Dallas-Fort Worth, TXNorth Texas powerhouse balancing a deep, diversified job base with one of the Sun Belt's biggest construction pipelines
Sources: FHFA House Price Index (ATNHPIUS19124Q + ATNHPIUS23104Q), U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey and Population Estimates, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics — retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. 2BR Fair Market Rent from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. SunBeltPulse is independent and not affiliated with any of these agencies.
Sourced, dated figures for Dallas-Fort Worth — cite freely.
Side-by-side stats, charts & AI analysis
Dallas-Fort Worth — quarterly, Q3 2016 – Q2 2026 · 40 quarters
FHFA House Price Index for Dallas-Fort Worth moved from 226.3 in 2016-Q3 to 426.4 in 2026-Q2 across 40 quarters of data.
| Quarter | Dallas-Plano-Irving | Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine |
|---|---|---|
| 2016-Q3 | 226.3 | 207.0 |
| 2016-Q4 | 230.3 | 209.9 |
| 2017-Q1 | 235.3 | 215.2 |
| 2017-Q2 | 244.5 | 222.8 |
| 2017-Q3 | 248.9 | 227.7 |
| 2017-Q4 | 251.4 | 231.0 |
| 2018-Q1 | 255.4 | 235.9 |
| 2018-Q2 | 260.5 | 241.9 |
| 2018-Q3 | 263.7 | 246.0 |
| 2018-Q4 | 264.1 | 246.8 |
| 2019-Q1 | 266.4 | 249.2 |
| 2019-Q2 | 271.0 | 254.6 |
| 2019-Q3 | 273.7 | 257.0 |
| 2019-Q4 | 275.3 | 260.1 |
| 2020-Q1 | 277.3 | 262.0 |
| 2020-Q2 | 278.6 | 263.7 |
| 2020-Q3 | 283.1 | 267.3 |
| 2020-Q4 | 288.9 | 274.1 |
| 2021-Q1 | 295.8 | 281.6 |
| 2021-Q2 | 314.9 | 297.8 |
| 2021-Q3 | 336.1 | 319.4 |
| 2021-Q4 | 350.7 | 332.9 |
| 2022-Q1 | 370.6 | 350.6 |
| 2022-Q2 | 402.2 | 379.4 |
| 2022-Q3 | 411.4 | 388.2 |
| 2022-Q4 | 402.3 | 379.3 |
| 2023-Q1 | 403.2 | 381.8 |
| 2023-Q2 | 409.7 | 384.3 |
| 2023-Q3 | 413.9 | 387.8 |
| 2023-Q4 | 410.1 | 382.2 |
| 2024-Q1 | 415.8 | 389.2 |
| 2024-Q2 | 421.5 | 392.1 |
| 2024-Q3 | 422.6 | 393.5 |
| 2024-Q4 | 426.0 | 397.6 |
| 2025-Q1 | 421.6 | 396.4 |
| 2025-Q2 | 424.2 | 397.7 |
| 2025-Q3 | 425.1 | 397.2 |
| 2025-Q4 | 425.2 | 397.8 |
| 2026-Q1 | 427.8 | 400.0 |
| 2026-Q2 | 426.4 | 400.4 |
Dallas-Fort Worth — new private housing units authorized, monthly, Oct 2024 – Sep 2026 · 24 readings
Monthly building permits authorized in Dallas-Fort Worth over 24 months (Oct 2024 – Sep 2026). Range: 4,197 to 7,690. Latest reading: 5,115.
| Month | Permits authorized |
|---|---|
| Oct 24 | 5,482 |
| Nov 24 | 5,291 |
| Dec 24 | 6,670 |
| Jan 25 | 5,241 |
| Feb 25 | 5,112 |
| Mar 25 | 5,592 |
| Apr 25 | 7,690 |
| May 25 | 5,037 |
| Jun 25 | 6,633 |
| Jul 25 | 5,214 |
| Aug 25 | 4,996 |
| Sep 25 | 5,502 |
| Oct 25 | 4,638 |
| Nov 25 | 4,197 |
| Dec 25 | 5,044 |
| Jan 26 | 4,432 |
| Feb 26 | 7,633 |
| Mar 26 | 5,200 |
| Apr 26 | 4,954 |
| May 26 | 5,029 |
| Jun 26 | 4,975 |
| Jul 26 | 4,671 |
| Aug 26 | 4,595 |
| Sep 26 | 5,115 |
Dallas-Fort Worth — BLS LAUS, monthly, Sep 2024 – Sep 2026 · 24 readings
Unemployment rate in Dallas-Fort Worth, Sep 2024 – Sep 2026 · 24 monthly readings. Range: 3.5% to 4.7%. Latest reading: 4.1%.
