Harris County vs Tarrant County
Harris County, Texas versus Tarrant County, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Tarrant County edges out Harris County on overall objective livability (43 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Harris County | Tarrant County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $53k |
| Home Value | $235k | $269k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.77% | 1.82% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.59% | 8.93% |
| Unemployment | 6.4% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 54°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 85°F | 86°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.8 in | 38.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 192 days | 250 days |
| Summer Humidity | 73°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 122 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 99.9 | 99.1 |
| Air Quality | 64 AQI | 57 AQI |
| School Quality | 47.3 | 47.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2387/100k | 1417/100k |
| Property Crime | 3602/100k | 2378/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 4,726,177 | 2,113,854 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.71 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | Even |
| White (%) | 27.6% | 43.9% |
| Black (%) | 18.5% | 16.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 43.9% | 29.8% |
| Asian (%) | 7.0% | 5.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 10.8/20 | 9.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.8% | 92.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.29 | 1.79 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Harris County or Tarrant County more affordable?
- Harris County has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Harris County's $48k and Tarrant County's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Harris County versus $1k in Tarrant County.
- Is Harris County or Tarrant County safer?
- Tarrant County has the lower violent crime rate. Harris County reports 2387/100k and Tarrant County reports 1417/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Harris County or Tarrant County?
- The median home value is $235k in Harris County and $269k in Tarrant County, so homes are more affordable in Harris County.