Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Dallas, TX
VS
Fort Worth, TX
🏆 Fort Worth leads 11 of 21 categories
Dallas
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$63,985
Violent Crime Index
173⚠ High
Population
1,300,642 ✓ Larger
Fort Worth
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,726 ✓ Higher
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.
Dallas, TX
Pros
More college-educated — 36.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (658.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fort Worth by $8,741/yr
Property crime (3351.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Fort Worth, TX
Pros
30% less violent crime than Dallas
Households earn $8,741 more per year on average
Homes cost $20k less ($250,300 vs $270,700)
Cons
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
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
Fort Worth
Median Income
$8,741
$72,726 vs $63,985/yr
Fort Worth
Violent Crime
30% lower
458.4 vs 658.2 per 100k
Fort Worth
Median Home Value
$20k less
$250,300 vs $270,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Fort Worth, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $270,700 | $250,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,305 ✓ Lower | $1,313 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,985 | $72,726 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.4 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.9% ✓ Higher | 10.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 124⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 173⚠ High | 121⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 129⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.5% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 80.2% | 84.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DALLAS ISD | FORT WORTH ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.7°F | 58.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 96.9°F ✓ Warmer | 96.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.4" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.7" ✓ Less | 2.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,300,642 ✓ Larger | 924,663 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 33.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 56.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.0% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Dallas's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Fort Worth's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Fort Worth leads 11 of 21 categories. Dallas wins 10 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 Dallas to Fort Worth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($270,700 vs $250,300 median home), income ($63,985 vs $72,726), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Dallas, TX and Fort Worth, TX are about 34 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.