Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Fort Worth, TX
🏆 College Station leads 13 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Fort Worth
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,726 ✓ Higher
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.
College Station, TX
Pros
63% less violent crime than Fort Worth
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Rent averages $184/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,313)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Worth
Cons
Median income trails Fort Worth by $20,329/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $305,800
Fort Worth, TX
Pros
Households earn $20,329 more per year on average
Homes cost $56k less ($250,300 vs $305,800)
Cons
Violent crime (458.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 13% higher than College Station
Property crime (2699.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
63% lower
170.5 vs 458.4 per 100k
College Station
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.3% unemployment
Fort Worth
Median Income
$20,329
$72,726 vs $52,397/yr
Fort Worth
Median Home Value
$56k less
$250,300 vs $305,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Fort Worth, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High | $250,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,313 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $72,726 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 10.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 84.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | FORT WORTH ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 58.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 924,663 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 33.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 56.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 10.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Fort Worth's 103.3 (US average = 100).
College Station is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 13 of 22 categories. College Station 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 College Station to Fort Worth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $250,300 median home), income ($52,397 vs $72,726), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Fort Worth, TX are about 164 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.