Here’s a city in Texas that is named after a military officer, but is still known as ‘funky town’, for the lifestyle of the citizens lead here. That makes you wonder about the sharp contrast with its other nickname, that is, ‘panther city’. One that was initially delivered as an insult owing to the perceived sleepy nature of the city. But the residents claimed the name for themselves as a symbol of hope and strength. So, if you want to know more about the city because you are contemplating moving to Fort Worth, keep reading to find out more.
What Should I Know Before Moving to Fort Worth?
Fort Worth is the 5th largest state in the state of Texas and the 13th largest in the United States. It covers an area of 355.56 square miles (920.89 km2), 8.28 square miles (21.45 km2) of which is water, and it is home to a population of 909,585, as estimated in 2019.
When it comes to nightlife, ‘funky town’ more than lives up to its name. If you wish to chill a bit, Downtown is the place to go. It has a lot of bars and the crowd is usually composed of young professionals. On the other hand, if you want to let loose your wild side, West 7th is the place to go. With a lot of college kids in attendance, you can drink in excess, let loose your hair and dance the night away.
When it comes to food, the first thing you should have the moment you step into the city is the ‘Totally toffee donut’ from the FunkyTown Donuts place. Or you could go to one of the biggest hotspots in the town, Brewed, and order their Turkey Avocado sandwich with sweet potato fries. Now doesn’t that sound like the perfect comfort food that manages its health co-efficient well? Residents of Fort Worth love their food and it is evident in every single eatery in the city.
Fort Worth is what one may call the ‘real and raw Texas’ with its stockyards, cowboys, and rodeos. Fort Worth also carries a stellar museum culture which happens to be some of the most top-notch in the state. Fort Worth, despite being one of the 25 most populous cities in the country, carries a small-town charm to it. If you can get over the perspective of an outsider, you will find that Fort Worth is a city that is vibrant and full of shops, events, music halls, restaurants and a type of life that is hard to top.
Crime Rate in Fort Worth
The rate of crime per 1000 residents in Fort Worth is 4.48 which places your chances of being the victim of a violent crime at 1 in 223. The rate of property crime per 1000 residents is 27.18, which means that the chances of being the victim of such a crime are 1 in 37. In terms of motor vehicle theft, your chances of having your car stolen are 1 in 272. Statistically, the crime rate in Fort Worth is at par with the national average, which means that Fort Worth is one of the safest communities of America.
Fort Worth Weather
The climate of Fort Worth has been termed as ‘humid subtropical’ and falls in the USDA ‘hardiness zone’, that is, “an area encompassing a certain climate relevant to plant growth and survival”.
Summers are extremely hot and humid with July being the hottest month. The average temperature during the day is 95°F (35°C), while nights can be cooler with temperature around 72°F (22.2°C).
Winters are on the mild and cool side. The coldest month is January with the average temperature being 43°F (6°C). The area is prone to large hail, though snow is not as common, and the annual snowfall is only around 2.6 inches (6.6 cm).
The annual rainfall in Fort Worth is 34.01 inches (86.39 cm) with May being the wettest month. It is usually observed that the driest month is likely to be January.
Is Fort Worth Expensive To Live In?
The cost of living in a place is quite the ‘make or break’ deal while contemplating the move. There is absolutely no way to enjoy a place if it is bleeding your bank account dry. But on the other hand, if the expenses are lesser than your earnings with something to spare, then there is no better place to make a home in. Let’s try and assess which kind of place Fort Worth is.
First and foremost, let’s take a look at taxes. The sales tax rate in Fort Worth, which is a combination of the state, county, and local sales tax, is 8.25%. The property tax here is 2.18%. Considering that Texas has no income tax, you will only need to pay the federal income tax if you work there.
Cost Of Living In Fort Worth
A family of four would spend $3,169 per month as their living expenses, minus the rent, in Fort Worth, while a single person would need $900. The cost-of-living index of this city is 99.8.
When you go to the supermarket, according to Numbeo, expect to spend $0.71 on a litre of milk and $2.34 on a loaf of bread. A kilogram of potatoes will be $2.26 and finally, a dozen eggs would cost $1.87. If you forgot to go grocery shopping or are just not in the mood to cook, you can spend $15 at an inexpensive place for a good meal and if you have company, it costs $54 at a mid-range restaurant for a meal for two.
Going around Fort Worth in public transport would cost $2 in terms of a one-way ticket and $80 for a monthly pass. If you prefer taxis, it costs $2.25 as the base fare and $1.12 for every kilometre thereon. Also, if you have your own vehicle, you will spend $0.56 on a litre of gas.
