A+
5%
Overall NAT. AVG.
8%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
7%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Fort Worth Texas National
Cost of living10592100
Goods & Services10896100
Groceries10096100
Health care10894100
Housing10783100
Transportation8992100
Utilities111104100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Fort Worth, TX

The cost of living in Fort Worth affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Fort Worth is 105, which is 5% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

In Fort Worth, daily expenses such as food, housing, goods and services, transportation and health care are in line with comparable areas and about average when compared to all cities across the nation. This ensures that the cost of living in Fort Worth will resemble that of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Fort Worth?

The most insightful perspective on a city comes from its residents. We recently surveyed 21 locals to gauge their perception of the cost of living in Fort Worth. The feedback revealed that 48% of respondents found the cost of living to be reasonable, with prices on the decline, while 52% regarded it as notably expensive with prices that continue to rise.

Is Fort Worth Affordable?

Is Fort Worth an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Fort Worth, the median home price is 3.1% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 17.5% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Fort Worth come in at $64,567, which is 16.7% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Fort Worth?

Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.

Taxes: Areas with higher taxes, including sales taxes and income taxes, can contribute to a higher cost of living. Paying more tax for everyday goods and services like clothing and food will result in higher costs, as will paying a higher rate of income tax. The general sales tax rate in Fort Worth starts at 6.25% and the income tax rates start at 0%.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Fort Worth, the housing index is 7.4% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Fort Worth cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Fort Worth is 14% higher than the Texas average
  • The cost of living in Fort Worth is 5% higher than the national average
  • Fort Worth housing is 7% higher than the national average
  • Texas general sales tax is 22% higher than the national average
  • Texas state income tax is 100% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Fort Worth

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Compare Fort Worth, TX Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$84,534$7,045$1,972$2,536
      Renters$44,238$3,687$1,032$1,327
      The percentage of monthly income spent on housing related expenses can help predict the affordability of housing in Fort Worth, TX, as well as what the overall cost of living might be. Generally, a good rule to follow is that the debt-to-income (DTI) level you want to maintain is 28 percent or less of your income on your rent or mortgage payments and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses and debts. In Fort Worth, homeowners have a median income of $84,534. Using that number, a maximum of $1,972 per month should be allocated to housing expenses. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $44,238, which means there is a maximum of $1,032 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

      Texas Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Texas 6.25% 8.25%

      Texas Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Texas 0% 0%

      Goods & Services

      Item Fort Worth National avg. Difference
      Haircut $33.29$24.2637.2%
      Beauty Salon $65.85$45.5644.5%
      Toothpaste $3.57$3.703.6%
      Shampoo $1.30$1.281.3%
      Movie $14.60$12.1320.3%
      Bowling $24.53$18.0036.3%

      Groceries

      Item Fort Worth National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.23$5.8410.4%
      Fried Chicken $1.74$1.5710.8%
      Milk $4.65$4.670.5%
      Potatoes $4.93$4.930.0%
      Pizza $11.30$12.096.5%
      Beer $10.93$10.415.0%

      Health Care

      Item Fort Worth National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $143.73$125.6814.4%
      Doctor $140.69$135.783.6%
      Dentist $130.53$113.2915.2%
      Ibuprofen $10.62$10.650.3%
      Lipitor $499.87$468.606.7%

      Housing

      Item Fort Worth National avg. Difference
      Home Price $190,400.00$184,700.003.1%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,258.00$2,346.693.8%
      Apartment Rent $1,115.00$949.0017.5%

      Transportation

      Item Fort Worth National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.09$3.4610.7%
      Tire Balancing $52.04$59.9213.2%

      Utilities

      Item Fort Worth National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $219.02$193.9912.9%
      Phone $208.71$192.258.6%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Lakeside town (San Patricio County), TX3078713.0%
      Pelican Bay, TX1,6189010.2%
      Sansom Park, TX5,593937.3%
      Everman, TX6,232946.0%
      Forest Hill, TX12,964963.6%
      Fort Worth, TX892,2211055.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Columbus, OH889,079946.2%
      Jacksonville, FL902,488982.0%
      San Francisco, CA874,784237137.3%
      Charlotte, NC873,5701087.6%
      Indianapolis, IN869,387936.7%
      Fort Worth, TX892,2211055.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.