How much house can I afford in Dallas–Fort Worth?

The practical answer

Dallas–Fort Worth — DFW, the Metroplex — flips the usual affordability math. Texas has no state income tax, so take-home pay is high; but property taxes across Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties run 1.6–1.8% of home value, among the highest in the country. Cheap house, expensive tax bill.

A worked example: a couple earning $190,000 in Dallas with $140,000 invested, keeping a $30,000 cushion, on a 30-year fixed at 6.75%, models out to roughly a $760,000 home with about $110,000 down (15%) and a payment near $5,300/month — of which roughly $1,050/month is property tax alone. In DFW, the tax line is often the difference between comfortable and stretched.

• No Texas income tax means a $190k DFW household nets roughly what a $210–220k household nets in Illinois or Georgia.
• Property tax of 1.6–1.8% (Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton counties) claws much of that back — on a $760k home, $12,000+ per year.
• Homestead exemptions reduce the bill for primary residences — but budget off the full rate until yours is approved.
• The Metroplex sprawls: the same budget behaves very differently in Frisco, Plano, Southlake, Fort Worth, or East Dallas because tax rates and HOA norms vary by suburb.

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