Austin vs Fort Worth
Austin, Texas versus Fort Worth, Texas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Austin and Fort Worth score about the same overall (48 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Austin | Fort Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $87k | $73k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $53k |
| Home Value | $462k | $250k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.59% | 1.89% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.20% | 8.20% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.16% | 9.21% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 85°F | 86°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.3 in | 38.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2 in | 2.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 228 days | 278 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 68°F |
| Comfortable Days | 103 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.3 | 57.1 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 54.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2055/100k | 1414/100k |
| Property Crime | 3608/100k | 2754/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 958,202 | 924,663 |
| Median Age | 34.2 | 33.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.66 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | Even |
| White (%) | 47.7% | 37.7% |
| Black (%) | 7.5% | 18.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 32.5% | 35.2% |
| Asian (%) | 8.3% | 4.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 17.1/20 | 13.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 18 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.8% | 90.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 14.42 | 4.03 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Austin or Fort Worth more affordable?
- Fort Worth has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Austin's $57k and Fort Worth's $53k. Median rent is $2k in Austin versus $1k in Fort Worth.
- Is Austin or Fort Worth safer?
- Fort Worth has the lower violent crime rate. Austin reports 2055/100k and Fort Worth reports 1414/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Austin or Fort Worth?
- The median home value is $462k in Austin and $250k in Fort Worth, so homes are more affordable in Fort Worth.