Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Paso, TX
VS
Fort Worth, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 12 of 23 categories
El Paso
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181
Fort Worth
Texas
11
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.
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $91k less ($159,300 vs $250,300)
39% less violent crime than Fort Worth
Rent averages $337/mo less ($976 vs $1,313)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Worth
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Median income trails Fort Worth by $17,016/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.3%)
Fort Worth, TX
Pros
Households earn $17,016 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.3%)
More college-educated — 31.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (458.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 13% higher than El Paso
Property crime (2699.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
El Paso
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
39% lower
278.4 vs 458.4 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$91k less
$159,300 vs $250,300
Fort Worth
Median Income
$17,016
$72,726 vs $55,710/yr
Fort Worth
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.3% vs 6.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Paso, TX | Fort Worth, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $159,300 ✓ Lower | $250,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $976 ✓ Lower | $1,313 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $55,710 | $72,726 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 10.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 72 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.1% | 31.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.5% | 84.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EL PASO ISD | FORT WORTH ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.6°F | 58.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.8°F | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.8" | 2.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 677,181 | 924,663 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.7 ✓ Older | 33.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 56.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 26.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Paso's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Fort Worth's 103.3 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 12 of 23 categories. El Paso 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 El Paso to Fort Worth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($159,300 vs $250,300 median home), income ($55,710 vs $72,726), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Paso, TX and Fort Worth, TX are about 534 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.