yorkers are taxed at the rate of only 0.98%
Despite Dallas' swift growth, NYC is still the entertainment and cultural capital of the USA 
Although it costs more, public transportation in NYC is much more effective than in Dallas
NYC ranks as the 10th best metro area in the USA for school quality, while Dallas took the 15th place

Prepare a moving plan to help you relocate from NYC to Dallas safely

Moving is a complicated process with many smaller processes within it. And when you have so many things that you need to do in such a short amount of time you are bound to forget about something. And even though forgetting to do a task or two cannot actually stop a move, it can surely reflect on your state of mind as well as your wallet. That is why, before you do anything related to your move, please take a couple of hours to make a thorough moving plan. This means, notifying utility companies, change of address, preparing your moving inventory, preparing your moving budget, finding some top movers in NYC, and so on. If you never had an opportunity to move, maybe you should go online and read a few moving guides, just to make sure that you are not forgetting about something.

Start preparing your moving inventory as soon as you can

The biggest issue when relocating across the country is transporting your items. For that, and many other reasons, that should be one of the first things that you should deal with. Precisely, you should start preparing your moving inventory as soon as you decide to move and prepare a moving plan. Of course, we are not talking about packing. That will come later. We are talking about sorting out your belongings and getting rid of the items that you have no use off. Excess items – items that you never use and items that are only taking up your precious space will not only complicate your move unnecessarily but will also increase the cost of your move. That is why the first thing that you need to do is to get rid of them.

Boxes labeled
It’s important to be organized during the move

Moreover, if you manage to sell some of your items they can actually have a positive effect on your budget. And that is something that can really be helpful before a cross-country move. Therefore, organize a yard sale, sell your excess items online or to a used items retailer in your neighborhood, or simply donate them to charity. Everything is better than paying interstate moving companies Dallas to relocate them all the way to Texas.

Prepare a moving inventory list to simplify your NYC to Dallas relocation

Immediately after you get rid of the junk, do your inventory. List all the items that you are moving from NYC to Dallas. that will, firstly, allow you to get a better understanding of the job that is in front of you. Moreover, it will help you to get the number of boxes right,  and you will be able to use this list to check your items after your movers deliver them to Dallas. Also, top movers in Dallas provide online moving estimates based on the number of items you have to relocate. And they will want to know the precise number before they can give you their quotes.

Cross country relocations do not come easy on the budget – make sure that you do your calculations

Now that you have an inventory list in your hands, you can really comprehend the task in front of you and you will have an easier task deciding what types of moving services you need to hire. This is, of course, closely related to the cost of your move.  So, once you finish preparing your inventory list, start calculating your moving budget. Once you finish your calculations, you can finally start searching for reliable interstate moving companies NYC has to offer.

Hire a moving company

Before you even think about moving from NYC to Dallas there is one important thing you need to understand. The best way to pull off a long-distance move is to hire a moving company. While this might seem counterproductive and illogical we assure you it’s not. You might even think this is some sort of marketing ploy to get you to hire long distance moving companies Dallas. However, as you are going to see it’s far from that.

An entrance in the city you can pass through when moving from NYC to Dallas.
The move of this size is always better when navigated by professional movers.

You see, when moving long distances you have to approach relocation with a different mindset than a regular move. In a local move, for example, all you need to do is pack your belongings and relocate. And in most cases, a local move can be pulled off in a day. However, when moving long distances, like NYC to the City of Dallas (1,547.2 mi), that isn’t the case. That is why you need to make sure that you find reliable and capable movers that have the knowledge, experience, skills, equipment, and vehicles to organize such a complex logistics process.

How to find reliable movers to help you move from NYC to Dallas?

Our suggestion is to go online and do your research. Visit moving-related websites, read online reviews, ask your friends and acquaintances for recommendations, and gather a few moving companies that you think are trustworthy. Then, use your moving inventory list to get their online moving estimates. Once you get their quotes, compare them and pick the one that suits your budget the most. 

