City comparison
Yes. Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 162 in Austin, and its violent crime index is 121 versus 130, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Fort Worth is cheaper. Median rent is $1,509 a month versus $1,729 in Austin.
The income gap between Fort Worth and Austin is significant: $79,507 median household versus $93,658. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $1,509 in Fort Worth and $1,729 in Austin.
This is a genuine split. Fort Worth wins on cost of living and safety and Austin wins on the job market. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
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.
The move
Fort Worth and Austin are 172 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,509 a month in Fort Worth to $1,729 a month in Austin, up $220 a month (15%).
Median household income goes from $79,507 in Fort Worth to $93,658 in Austin, up $14,151 (18%).
The crime index goes from 135 in Fort Worth to 162 in Austin, up 27 points (20%).
The move
Austin and Fort Worth are 172 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,729 a month in Austin to $1,509 a month in Fort Worth, down $220 a month (13%).
Median household income goes from $93,658 in Austin to $79,507 in Fort Worth, down $14,151 (15%).
The crime index goes from 162 in Austin to 135 in Fort Worth, down 27 points (17%).
Fort Worth, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Austin, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Fort Worth and Austin? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
13% cheaper
Fort Worth rent is 13% cheaper than Austin
Fort Worth
Winner$1,509/mo
Austin
$1,729/mo
Typical rent runs $1,509 a month in Fort Worth versus $1,729 in Austin, so Fort Worth is 13% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,640, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Fort Worth still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Austin.
Planning to buy in Fort Worth? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
18% higher
Austin's median income is 18% higher than Fort Worth
Fort Worth
$79,507
Austin
Winner$93,658
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $79,507 in Fort Worth, so typical pay runs 18% higher in Austin (about $14,151 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
17% lower crime
Fort Worth's crime index is 17% lower than Austin
Fort Worth
Winner135 (100 = avg)
Austin
162 (100 = avg)
Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 162 in Austin (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 17% lower in Fort Worth. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Fort Worth is the easier city. Austin can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Fort Worth and Austin are about even on typical weather.
Fort Worth
73°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Austin
76°F avg · 85°F highs · comfort 100/100
Fort Worth averages about 73°F (82°F highs); Austin averages about 76°F (85°F highs). Fort Worth sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Austin sits near 76°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Fort Worth is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 13% cheaper here at about $1,509 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.
Fort Worth is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 17% lower than Austin (135 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 18% higher here ($93,658). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
Austin posts $93,658 median household income against $79,507 in Fort Worth. That 15% pay gap is the story when rents are $1,509 in Fort Worth and $1,729 in Austin.
Austin still pays more locally ($93,658 median income vs $79,507), which can offset the lease if your field pays Austin rates.
Typical rent stays $1,509 in Fort Worth and $1,729 in Austin.
Most movers who prioritize local pay land in Austin; Fort Worth only makes sense when $1,509/month housing savings outweigh $93,658 median pay in your field.
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.
