Is Fort Worth cheaper than Oakland?

Yes. Typical rent in Fort Worth is $1,750 a month versus $1,979 in Oakland — 12% cheaper. Median household income is $72,400 in Fort Worth compared with $101,600 in Oakland, so Oakland has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Fort Worth or Oakland?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 32 in Fort Worth and 32 in Oakland (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Fort Worth or Oakland?

School composites are close: A- in Fort Worth and A- in Oakland. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Fort Worth, TX vs Oakland, CA

Fort Worth, TX versus Oakland, CA is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,750 a month in Fort Worth and $1,979 in Oakland, and median household income lands at $72,400 versus $101,600. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Fort Worth takes affordability, while Oakland takes job market and weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Oakland leads by 83% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Fort Worth can feel further apart than Fort Worth and Oakland do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Fort Worth and Oakland reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Fort Worth report Full Oakland report

Fort Worth, TX

Rent: $1,750/mo
Median income: $72,400
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 91°F

Oakland, CA

Rent: $1,979/mo
Median income: $101,600
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 65°F

Rent

12% cheaper

Fort Worth rent is 12% cheaper than Oakland

Fort Worth

Winner

$1,750/mo

Oakland

$1,979/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,750 a month in Fort Worth versus $1,979 in Oakland, so Fort Worth 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 $2,748 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Fort Worth still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Oakland.

Median income

40% higher

Oakland's median income is 40% higher than Fort Worth

Fort Worth

$72,400

Oakland

Winner

$101,600

What this means for your life

Median household income is $101,600 in Oakland versus $72,400 in Fort Worth, so typical pay runs 40% higher in Oakland — about $29,200 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, Oakland is the stronger labor market on paper. Fort Worth can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

Neck and neck

Fort Worth and Oakland are about even on crime index.

Fort Worth

32 (100 = avg)

Oakland

32 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Fort Worth and Oakland post similar crime indexes (32 vs 32, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

Neck and neck

Fort Worth and Oakland are about even on school scores.

Fort Worth

A- · 84/100

Oakland

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Fort Worth, A- in Oakland). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

83% more comfortable

Oakland weather is 83% more comfortable than Fort Worth

Fort Worth

91°F typical

Oakland

Winner

65°F typical

What this means for your life

Oakland scores 83% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 91°F in Fort Worth and 65°F in Oakland. Fort Worth reads as hot, long summers; Oakland reads as mild, livable temperatures. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Oakland is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Fort Worth can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Fort Worth

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Fort Worth

Fort Worth is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 12% cheaper here at about $1,750 a month. Choose Fort Worth if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Fort Worth report →

Fit check

Who should choose Oakland

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 40% higher ($101,600), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 65°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Oakland report →

Bottom line

Fort Worth vs Oakland, called

If weather is your priority, Oakland is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Fort Worth pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Oakland offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Fort Worth vs Oakland FAQ

Is Fort Worth cheaper than Oakland?: Yes. Typical rent in Fort Worth is $1,750 a month versus $1,979 in Oakland — 12% cheaper. Median household income is $72,400 in Fort Worth compared with $101,600 in Oakland, so Oakland has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Fort Worth or Oakland?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 32 in Fort Worth and 32 in Oakland (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Fort Worth or Oakland?: School composites are close: A- in Fort Worth and A- in Oakland. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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