Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Fort Worth, TX
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845
Fort Worth
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,726
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
924,663 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $64,661 more per year on average
45% less violent crime than Fort Worth
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 97°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Fort Worth
Fort Worth, TX
Pros
Homes cost $583k less ($250,300 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $914/mo less ($1,313 vs $2,227)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 45°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $64,661/yr
Violent crime (458.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2699.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$64,661
$137,387 vs $72,726/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
45% lower
254.4 vs 458.4 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.3% unemployment
Fort Worth
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Fort Worth
Median Home Value
$583k less
$250,300 vs $833,300
Fort Worth
Summer Heat
7.0°F warmer
July avg high 96.6°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Fort Worth, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $250,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,313 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $72,726 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 27.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 10.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 84.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | FORT WORTH ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 58.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 2.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 | 924,663 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 33.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 56.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Fort Worth's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Fort Worth is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 12 and Fort Worth wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Fort Worth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $250,300 median home), income ($137,387 vs $72,726), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Fort Worth, TX are about 1,207 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.