Buying a House
The housing expenses of Fort Worth are 5% lower than the national average and the average cost of buying a house in Fort Worth is $200,000.
Renting a House
The average rent of a two-bedroom house in Fort Worth is $950. The reason housing in Texas is on the cheaper side is because land, which is primarily used for real estate purposes here, is cheaper as well as wages are lower. That results in cheaper housing.
Utilities
The cost of utilities like electricity, garbage, heating, cooling and water together comes to $175. If you take an unlimited internet plan, which happens to be pretty much a necessity in today’s date, the cost of that is $61.
Fort Worth Economy And Employment Opportunities
Fort Worth has always ranked high when it comes to providing the right environment for entrepreneurs and big businesses. In 2013, the Fort Worth-Arlington was ranked 15th by Forbes in its list of “Best Places for Business and Careers”. Five years later, in 2018, Fortune ranked the city as being the 18th best city for Hispanic entrepreneurs. To add to that, in the same year, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex was placed at the 18th position on the list of “125 Best Places to Live in the USA”, by the U.S. News & World Report.
It is interesting to note that the beginning of Fort Worth’s economy was in cattle drives to Chisholm Trail. This is the reason for another one of the city’s nicknames – Cowtown, which endures to this day.
Major companies have set up their headquarters in Fort Worth. Some of them are American Airlines Group and two of its subsidiaries, RadioShack, AT&T, GE Transportation, Cash America International and many more.
Another cornerstone of Fort Worth’s economy lies in its cultural heritage. The place calls itself the ‘City of Cowboys and Culture’ and it lives up to that name with style. This is where the largest indoor rodeo of the world is located, along with top-notch museums and a plethora of festivals and a thriving arts scene. There are also a number of theaters and parks here that provide significant employment to locals and others alike.
Education
Fort Worth as a city takes care of the educational requirements of its citizens from pre-kindergarten to institutions of higher learning, covering diverse fields.
A major part of the city is taken care of by the Fort Worth Independent School District. Others that play a part in the running of the city’s schools are the Northwest, Mansfield, Lake Worth, Keller, Everman, Crowley, Castlebury, Arlington and other school districts.
Private schools of Fort Worth hold both secular and parochial institutions. Some of them are Bethesda Christian School, Trinity Valley School, Hill South of Fort Worth, Temple Christian School, Nolan Catholic High School and others.
When it comes to universities, Fort Worth is well-stocked with quality institutes that cover different fields. Some of them are Texas Christian University, Tarrant County College, Brite Divinity School, The Art Institute of Fort Worth, Fisher More College, The Culinary School of Fort Worth, Texas A&M University of Law and others. The excellent opportunities for education at every level for children and adults alike is a great incentive for moving to the city.
Getting Around Fort Worth
As estimated in 2015 by the American Community Survey, 82% of the residents drive to work alone, 12% carpool, 8% use public transport and 1.8% walk, while 0.1% use a cycle. There is an average of 1.83 cars in each house.
Air
Fort Worth has five airports to its name, four of them within city limits and one located between Fort Worth and Dallas. The Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport is a major commercial airport and is the third busiest in the world as per its operations and tenth busiest according to the number of passengers it serves.
The other four airports located within the city are the Fort Worth Alliance airport, Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, Fort Worth Spinks Airport and the naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.
Rail
Fort Worth is served by two commuter rail lines and two Amtrak routes. The TEXRail connects downtown Fort Worth, DFW Airport, Grapevine and North Richland Hills. The Trinity Railway Express connects T&P Station to Dallas Union Station. The Amtrak routes- the Heartland Flyer and the Texas Eagle stop at Fort Worth Central.
Buses
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority, now known as the Trinity Metro, operates through dozens of routes as well as a downtown bus circulator which has the name of ‘Molly the Trolley’. There was a brief period when streetcars were proposed to be included in the public transport system of Fort Worth but the idea was soon dropped.
Highways
Fort Worth is quite set with its four interstates, three US highways and a few arterial streets that take a grid formation. The interstates that run through the city are 30, 20, 35W and 820. I-820 is a loop of I-20 and acts as a beltway for the area.
US Route 287, 377 and 81 are the routes that run through the city. The first connects the city to Wichita Falls and Mansfield in the north and south respectively. The second goes through Haltom City and Keller via the central business district.
Other state highways in use include Texas State highway 114, 183 and 121.
Walking
The city carries some credit in this regard as it was ranked 47th in the list of most walkable US cities, by Walk Score.
