Average Billboard Costs In Dallas

Dallas is home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks (and their eccentric owners). It’s a city associated with the oil industry, and once upon a time was where we all asked “Who shot JR?” Even though Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas behind Houston and San Antonio, there may be no city that better typifies what we think of as the Texas ethos.¹

This all makes it a prime location to reach consumers with out-of-home (OOH) advertising. But does “everything is bigger in Texas” also hold true for the cost of OOH advertising? And how much does a billboard cost in Dallas?

When looking at billboard advertising cost in Dallas, several factors must be considered, like location, availability, and the type of billboard. However, the average billboard cost Dallas offers is somewhere around $3,000. Let’s look more specifically at different types of OOH and the costs associated to get a better idea of how much you’ll need for a campaign in Dallas.

Options for OOH in Dallas

Texas is a big state with a lot of open real estate. So, while the average price for a billboard ad anywhere in Texas may be as low as $1,500², the average billboard ad  cost in Dallas is often much higher. 

However, to get a true picture of average costs it helps to break down by the type of OOH you’re looking for. While specific costs will also be affected by location and availability, this will give you a better idea of what to expect for your campaign.

#1 Traditional OOH

The best place to start when talking about OOH is the classic billboards. However, even when looking at traditional OOH, we need to break things down by size as the size of your traditional billboard advertisement  will determine not just the cost, but the type of advertisements and creative decisions you should make for your campaign. The main sizes for traditional OOH are:³

• Bulletins – Bulletins are your standard, large size traditional billboard space that you’re likely to see along major roadways like highways or expressways. Perfect for grabbing the attention of a passing driver, bulletins are generally sized at 14’ high and 48’ wide. When thinking about the creative elements of a bulletin, keep the following in mind:
  
  • Grab attention fast with colors or large text as drivers won’t have time to read your ad while they’re driving by (unless they’re stuck in traffic).

• High traffic areas will yield more impressions, but these impressions may be on people just passing through. If your business is local, you may want to be more targeted to a certain locale.

The average cost for a bulletin in Dallas will probably be somewhere between $2,500 and $3,500 per month.

• Posters – Posters are similar to bulletins but smaller. The normal size for a poster is 12’3” high by 24’6” wide. This slightly smaller size makes them perfect for city streets that will still recieve high traffic but where cars won’t be whipping past like they would on an interstate highway. Bear in mind:

• Since posters are a bit smaller, they’re more suited to targeted advertising, so this may be a good option for businesses advertising a brick-and-mortar location.

• While they can be more targeted, posters are still likely to be located near major roads, and creative choices should reflect this. Grab attention quickly and focus on people who will be driving.

Posters’ smaller size also helps reduce their rental cost, with the average poster in Dallas likely to be between $1,000 and $2,000 per month.

• Junior Poster – Maybe you want to advertise more to pedestrians than drivers, or you’re looking to advertise in the heart of the city. If so, junior posters may be the option best suited for you. At 5’ high by 11’ wide, they can still effectively grab attention but also give you some extra creative freedom:
  
  • Some posters may be able to be oriented vertically instead of the typical horizontal orientation. This can open up design options that wouldn’t make sense with other-sized billboards.

• Since you may be targeting more pedestrians, you can also add a bit more text or a call-to-action to your ad.

The price of a junior poster can vary greatly based on the specific location, but you may be able to find many in Dallas for under $1,000.

• Wallscapes – If you’re looking to make a visual impact, a wallscape could be the choice that best fits your campaign. This advertisement will completely cover the side of a building, making it incredibly eye-catching and the sort of thing that people may share organically on Instagram or other social media, extending your reach. Just remember:

• Since wallscapes require an empty facade, availability can often be very limited, which can drive up the price.

• Wallscapes are embedded in the community. Use your creative choices to reflect the community values to foster goodwill and improve engagement.

Wallscapes can make a big impact, which is why they tend to have a big price tag. A wallscape in Dallas is likely to cost around $30,000. 

#2 Digital Billboards

While standard, physical billboards are effective forms of advertising that generate a high number of unique impressions, some businesses may favor a more modern approach. Digital billboards come in a variety of sizes and allow you to update your campaign in real-time. 

This means you can adjust your strategy throughout the campaign to help you maximize your return-on-investment.

In Dallas, you may be able to find digital billboards for as low as $1,100, but the average cost is likely to be closer to $3,500.

