City comparison
The income gap between Fort Worth and Austin is significant: $72,726 median household versus $86,556. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $1,723 in Fort Worth and $1,852 in Austin.
Austin is not a close call here. It leads on the job market, safety, schools, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Fort Worth makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Austin is the stronger move.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
Fort Worth, TX
Austin, TX
Rent
7% cheaper
Fort Worth rent is 7% cheaper than Austin
Fort Worth
Winner$1,723/mo
Austin
$1,852/mo
Typical rent runs $1,723 a month in Fort Worth versus $1,852 in Austin, so Fort Worth is 7% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $129, or $1,548 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Austin? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
19% higher
Austin's median income is 19% higher than Fort Worth
Fort Worth
$72,726
Austin
Winner$86,556
Median household income is $86,556 in Austin versus $72,726 in Fort Worth, so typical pay runs 19% higher in Austin (about $13,830 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Austin is the stronger labor market on paper. Fort Worth can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
12% lower crime
Austin's crime index is 12% lower than Fort Worth
Fort Worth
133 (100 = avg)
Austin
Winner117 (100 = avg)
Austin's crime index is 117 versus 133 in Fort Worth (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 12% lower in Austin. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Austin, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Fort Worth. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
School scores
5% higher scores
Austin's school scores are 5% higher than Fort Worth
Fort Worth
A- · 84/100
Austin
WinnerA · 88/100
Austin grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Fort Worth. School scores run 5% higher in Austin. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear (or reverse) two neighborhoods over. Fort Worth is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.
Typical weather
23% more comfortable
Austin weather is 23% more comfortable than Fort Worth
Fort Worth
94°F avg · 104°F highs · comfort 31/100
Austin
Winner92°F avg · 104°F highs · comfort 38/100
Fort Worth averages about 94°F (104°F highs); Austin averages about 92°F (104°F highs). Fort Worth often hits 104°F highs, so expect heavy AC use and limited outdoor time in summer. Austin often hits 104°F highs, so expect heavy AC use and limited outdoor time in summer. Austin scores 23% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Fort Worth if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Fort Worth
Fort Worth is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 7% cheaper here at about $1,723 a month. Choose Fort Worth if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 19% higher ($86,556), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 92°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Austin is the stronger everyday city for households that care about calm streets and usable public schools. Safety and school scores both land here. You will still pick a neighborhood with care, but the citywide baseline is less of a gamble than in Fort Worth.
Bottom line
Austin wins overall on this comparison, taking 4 of the 5 categories against 1 for Fort Worth.
Austin's median household income is 19% higher ($86,556 vs $72,726), which can offset housing cost for higher earners.
The main trade-off: Fort Worth's typical rent runs 7% lower than Austin ($1,723/month vs $1,852/month), which is real money over a lease.
The decision comes down to whether you value the job market more than cost of living. For most middle-income movers, Austin is the stronger choice.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Fort Worth and Austin, plus other cities in TX.