| Month | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Sep 24 | 4.0% |
| Oct 24 | 3.9% |
| Nov 24 | 3.9% |
| Dec 24 | 3.6% |
| Jan 25 | 4.0% |
| Feb 25 | 4.1% |
| Mar 25 | 3.8% |
| Apr 25 | 3.5% |
| May 25 | 3.7% |
| Jun 25 | 4.0% |
| Jul 25 | 4.2% |
| Aug 25 | 4.3% |
| Sep 25 | 4.2% |
| Nov 25 | 4.0% |
| Dec 25 | 3.6% |
| Jan 26 | 4.2% |
| Feb 26 | 4.1% |
| Mar 26 | 3.9% |
| Apr 26 | 3.8% |
| May 26 | 4.0% |
| Jun 26 | 4.7% |
| Jul 26 | 4.6% |
| Aug 26 | 4.4% |
| Sep 26 | 4.1% |
Latest figures: FHFA HPI (Dallas-Plano-Irving division) +0.5% YoY, -0.3% QoQ (Q2 2026); unemployment 4.1% (Sep 2026); population +1.48% YoY (2025). Pandemic run-up on the same index: +48.4% from Q1 2020 to its Q3 2022 peak, then -2.2% to Q4 2022.
Dallas-Fort Worth remains one of the largest and most diversified metros in the Sun Belt, anchored by corporate relocations in finance, logistics, and technology. After the rapid appreciation of 2020–2022, the market has spent the years since digesting a much larger construction pipeline alongside continued in-migration from higher-cost coastal metros. Suburbs across Collin, Denton, and Tarrant counties absorb the bulk of new construction, so supply builds there first; the urban core adds far fewer homes, and its pricing has historically moved less with the building cycle.
Figures from FHFA House Price Index (ATNHPIUS19124Q, ATNHPIUS23104Q), U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits and Population Estimates, and BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis), plus HUD Fair Market Rents, refreshed with each release. The analysis is editorial, dated above, and names any third-party source it cites.
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Big D
Big D — where the West begins
Total jobs
4.4M
BLS CES · curated Aug 2026
Unemployment
4.1%
BLS LAUS · Sep 2026
Job growth YoY
+1.3%
BLS CES · curated Aug 2026
Median HH income
$93K
Census ACS 2024, metro area
Share of total nonfarm employment
Metro-area headcount estimates
Walmart
RetailAmerican Airlines
LogisticsTexas Health Resources
HealthcareBaylor Scott & White Health
HealthcareJPMorgan Chase
FinanceUT Southwestern Medical Center
HealthcareDallas ISD
EducationAT&T
TechLockheed Martin
ManufacturingBank of America
FinanceThe most genuinely diversified Sun Belt job base — if you can't find work in DFW, the problem is probably elsewhere.
If you're moving to Dallas-Fort Worth, the job market is the easiest in the Sun Belt to underwrite for a mover. Finance and insurance rival the Northeast at the mid-level tier — JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Charles Schwab, and Fidelity all run large campuses in Plano, Irving, and Westlake. Logistics runs through DFW Airport. Healthcare anchors through Texas Health and Baylor Scott & White. Defense and aerospace (Lockheed's F-35 line in Fort Worth, Bell, L3Harris) adds a high-wage manufacturing layer. No single sector dominates — the diversification cushion is real.
Target finance, insurance, and healthcare — all three hire steadily across wage bands. Defense/aerospace in Fort Worth is a standout if you have clearance-eligible background. Weak spots are concentrated and specific: commercial real estate, parts of traditional banking (mortgage ops), and legacy telecom (AT&T has been cutting for years). Wages sit meaningfully above the Texas average, and housing — outside Highland Park and a few suburbs — stays within reach on a relocator's budget.
Timing: the Northeast-to-Texas corporate shift is ongoing, not a one-time pandemic event. Goldman's Dallas campus is rising toward a 2028 opening with room for roughly 5,000 employees, Wells Fargo's two-tower Irving campus opened in late 2025, Morgan Stanley just picked Uptown Dallas for a $1.3B hub, and CBRE's 2025 HQ move from LA anchors a growing commercial real estate cluster. For a mover with an offer in hand, the depth of the DFW hiring pipeline, not the timing of the housing cycle, is the argument for going.