#3 Street Furniture

Billboards aren’t the only form of OOH advertising that could be right for your campaign. Other forms of OOH allow you to target your audience more specifically and keep costs within your budget. One such OOH option is street furniture. Street furniture as an OOH category can encompass many things such as:⁴

• Newsstands
• Bus or transit shelters
• City trash cans
• City info pillars

These advertisements allow you to reach people where they live and work. The average cost of street furniture advertisements in Dallas will be around $2,500 per month.

#4 Transit

If street furniture reaches people where they live and work, transit advertisements reach people where they travel. While traditional billboards tend to target those driving, transit ads reach people on trains, busses, or in airports. 

Since there are many types of transit ads, there are also many different possible costs. An ad on a taxi will be cheaper than a large ad in an airport. So while the lowest price you may be able to find could be around $150, the average price is somewhere closer to $16,000.

#5 Place-Based Media

The final OOH category to mention is place-based media. Much like transit advertising, the types of place-based media vary so widely that coming up with a true average cost can be difficult and potentially misleading. 

On the one hand, you could advertise very inexpensively in a Dallas bar. On the other hand, you can purchase place-based media in the Dallas Cowboys arena. Both can be effective, but they’ll come with very different price tags.

Some examples of place-based media include:

• Elevators
• Cinemas
• Shopping malls
• Stadiums

Understanding the Dallas Market

Now that you have an idea of the costs of the common types of OOH advertising in Dallas, it’s worth immersing yourself in the outdoor advertising market. 

If you’re a local business in the United States, you’ll want to know your market on a granular level so that you can advertise most effectively. Even larger, national businesses can benefit from understanding the outdoor advertising market where their ads are placed. Some things worth knowing about Dallas include:⁵

• Population – The population of the city of Dallas is 1,343,573. The population of Dallas County is 2,635,516.
• Accessibility – As part of such a large, well-populated state, Dallas is accessible from many other major American cities. Some examples include:⁶
  
  • 30 miles from Fort Worth, TX
  • 195 miles from Austin, TX
  • 240 miles from Houston, TX
  • 275 miles from San Antonio, TX
  • 207 miles from Oklahoma City, OK
  • 320 miles from Little Rock, AR
• Demographics – The population of Dallas is evenly split between men and women, with women making up just under 51% of the population. Racial breakdowns are as follows:
  
  • Hispanics make up the largest proportion of the population at 41.8%
  • White residents are the next largest percentage at 29%
  • Black or African American residents comprise 24.3% of Dallas’s population

While these numbers vary slightly county-wide, they stay relatively close to the city’s breakdown.

• Income – The median income in Dallas is $52,580. The city’s poverty level is around 18.9%.

OOH Advertising with True Impact Media

Dallas is a thriving American city with a large population of potential consumers, which makes it an attractive location for any advertising campaign. But understanding the billboard advertising cost Dallas sites start at is just the first step.

New: Ready to purchase your Dallas Billboards? If you’re looking to start an OOH campaign in Dallas, we at True Impact Media are here to help—we’ll work with you to find the perfect OOH site in the Dallas area that meets your needs and your budget. If you’re interested in the greater Dallas area, also be sure to consider the cost and effectiveness of Fort Worth billboards.

And our help doesn’t end when you find space. We can help on every level of your campaign, from creative to analytics, so that you can get the most for your investment. At True Impact Media, we’re OOH experts. Let us help you get the most out of your Dallas OOH campaign today.

Sources: 

1. World Population Review. 10 Largest Cities in Texas. https://worldpopulationreview.com/states/cities/texas 
2. Fit Small Business. How Much Does a Billboard Cost? Pricing & Advertising Tips. https://fitsmallbusiness.com/how-much-does-billboard-advertising-cost/ 
3. True Impact Media. What is the Standard Billboard Size? https://trueimpactmedia.com/blog/what-is-the-standard-billboard-size/ 
4. True Impact Media. Types of OOH. https://trueimpactmedia.com/ooh-marketing-media-types/ 
5. US Census Bureau. QuickFacts. Dallas County, Texas; Dallas city, Texas. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/dallascountytexas,dallascitytexas/PST045219 
6. Visit Dallas. Dallas Stats and Fun Facts. https://www.visitdallas.com/about/dallas-fun-facts.html