City comparison
Yes. Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 164 in Columbus, and its violent crime index is 121 versus 140, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Fort Worth and 2024 FBI data for Columbus.
Columbus is cheaper. Median rent is $1,295 a month versus $1,509 in Fort Worth.
The income gap between Fort Worth and Columbus is significant: $79,507 median household versus $66,082. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $1,509 in Fort Worth and $1,295 in Columbus.
Fort Worth is not a close call here. It leads on the job market, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Columbus makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Fort Worth 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.
The move
Fort Worth and Columbus are 939 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,509 a month in Fort Worth to $1,295 a month in Columbus, down $214 a month (14%).
Median household income goes from $79,507 in Fort Worth to $66,082 in Columbus, down $13,425 (17%).
The crime index goes from 135 in Fort Worth to 164 in Columbus, up 29 points (21%).
The move
Columbus and Fort Worth are 939 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,295 a month in Columbus to $1,509 a month in Fort Worth, up $214 a month (17%).
Median household income goes from $66,082 in Columbus to $79,507 in Fort Worth, up $13,425 (20%).
The crime index goes from 164 in Columbus to 135 in Fort Worth, down 29 points (18%).
Fort Worth, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Columbus, OH
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Fort Worth and Columbus? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
14% cheaper
Columbus rent is 14% cheaper than Fort Worth
Fort Worth
$1,509/mo
Columbus
Winner$1,295/mo
Typical rent runs $1,295 a month in Columbus versus $1,509 in Fort Worth, so Columbus is 14% 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 $2,568, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Columbus still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Fort Worth.
Planning to buy in Fort Worth? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
20% higher
Fort Worth's median income is 20% higher than Columbus
Fort Worth
Winner$79,507
Columbus
$66,082
Median household income is $79,507 in Fort Worth versus $66,082 in Columbus, so typical pay runs 20% higher in Fort Worth (about $13,425 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, Fort Worth is the stronger labor market on paper. Columbus can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
18% lower crime
Fort Worth's crime index is 18% lower than Columbus
Fort Worth
Winner135 (100 = avg)
Columbus
164 (100 = avg)
Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 164 in Columbus (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 18% 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. Columbus can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
20% more comfortable
Fort Worth weather is 20% more comfortable than Columbus
Fort Worth
Winner73°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Columbus
59°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 83/100
Fort Worth averages about 73°F (82°F highs); Columbus averages about 59°F (67°F highs). Fort Worth sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Columbus averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Fort Worth scores 20% 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 Columbus if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
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 20% higher ($79,507), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 73°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
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 18% lower than Columbus (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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Columbus
Columbus is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 14% cheaper here at about $1,295 a month. Choose Columbus if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
Columbus carries the heavier crime signal on this page (45/100 safety vs 51/100 in Fort Worth). That 6-point spread matters more than the $214 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Columbus rent at $1,295/month is still below Fort Worth's $1,509, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Median income is $79,507 in Fort Worth versus $66,082 in Columbus.
Fort Worth clears the bar on safety in this dataset. Columbus deserves a serious look only when you already know the Columbus block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Fort Worth and Columbus, plus other cities in TX and OH.
