City comparison
Yes. Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 150 in Jacksonville, and its violent crime index is 121 versus 155, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Jacksonville is cheaper. Median rent is $1,465 a month versus $1,509 in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth and Jacksonville are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, and climate. Typical rent sits near $1,509 in Fort Worth and $1,465 in Jacksonville, and median household income lands at $79,507 versus $69,872. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
This is a genuine split. Fort Worth wins on the job market and safety and Jacksonville wins on cost of living. 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 Jacksonville are 936 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,509 a month in Fort Worth to $1,465 a month in Jacksonville, down $44 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $79,507 in Fort Worth to $69,872 in Jacksonville, down $9,635 (12%).
The crime index goes from 135 in Fort Worth to 150 in Jacksonville, up 15 points (11%).
The move
Jacksonville and Fort Worth are 936 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,465 a month in Jacksonville to $1,509 a month in Fort Worth, up $44 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $69,872 in Jacksonville to $79,507 in Fort Worth, up $9,635 (14%).
The crime index goes from 150 in Jacksonville to 135 in Fort Worth, down 15 points (10%).
Fort Worth, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Jacksonville, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Fort Worth and Jacksonville? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
3% cheaper
Jacksonville rent is 3% cheaper than Fort Worth
Fort Worth
$1,509/mo
Jacksonville
Winner$1,465/mo
Typical rent runs $1,465 a month in Jacksonville versus $1,509 in Fort Worth, so Jacksonville is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $44, or $528 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 Fort Worth? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
14% higher
Fort Worth's median income is 14% higher than Jacksonville
Fort Worth
Winner$79,507
Jacksonville
$69,872
Median household income is $79,507 in Fort Worth versus $69,872 in Jacksonville, so typical pay runs 14% higher in Fort Worth (about $9,635 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. Jacksonville can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
10% lower crime
Fort Worth's crime index is 10% lower than Jacksonville
Fort Worth
Winner135 (100 = avg)
Jacksonville
150 (100 = avg)
Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 150 in Jacksonville (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 10% lower in Fort Worth. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Fort Worth, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Jacksonville. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Fort Worth and Jacksonville are about even on typical weather.
Fort Worth
73°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Jacksonville
79°F avg · 86°F highs · comfort 100/100
Fort Worth averages about 73°F (82°F highs); Jacksonville averages about 79°F (86°F highs). Fort Worth sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Jacksonville sits near 79°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
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Fort Worth is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 14% higher here ($79,507). Start with Fort Worth if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
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 10% lower than Jacksonville (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 Jacksonville
Jacksonville is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 3% cheaper here at about $1,465 a month. Choose Jacksonville if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
This pair is really a paycheck comparison: Fort Worth at $79,507 median income versus $69,872 in Jacksonville. Housing ($1,465 in Jacksonville, $1,509 in Fort Worth) is secondary unless you are rent-burdened already.
With only $44 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Typical rent stays $1,465 in Jacksonville and $1,509 in Fort Worth.
Pick Fort Worth when your field pays toward $79,507 median income. Otherwise, Jacksonville's case rests on a $1,465 lease that leaves more room in the monthly budget.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Fort Worth and Jacksonville, plus other cities in TX and FL.
