Dallas real estate vs inflation: did it beat the dollar?
187% × 46%
Updated June 1, 2026 · Redfin · BLS / FRED (CPIAUCNS)
Since 2013, Dallas real estate is up 187% while U.S. consumer prices rose 46%. Dallas real estate far outpaced inflation — but the ride was brutal: its worst drop was 21%. Figures in U.S. dollars.
Base 100 since 2013
Why compare Dallas home prices (US$/m²) and U.S. inflation (CPI-U)
Dallas anchors one of the fastest-growing large metros in the country, a Sun Belt magnet where corporate relocations, a deep finance and tech base and the absence of a state income tax have pulled people in for years. For much of its history it stayed cheaper per square meter than the coastal giants, part of what made it attractive, though the wave of arrivals after 2020 pushed values up sharply before the market cooled as mortgage rates rose. Compared with California or the Northeast it still reads as relatively affordable for a city its size, which the figures below let you check against inflation.
Returns by window
| Window | Dallas home prices (US$/m²) | U.S. inflation (CPI-U) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 3% | 4% |
| 5 years | 21% | 24% |
| 10 years | 63% | 39% |
| since 2013 | 187% | 46% |
The price of return: risk
| Asset | Annual volatility | Worst drop |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas real estate | 16% | -21% |
| Inflation (CPI) | 1% | -2% |
$10,000 in each, since 2013
| Asset | Value today |
|---|---|
| Dallas real estate | $28,697 |
| Inflation (CPI) | $14,553 |
Frequently asked questions
Did Dallas real estate beat inflation?
Over the period, Dallas real estate returned 187% while U.S. consumer prices rose 46%. The gap is what the asset earned beyond simply keeping pace with the dollar.
Does this account for the dollar losing value?
Yes. The inflation line is U.S. CPI, the measure of how much purchasing power the dollar lost over the same period. Returns above that line are gains in real terms.
Does a higher return mean a better investment?
Not on its own. A higher return came with higher risk here — the volatility and the largest drop on this page show how much the value swung along the way.
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Descriptive, educational content computed from official public data. Not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.