City comparison
No. Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 270 in Houston, and its violent crime index is 121 versus 294, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Houston is cheaper. Median rent is $1,361 a month versus $1,509 in Fort Worth.
Safety is where Houston and Fort Worth split most clearly. Fort Worth scores 135 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,361 in Houston and $1,509 in Fort Worth.
This is a genuine split. Houston wins on cost of living and Fort Worth wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Fort Worth has rougher pockets and Houston has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Houston and Fort Worth are 235 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,361 a month in Houston to $1,509 a month in Fort Worth, up $148 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $64,813 in Houston to $79,507 in Fort Worth, up $14,694 (23%).
The crime index goes from 270 in Houston to 135 in Fort Worth, down 135 points (50%).
The move
Fort Worth and Houston are 235 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,509 a month in Fort Worth to $1,361 a month in Houston, down $148 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $79,507 in Fort Worth to $64,813 in Houston, down $14,694 (18%).
The crime index goes from 135 in Fort Worth to 270 in Houston, up 135 points (100%).
Houston, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Fort Worth, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Houston and Fort Worth? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
10% cheaper
Houston rent is 10% cheaper than Fort Worth
Houston
Winner$1,361/mo
Fort Worth
$1,509/mo
Typical rent runs $1,361 a month in Houston versus $1,509 in Fort Worth, so Houston is 10% 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 $1,776, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Houston 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
23% higher
Fort Worth's median income is 23% higher than Houston
Houston
$64,813
Fort Worth
Winner$79,507
Median household income is $79,507 in Fort Worth versus $64,813 in Houston, so typical pay runs 23% higher in Fort Worth (about $14,694 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. Houston can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
50% lower crime
Fort Worth's crime index is 50% lower than Houston
Houston
270 (100 = avg)
Fort Worth
Winner135 (100 = avg)
Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 270 in Houston (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 50% 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. Houston can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Houston and Fort Worth are about even on typical weather.
Houston
77°F avg · 85°F highs · comfort 100/100
Fort Worth
73°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
Houston averages about 77°F (85°F highs); Fort Worth averages about 73°F (82°F highs). Houston sits near 77°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Fort Worth sits near 73°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
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Houston
Houston is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 10% cheaper here at about $1,361 a month. Choose Houston 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 and professional growth
Fort Worth is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 23% 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 50% lower than Houston (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.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Fort Worth leads on safety (51/100 vs 30/100 in Houston). Typical rent is $1,509 in Fort Worth and $1,361 in Houston; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Houston rent at $1,361/month is still below Fort Worth's $1,509, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,361 in Houston and $1,509 in Fort Worth.
Between Houston and Fort Worth, Fort Worth is ahead on safety — 51/100 safety versus 30/100. Lean Houston instead when you already know the Houston block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Houston and Fort Worth, plus other cities in TX.
