Dallas - TX vs Houston - TX: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

Dallas - TX is roughly 18% more expensive than Houston - TX in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Houston - TX (45 days vs 38), suggesting more buyer leverage there. Dallas - TX sees more listings with price cuts (34.0% vs 29.0%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

Dallas vs Houston: what the numbers say

At today's 7.24% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $1,953 a month in principal and interest in Dallas and $1,651 in Houston, a gap of $302 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,659 in Dallas and $1,638 in Houston, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.2 times rent in Dallas and 1.0 times rent in Houston, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 18.0 years of rent in Dallas and 15.4 in Houston; the lower ratio in Houston means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -5.8% in Dallas and -3.8% in Houston; over just the last three months the change was -0.1% in Dallas and -0.4% in Houston.

Homes sell for 98.0% of list price in Dallas and 97.3% in Houston, after 38 and 45 days on the market, with price cuts on 34% and 29% of listings. The signs are mixed: Dallas has more price cuts, while Houston has longer time on the market and sales further below list.

The number of homes for sale is down 4% on a year ago in Dallas and up 3% on a year ago in Houston.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-29), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.