Dallas, TX vs Fort Worth, TX
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Sep 2026

Report card
| Category | DallasDallas, TX | Fort WorthFort Worth, TX | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | Same | ||
| Affluence | Average | Average | Same |
| Cost of Living | Same | ||
| Crime | High Risk | Elevated | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Good | Great | |
| Sovereignty | High Autonomy | High Autonomy | Same |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | Same |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
At 85/100, Dallas, TX and Fort Worth, TX differ most sharply in healthcare access, where Dallas sits 14 points higher and at the 51st percentile versus Fort Worth’s 33rd. In 2023 Census figures, per-capita income also separates them: Dallas’s $44,138 runs 19% higher than Fort Worth’s $37,157, placing Dallas in the 66th percentile and Fort Worth in the 48th. Poverty rates move the other way, with Dallas at 17.2% (4.3 points higher) against Fort Worth’s 12.9%, while Fort Worth’s median household income of $76,602 exceeds Dallas’s $67,760 by 13%.
Job growth over the past year shows Fort Worth adding 1.3% while Dallas contracted by 0.6%, a 1.9-point gap that puts Fort Worth in the 59th percentile and Dallas in the 11th. Violent crime per 100,000 people runs 55% higher in Dallas at 577 versus 371, with Dallas in the 89th percentile and Fort Worth in the 75th; property crime follows a similar pattern at 3,077 versus 2,206. Traffic deaths per 100,000 are also higher in Dallas at 18 compared to Fort Worth’s 14, a 35% difference. Average household size is larger in Fort Worth at 2.8 versus Dallas’s 2.4, a 14% gap that places Fort Worth in the 79th percentile and Dallas in the 49th.
Cost-of-living indices sit close at 114 for Dallas and 112 for Fort Worth, and median rents are nearly identical at $1,403 and $1,412. Unemployment rates are similar too, at 4.2% and 4.0%. Median home values differ by 6%, with Dallas at $295,300 and Fort Worth at $277,300. Both cities share a median age of 33.4, and their air quality indices are nearly equal at 55 and 54.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
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Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Fort Worth, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 11458th pctl | 11257th pctl | About the same |
| Home valueMedian home value | $295,30054th pctl | $277,30050th pctl | Median home value: Dallas, TX $295,300; Fort Worth, TX $277,300; Dallas is 6% higher. |
| Median rent | $1,40364th pctl | $1,41265th pctl | About the same |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $67,76043rd pctl | $76,60255th pctl | Median household income: Dallas, TX $67,760; Fort Worth, TX $76,602; Fort Worth is 13% higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $57,37155th pctl | $53,87550th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Dallas, TX $57,371; Fort Worth, TX $53,875; Dallas is 6% higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $84,33655th pctl | $79,19650th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Dallas, TX $84,336; Fort Worth, TX $79,196; Dallas is 6% higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Affordable | Affordable | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Fort Worth needs about
$73,700
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 114 vs 112). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Fort Worth, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 4.2%74th pctl | 4.0%66th pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | -0.6%11th pctl | +1.3%59th pctl | Job growth (YoY): Dallas, TX -0.6%; Fort Worth, TX +1.3%; Fort Worth is 1.9 points higher. |
| Per-capita income | $44,13866th pctl | $37,15748th pctl | Per-capita income: Dallas, TX $44,138; Fort Worth, TX $37,157; Dallas is 19% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 17.2%74th pctl | 12.9%57th pctl | Poverty rate: Dallas, TX 17.2%; Fort Worth, TX 12.9%; Dallas is 4.3 points higher. |
| CommuteAverage commute | 26 min67th pctl | 26.9 min74th pctl | About the same |
| Work from home | 14.0%67th pctl | 12.9%62nd pctl | Work from home: Dallas, TX 14.0%; Fort Worth, TX 12.9%; Dallas is 1.1 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Stable | Stable | About the same |
| Job market | Stable | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Fort Worth, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 57789th pctl | 37175th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Dallas, TX 577; Fort Worth, TX 371; Dallas is 55% higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 3,07793rd pctl | 2,20681st pctl | Property crime per 100k: Dallas, TX 3,077; Fort Worth, TX 2,206; Dallas is 39% higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Dangerous | Fair | Crime & safety: Dallas, TX F; Fort Worth, TX C-; Fort Worth is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Fort Worth, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | StrongCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Healthcare access: Dallas, TX A; Fort Worth, TX B+; Dallas is graded higher. |
| Tap water | Clean | Fair | Tap water: Dallas, TX A-; Fort Worth, TX B; Dallas is graded higher. |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
4 rows not shown (data not available)
4 rows not shown: climate comfort isn't available for Dallas, TX; broadband and local food access aren't available for either place; walkability isn't available for Fort Worth, TX.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
Both are in Texas, so state taxes and state laws (homeschooling, firearms, property rights) are the same. See Texas →
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Fort Worth, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 2 mi2nd pctl | 0 mi0th pctl | Nearest large city: Dallas, TX 2 mi; Fort Worth, TX 0 mi; Dallas is higher (Fort Worth: 0 mi). |
| Target proximity | Weak | Fair | Target proximity: Dallas, TX C+; Fort Worth, TX B-; Fort Worth is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 337 mi51st pctl | 312 mi48th pctl | Distance to international border: Dallas, TX 337 mi; Fort Worth, TX 312 mi; Dallas is 8% higher. |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 236 mi47th pctl | 250 mi49th pctl | Distance to coastline: Dallas, TX 236 mi; Fort Worth, TX 250 mi; Fort Worth is 6% higher. |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Dallas, TX | Fort Worth, TX | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,299,553100th pctl | 941,311100th pctl | Population: Dallas, TX 1,299,553; Fort Worth, TX 941,311; Dallas is 38% larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 3,82685th pctl | 2,66473rd pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Dallas, TX 3,826; Fort Worth, TX 2,664; Dallas is 44% higher. |
| Median age | 33.416th pctl | 33.416th pctl | About the same |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.4%62nd pctl | 31.7%49th pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Dallas, TX 37.4%; Fort Worth, TX 31.7%; Dallas is 5.7 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.449th pctl | 2.879th pctl | Average household size: Dallas, TX 2.4; Fort Worth, TX 2.8; Fort Worth is 14% larger. |
More about Dallas's residents · Fort Worth's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
| Measure | DallasDallas, TX | Fort WorthFort Worth, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Cook PVI | D+19 | D+19 |
| 2024 presidential | D +34.0 pts | D +34.0 pts |
Full politics data: Dallas · Fort Worth
Moving between Dallas and Fort Worth
- Median rent: $1,403 in Dallas, $1,412 in Fort Worth
- Median home value: $295,300 in Dallas, $277,300 in Fort Worth
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 114 in Dallas, 112 in Fort Worth
- Median household income: $67,760 in Dallas, $76,602 in Fort Worth
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $84,336 in Dallas, $79,196 in Fort Worth
- Unemployment: 4.2% in Dallas, 4.0% in Fort Worth
- Average commute: 26 min in Dallas, 26.9 min in Fort Worth
- Violent crime per 100k: 577 in Dallas, 371 in Fort Worth
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- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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