Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Austin, TX
VS
Fort Worth, TX
🏆 Austin leads 13 of 22 categories
Austin
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,556 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
123⚠ High
Population
958,202 ✓ Larger
Fort Worth
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,726
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
924,663
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Austin, TX
Pros
More college-educated — 56.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $13,830 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.4%)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Worth
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $461,500
Violent crime (466.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,549/mo
Property crime (3241.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Fort Worth, TX
Pros
Homes cost $211k less ($250,300 vs $461,500)
Rent averages $236/mo less ($1,313 vs $1,549)
Cons
Violent crime (458.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Austin by $13,830/yr
Property crime (2699.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Austin
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Austin
Median Income
$13,830
$86,556 vs $72,726/yr
Austin
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.3% unemployment
Fort Worth
Median Home Value
$211k less
$250,300 vs $461,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Austin, TX | Fort Worth, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $461,500⚠ High | $250,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,549⚠ High | $1,313 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,556 ✓ Higher | $72,726 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.1 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 22.9% ✓ Higher | 10.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High | 124⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High | 121⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 154⚠ High | 129⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (133) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 56.5% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 91.1% ✓ Higher | 84.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AUSTIN ISD | FORT WORTH ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer | 58.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F | 96.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" ✓ Less | 2.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 958,202 ✓ Larger | 924,663 |
| Median Age | 34.2 ✓ Older | 33.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.4% | 56.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.8% | 10.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Austin's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Fort Worth's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Austin is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Austin leads 13 of 22 categories. Austin wins 13 and Fort Worth wins 9. 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 Austin to Fort Worth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($461,500 vs $250,300 median home), income ($86,556 vs $72,726), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Austin, TX and Fort Worth, TX are about 173 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.