Best Neighborhoods of Fort Worth
1. Arlington Heights
This suburban neighbourhood is perfect for families and singles. The location and housing arrangement of Arlington Heights gives its residents the freedom to tailor their social life as per their needs. Luckily for the residents, they would be in close proximity to doing a lot of things, while also being able to maintain their privacy.
The average cost of a house in this area is $310,000 while the rent of a house is $1,800.
2. Fairmount
This is the largest historic district in the southwest and has some amazing architecture. To its north is the Magnolia Avenue, where one would find some insta-worthy coffee shops like Ellerbe Fine Foods, Avoca Roasters and the OG Heim Barbecue. There is also a park and two neighborhoods, making it perfect for families and retirees to have that idyllic, scenic life.
The average cost of a house here would be $350,000 and the rent of a similar house is $2,000, according to Zillow.
3. Westover Hills
Think mansions and sprawling lawns when you think of this area. Westover Hills is the richest neighbourhood of Fort Worth. It’s a ten-minute drive from the cultural district and a five-minute drive from a lot of eating places like Heim’s Barbeque and Gemelle.
The average cost of a house here is $1.5 million. Finding an apartment on rent here would most probably not be possible as we are talking about the wealthiest neighborhood in Texas.
4. Westcliff
Maybe it’s the tons of Hollywood movies we have seen, but it does sound exciting to be able to live next to a beautiful college – the Texan Christian University. While being in close proximity to a college, the area also has a few schools, meaning that it is mostly families that look to stay here. Also, the range of houses here is quite vast, from one costing $200,000 to another costing millions.
Renting in this area might be tough, but the average rent for a mid-sized two-bedroom house would be about $1500.
5. Benbrook
This is a beautiful area with a lot of greenery and outdoor space that one may enjoy with their family. You could also go fishing, kayaking or just spend a day having a picnic at Benbrook lake. There’s also the option of horse-riding and barbeque.
The average cost of a house here would be $150,000 and the rent of such a house is $900.
6. North Richland Hills
North Richland Hills has quite a number of schools and residents from all-age groups living in one area. There’s lots of space for activities for children or even if the parents want to go for a jog. There’s a sports centre, a water park and an amazing collection of restaurants that you would love to visit all the time.
The average cost of a house here is $170,000 and the rent is $900.
Is Moving To Fort Worth A Good Idea?
The city screams rustic heritage. The urban life with the small-town look carries its own charm. If you think that Western Heritage with a vibrant life is what you are looking for, then everything falls into place in this city. Of course, you would need to consider your requirements and compare it to what Fort Worth is offering, but you would be hard-pressed to find a city that can out-do Fort Worth as a whole. Once you reach a conclusion that suits your plans for the future, it would be wise to find a moving service provider suited to your needs. Operating under a budget? Fret not, read our article on the best Cheap Moving Companies.
See also: Best Moving Companies in Fort Worth
Frequently Asked Questions about Moving to Fort Worth, TX
Is Fort Worth cheap to live?
Fort Worth is one of the cheapest cities to live in America. Residents enjoy a cost-of-living that’s 21% lower than average, and prices for homes are 5% below national averages too!
What is the average electric bill in Fort Worth, Texas?
The average electricity bill in Fort Worth, Texas, stands at $185 a month.
Is Fort Worth safer than Dallas?
In terms of Crime rates, Fort Worth is at par with Dallas, and the Crime Index for Fort Worth is 11.
Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Dallas?
Fort Worth is cheaper any day than Dallas. The property rental is 18% cheaper in Fort Worth when compared to Dallas.
Is Fort Worth dry or humid?
Fort Worth is humid with a tropical climate and has hot summers.
Are there tornadoes in Fort Worth, Texas?
Yes, the risk of Tornados in Fort Worth is considerably high, more than in Texas and the national average.
Is Fort Worth or Austin bigger?
Austin is marginally bigger in terms of population as compared to Fort Worth.
What part of Fort Worth is the safest?
The chances of someone being a victim of a crime in Forth Worth is lowest in the southwest part of the city, which is as low as 1 out of 43.
Is Fort Worth safe at night?
Fort Worth is usually safe at night, but there are areas where you should not venture out in the night for your safety.
Why is Fort Worth called Panther city?
Many years ago, Fort Worth was a trailing stop on the Chisholm Trail and was on the border of an area known as Panther Creek. The stream and surrounding hills were full of wild black panthers, and by 1887 it was estimated that there were about 50 to 100 panthers in the region.
Does it rain a lot in Fort Worth, Texas?
Fort Worth, Texas, is not typically known for its excessive rain. The city gets 37 inches of annual rainfall on average compared to the national average of 38 inches a year.
