Cost of Living in Fort Worth, TX (2026)

Fort Worth's cost of living is 3% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $97,003 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Fort Worth has a cost-of-living index of 103 against a US average of 100 — about 3% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $97,003 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Fort Worth

MeasureFort WorthUS average
Cost-of-living index103100
Median rent$1,412/mo-
Median home value$277,300-
Median household income$76,602-
Population941,311-

Monthly cost breakdown in Fort Worth

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,412$1,610
Transport$1,079$1,079
Food$849$849
Healthcare$533$533
Other$1,895$1,895
Total$5,768$5,967

Affordability in Fort Worth

Median rent takes about 22.1% of the median household income in Fort Worth — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 3.6x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Fort Worth

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Software Developer$135,735$131,667
Data Scientist$118,509$114,957
Project Manager$108,341$105,094
Marketing Manager$101,866$98,813
Physical Therapist$97,498$94,576
Financial Analyst$95,864$92,991
Mechanical Engineer$91,745$88,995
Web Developer$84,173$81,650

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Fort Worth’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Fort Worth has a cost-of-living index of 103 against a US average of 100, so it is about 3% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Fort Worth has roughly the purchasing power of $97,003 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Fort Worth's median rent of $1,412/month that implies about $56,480 a year before tax. The median household in Fort Worth earns $76,602.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $5,768 a month in Fort Worth across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $5,967 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Fort Worth costs $277,300, which is 3.6x the median household income of $76,602. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Fort Worth is manageable but tight.