Recent corporate moves
CBRE
RelocationCompleted formal relocation of its global headquarters to Dallas from Los Angeles, anchoring a growing commercial real estate cluster.
Goldman Sachs
ExpansionBroke ground on a $500M, 800,000-square-foot Dallas campus expected to house roughly 5,000 employees by 2028.
Wells Fargo
ExpansionOpened its two-tower, 850,000-square-foot Irving campus in October, the operating base for roughly 4,500 employees consolidated from older DFW offices.
AT&T
LayoffsCut several thousand roles nationally with significant exposure in its Dallas headquarters as part of ongoing cost reductions.
Southwest Airlines
LayoffsCut about 1,750 corporate jobs at its Dallas headquarters in February, roughly 15 percent of corporate staff and the first mass layoff in the company's history.
KFC (Yum Brands)
RelocationYum Brands moved KFC's U.S. corporate headquarters from Louisville to its Plano campus, relocating about 100 corporate roles to North Texas.
Morgan Stanley
ExpansionSelected Uptown Dallas for a planned $1.3B campus, with city incentives approved in August, projected to house roughly 1,500 employees by 2031 and up to 4,800 by 2039.
Source: NOAA NCEI, retrieved Oct 2026
Days ≥ 100°F
20
Extreme-heat days per year
Days ≥ 90°F
106
Hot days per year
Days ≤ 32°F
29
Freezing days per year
Annual precip
37.0"
79 rainy days/year
Dallas-Fort Worth — 1991-2020 normals · Dallas-Fort Worth Intl Airport
Dallas-Fort Worth monthly climate normals. Average highs range from 57°F to 96°F (hottest: Aug at 96°F). Average lows range from 36°F to 76°F (coldest: Jan at 36°F). Total annual precipitation: 37.0".
| Month | Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | Precipitation (") |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57 | 36 | 2.53 |
| Feb | 61 | 40 | 2.76 |
| Mar | 69 | 48 | 3.3 |
| Apr | 76 | 55 | 3.22 |
| May | 84 | 65 | 4.78 |
| Jun | 92 | 72 | 3.7 |
| Jul | 96 | 76 | 2.08 |
| Aug | 96 | 76 | 2.18 |
| Sep | 89 | 69 | 2.72 |
| Oct | 78 | 57 | 4.37 |
| Nov | 67 | 46 | 2.53 |
| Dec | 58 | 38 | 2.84 |
Cfa · Humid subtropical
Hazard levels are editorial ratings aggregated from FEMA, USDA wildfire risk, NOAA storm tracks, and NWS hail climatology. Not insurance or investment advice.
Sharp seasonal swings, blistering summers, ice storms, and North Texas's signature perils — hail and tornadoes.
Dallas-Fort Worth sits at the southern end of Tornado Alley, and its weather calendar is aggressive in both directions. A normal year brings more than 100 days at 90°F or above, with humid nights that offer little relief; the summer of 2011 set DFW Airport's record of 71 days at 100°F or more. Winters are mostly mild, but occasional Arctic fronts plunge temperatures below 20°F and coat the metro in ice — a DFW specialty that shuts down airports, schools, and freeways for days. Spring is the peak severe-weather window, with supercells producing large hail and strong tornadoes.
For movers, three things matter most. First, insurance: Texas homeowners have paid some of the highest average premiums in the country (third-highest in the NAIC's 2022 data), and the state has led the nation in hail claims in the National Insurance Crime Bureau's multi-year studies, so roof replacements are a recurring cost in North Texas. Second, the grid: Winter Storm Uri (2021) exposed ERCOT's winter vulnerability, and severe storms can still cut power on a large scale — Oncor reported more than 650,000 customers out after the May 2024 windstorm. Third, foundations: expansive clay soils crack slab foundations, and soaker hoses in drought summers are standard homeowner practice.
Climate projections point to longer, hotter summers, and the 2021 freeze showed that winter extremes still matter here. Most residents accept the trade-off: great weather for roughly eight months of the year, and four that require serious preparation.
