City comparison
No. Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 212 in San Antonio, and its violent crime index is 121 versus 164, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
San Antonio is cheaper. Median rent is $1,324 a month versus $1,509 in Fort Worth.
Safety is where San Antonio and Fort Worth split most clearly. Fort Worth scores 77 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,324 in San Antonio and $1,509 in Fort Worth.
This is a genuine split. San Antonio 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 San Antonio has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
San Antonio and Fort Worth are 238 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,324 a month in San Antonio to $1,509 a month in Fort Worth, up $185 a month (14%).
Median household income goes from $65,056 in San Antonio to $79,507 in Fort Worth, up $14,451 (22%).
The crime index goes from 212 in San Antonio to 135 in Fort Worth, down 77 points (36%).
The move
Fort Worth and San Antonio are 238 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,509 a month in Fort Worth to $1,324 a month in San Antonio, down $185 a month (12%).
Median household income goes from $79,507 in Fort Worth to $65,056 in San Antonio, down $14,451 (18%).
The crime index goes from 135 in Fort Worth to 212 in San Antonio, up 77 points (57%).
San Antonio, 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 San Antonio and Fort Worth? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
12% cheaper
San Antonio rent is 12% cheaper than Fort Worth
San Antonio
Winner$1,324/mo
Fort Worth
$1,509/mo
Typical rent runs $1,324 a month in San Antonio versus $1,509 in Fort Worth, so San Antonio is 12% 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 $2,220, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. San Antonio 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
22% higher
Fort Worth's median income is 22% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio
$65,056
Fort Worth
Winner$79,507
Median household income is $79,507 in Fort Worth versus $65,056 in San Antonio, so typical pay runs 22% higher in Fort Worth (about $14,451 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. San Antonio can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
36% lower crime
Fort Worth's crime index is 36% lower than San Antonio
San Antonio
212 (100 = avg)
Fort Worth
Winner135 (100 = avg)
Fort Worth's crime index is 135 versus 212 in San Antonio (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 36% 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. San Antonio can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
San Antonio and Fort Worth are about even on typical weather.
San Antonio
75°F avg · 85°F highs · comfort 100/100
Fort Worth
73°F avg · 82°F highs · comfort 100/100
San Antonio averages about 75°F (85°F highs); Fort Worth averages about 73°F (82°F highs). San Antonio sits near 75°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 San Antonio
San Antonio is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 12% cheaper here at about $1,324 a month. Choose San Antonio 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 22% 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 36% lower than San Antonio (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
San Antonio carries the heavier crime signal on this page (37/100 safety vs 51/100 in Fort Worth). That 14-point spread matters more than the $185 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
San Antonio rent at $1,324/month is still below Fort Worth's $1,509, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,324 in San Antonio and $1,509 in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth clears the bar on safety in this dataset. San Antonio deserves a serious look only when you already know the San Antonio 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 San Antonio and Fort Worth, plus other cities in TX.
