Austin (Texas) vs Dallas (Texas): tax, residence and cost 2026

Austin vs Dallas.

Austin against Dallas, both in 🇺🇸 United States, on tax, residence, cost, and the life. Same model, same year, no brochure.

In short, current to September 2026

On $1,000,000 of income, Austin takes an effective 33% and Dallas takes 33%, an identical effective rate on Patrician's 2026 model.
Both tax a capital gain on a resident disposal at 24%, so a liquidity event carries the same local charge either way.
The United States operates no special regime for arriving foreigners, so both are modeled on ordinary resident rates.
Inheritance, what a child pays: 40% above $15M in Austin, 40% above $15M in Dallas.
Route in: Austin by Residence by investment, Founder & talent. Dallas by Residence by investment, Founder & talent.
Cost of the life is 78 in Austin against 62 in Dallas on Patrician's index where Zurich is 100, and safety 7 against 6 of 10. Both are Patrician editorial indices scored by us, not published statistics.

Source: the Patrician.ch board, an original ranking of 100 residence addresses across 47 countries and territories. Tax rates, thresholds and routes are sourced. Cost, safety, schools, sun and beauty are Patrician.ch editorial indices. Figures current to September 2026. Updated 26 September 2026. Cite as: Patrician.ch, Austin (Texas) vs Dallas (Texas): tax, residence and cost 2026, patrician.ch/compare/aus-vs-dal/, September 2026.

	Austin	Dallas
Effective tax at $300K	25%	25%
Effective tax at $1M	33%	33%
Effective tax at $3M	36%	36%
Kept at $1M	$674K	$674K
Capital gains	24%	24%
Inheritance tax, children	40% above $15M	40% above $15M
Cost index (Zurich 100)	78	62
Safety	7/10	6/10
Schools	7/10	7/10
Sun hours	2,650	2,850
Supercar street index	#74	#44
Routes in	Residence by investment, Founder & talent	Residence by investment, Founder & talent
Net millionaire inflow 2025 (country, Henley)	+7,500	+7,500
Flight London	10.6	10.3
Flight New York	4	3.8

Simplified marginal model, indicative 2026 brackets, non-US single filer, no social contributions, deductions, wealth taxes, or treaties. Inheritance is shown as it falls on a child, current to September 2026.

By profile

How each profile reads.

For an executive on salary

Dallas (Texas) keeps more of a $1M salary, $0 a year on this model. Austin (Texas) answers with safety.

For a founder with an exit

Capital gains land at 24% in both. Neither city taxes wealth as such.

For a family

Austin (Texas) leads on safety, Dallas (Texas) on a lower cost and sun. Schools are level.

AustinThe full page DallasThe full page Rank both on my numbersThe engine, 90 seconds

Questions

Which keeps more of a $1M income, Austin or Dallas?

Neither. Both keep $674K of $1,000,000 on Patrician.ch's 2026 model.

Austin takes an effective 33% of $1,000,000 and Dallas takes 33%. At $3,000,000 the rates are 36% and 36%.

Which taxes capital gains less, Austin or Dallas?

Neither. Both tax a resident's capital gain at about 24%.

Which is better for inheritance, Austin or Dallas?

Both tax children. What a child pays: 40% above $15M in Austin, 40% above $15M in Dallas.

The US taxes an estate at 40% above $15M per person in 2026. A US citizen spouse inherits free.

Which is cheaper to live in, Austin or Dallas?

Dallas, at 62 on the Patrician.ch cost index against 78 for Austin, where Zurich is 100.

Safety scores 7 of 10 in Austin and 6 of 10 in Dallas, schools 7 and 7. These are Patrician.ch editorial indices, not published statistics.

The Dossier: Austin, Dallas, and the third you have not considered.Your top 3 modeled on your income, exit, passports, and family. 10 chapters, written the moment you pay, usually ready within 2 minutes. The Dossier is $500. The founding price, $250, holds until 30 September. Refunded within 7 days if it does not change how you think.

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This page is the general case. Your income and passports rank all 100 differently.

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The general case, ranked: Where should high earners live in 2026 · Best country to live in if you are rich · Best countries for high earners after tax · Europe · United States · Americans moving abroad · Tax calculator · Keep Index 2026

Tax figures use a simplified marginal model with indicative 2026 brackets for a non-US single filer, ignore social contributions, most deductions, wealth taxes, and treaties, and are not advice. Residence rules change often. Verify before acting.