Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Worth, TX
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 Fort Worth leads 12 of 23 categories
Fort Worth
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,726 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
924,663 ✓ Larger
Norman
Oklahoma
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,849
Violent Crime Index
68 ✓ Safer
Population
127,701
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Worth, TX
Pros
Households earn $9,877 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.3%)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 50°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (458.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Norman
Property crime (2699.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Norman, OK
Pros
43% less violent crime than Fort Worth
Rent averages $309/mo less ($1,004 vs $1,313)
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Worth
More college-educated — 45.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Fort Worth by $9,877/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Worth
Median Income
$9,877
$72,726 vs $62,849/yr
Fort Worth
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Fort Worth
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 96.6°F vs 92.5°F
Norman
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Violent Crime
43% lower
260.2 vs 458.4 per 100k
Norman
Median Home Value
$25k less
$224,900 vs $250,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Worth, TX | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $250,300 | $224,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,313 | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,726 ✓ Higher | $62,849 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 22.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.9% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 124⚠ High | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 121⚠ High | 68 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.2% | 45.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.1% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT WORTH ISD | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.8°F ✓ Warmer | 49.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 96.6°F ✓ Warmer | 92.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.3" ✓ Drier | 37.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.0" ✓ Less | 4.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 924,663 ✓ Larger | 127,701 |
| Median Age | 33.2 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% ✓ Higher | 52.4% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% ✓ More | 18.1% |
| Over 65 | 10.1% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Worth's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Norman is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fort Worth leads 12 of 23 categories. Fort Worth wins 12 and Norman 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 Fort Worth to Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($250,300 vs $224,900 median home), income ($72,726 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Worth, TX and Norman, OK are about 170 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.