There are many fraudulent moving companies on the market so you need to be extra careful when hiring professionals

One thing that you need to be aware of before moving from NYC to Dallas is that there are many fraudulent moving companies out there. That is why doing your research is crucial. Besides doing thorough research do not forget to include logical thinking. When you get those quotes from your selected movers, be suspicious of every offer that looks too good and you do not know the right reason why that offer is so much better than others. It is ok to accept an affordable offer if you know there is a seasonal discount for example or some kind of promotion. If you are not really sure why it is better to stick to reality and pick one of the offers that do not look too good to be true.

A woman trying to find a company to help her with moving from NYC to Dallas
Do your research to make sure you’re hiring reputable professionals to relocate you to the Lone Star State.

Moving long distances

When moving long distances you need to have an in-depth plan, great organizational skills, and great moving help. Unfortunately, not many people have the time or the willpower to actually plan out long-distance moves so they could dot every I and cross every T. That’s exactly why most people end up hiring long distance movers NYC. It’s a rather elegant solution to a rather complicated problem. All you need to do is find a reliable moving company, call them, and arrange a moving quote. Once the moving day comes, they will help you pack all your belongings, relocate them and drop them off at your new home in the blink of an eye. This leaves you with enough time to spend with your friends and family members on things that matter the most to you.

Life in Dallas vs NYC

After you’ve hired a moving company and arranged a moving quote that you are satisfied with it’s time to plan what you are going to do in Dallas once you relocate there. We’ve discussed some key differences between these cities in the introduction, but it’s worth going beyond the numbers, which is why we’re here to give you some additional info.

1. Population

NYC has a population density of 27,000/sq mile while Dallas has 3,876/sq mile. Meaning that the Big Apple is around 4x denser than Dallas. Now, the reason why this is important to remember is that a lot of the differences that are going to stem from these two cities come actually from their densities. Because of this, NYC and Dallas have very different vibes going for them. For example, the Big Apple is a vibrant, never-sleeping type of city, while Dallas is in many respects quite opposite of that. Leasierly, easy-going, and friendly.

People walking in the street
Dallas is less crowdy than NYC

2. Job market when Moving from NYC to Dallas

The job market in NYC is quite open and flexible. If you are looking for a job – be that an entrepreneurial endeavor or something else entirely, it’s more likely you’ll be able to find what you are looking for in NYC than in Dallas. While on the other hand, Dallas is a place where you can relax and enjoy your time with your friends and family members at an affordable price. This brings us to our next point.

3. Cost of life

Everybody knows that life in NYC is expensive. It’s the first thing that anyone tells you once you move to the Big Apple. That’s why when moving to Dallas you’ll be glad to hear that the cost of living is almost half the price in New York. However, unlike NYC you are going to need to remember that in Dallas you are going to have to find some sort of way to go around the city. This is because public transportation is not readily available, as it is in the Big Apple. That’s why getting a car is considered a must by many when moving to Dallas.

4. Food scene

Eating out is surprisingly more expensive in Dallas than it is in New York. In the sense that the cost of meals in restaurants is generally more costly than they are in New York City.  For example, for a normal lunch in Dallas, you can expect to pay around 10 dollars, while as you might very well know it’s much cheaper (4-5 dollars cheaper). Also, a thing you need to take into consideration that will take some time to get used to is that everybody in Dallas pays using cards. This means that you are paying sales tax, unlike in New York where you are mostly paying in cash. Dallas’ food scene is also great, probably a bit less diverse than in NYC, but with amazing local specialties which you’ll surely enjoy.

Even the most difficult cross country relocation can be organized in a stress-free manner

As you can see, even though it is a daunting task, moving from NYC to Dallas can actually be organized fairly easily. All you need to do is prepare a moving plan, sort your moving inventory, calculate your budget and find reliable cross country movers. If you manage to do these few things right, relocating from New York to Texas will be a walk in the park.