Historical edge scenarios
October EF3 tornado through North Dallas
On the night of October 20, 2019, an EF3 tornado with peak winds near 140 mph cut a 15.8-mile path through North Dallas and into Richardson. Across that night's outbreak, the City of Dallas counted about 3,000 homes and 1,000 businesses damaged, and the Insurance Council of Texas put insured losses at about $1.5 billion, the costliest tornado outbreak in Texas history at the time. Oncor's outages peaked at about 140,000 customers early the next morning.
Winter Storm Uri
Uri drove DFW Airport to −2°F on February 16, 2021, the lowest reading in the official Dallas-Fort Worth record since January 1949. ERCOT's rolling blackouts left millions of Texans without heat; the state health department counted 246 deaths, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas estimated $80–130 billion in economic losses for Texas. Burst pipes damaged homes across the metro.
71 days of 100°F+ heat
The summer of 2011 set DFW's record of 71 days at 100°F or higher, including a 40-day streak, two short of the 42-day record set in 1980. August 2011 averaged 88.2°F across Texas, setting the state's record for any month, and DFW's own August ran about 7.6°F above the 1991–2020 normal.
Neighbourhoods
Where people actually live — from historic bungalows to new-build cul-de-sacs.
Dallas-Fort Worth's neighbourhood map is really two distinct metros sharing a freeway grid. On the Dallas side, Uptown and the Knox-Henderson corridor anchor the walkable urban tier — luxury condo towers, dense restaurant strips, and prices that reflect the premium for inner-loop land. Highland Park and University Park (the Park Cities) sit adjacent: among the most expensive ZIP codes in Texas, served by Highland Park ISD, with a resale market that holds value through cycles. Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts District delivers the character-neighbourhood pick: independent retail, walkable blocks, Craftsman-era housing stock, and prices still well below the inner-loop average.
Fort Worth's urban core is genuinely underrated by Dallas-focused relocation guides. The Near Southside, Fairmount/Southside Historic District, and the blocks around Magnolia Avenue give buyers urban walkability, 1910s–1930s bungalows, and prices that remain $100K–$150K below comparable Dallas pockets. Sundance Square is the entertainment anchor but Fairmount is where residents actually live.
Southlake (served by Carroll ISD) and Colleyville are the northwest corridor prestige picks. Frisco and Prosper in Collin County are the master-planned volume play — new construction and the fastest-growing population in the metro. The value plays: Garland and Mesquite on the east side for entry-level SFH under $350K, Irving for DFW airport-corridor commuters who need under-$400K access, and McKinney for new construction with Collin County schools at slightly lower prices than Frisco.
As of Q2 2026, home prices in Dallas-Fort Worth rose 0.5% over the past year and slipped 0.3% in the most recent quarter. Prices remain above year-ago levels, though the recent quarterly dip points to softening momentum. Figures reflect the Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan division; the metro page chart shows both divisions. Source: FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index (ATNHPIUS19124Q), retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro is $1,807 per month (FY2027). HUD publishes Fair Market Rents annually as the benchmark for housing voucher payment standards — they reflect typical asking rents for modest, standard-quality units in the area. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Dallas-Fort Worth is growing — population rose 1.48% year-over-year; the 2025 Census estimate puts the metro at 8,477,157 residents. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The Dallas-Fort Worth metro unemployment rate was 4.1% in September 2026 — a healthy reading, roughly in line with the national 4.0% (BLS, September 2026). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; national rate: BLS Current Population Survey, retrieved from FRED.
Builders pulled permits for roughly 5,115 new private housing units in Dallas-Fort Worth in September 2026, running lower than a year earlier (-7.0%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
About 8.9 cents of every dollar a first-year owner of the median Dallas-Fort Worth home pays (principal, interest, property tax and insurance) becomes equity, at the 7.18% 30-year rate of the week of Nov 5, 2026 with 10% down. Interest takes the largest share, and property tax plus insurance come to 2.95 times the first year's principal. Sources: Census ACS 2024 median home value and real-estate taxes; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey®; Insurify 2026 premium estimate. See Dallas against all 12 metros in our mortgage guide
Tracking a move beyond Dallas-Fort Worth? Every metro profile carries the same FHFA, Census, BLS, and HUD data, refreshed with each release.
Data sources: FHFA House Price Index (ATNHPIUS19124Q, ATNHPIUS23104Q), U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey and Population Estimates, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics — retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. 2BR Fair Market Rent from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. SunBeltPulse is independent and not affiliated with any of these agencies. Statistics represent metro-area figures and are updated monthly. Not financial or investment advice.