Is Fort Worth cheaper than Plano?

Yes. Typical rent in Fort Worth is $1,723 a month versus $1,931 in Plano — 11% cheaper. Median household income is $72,726 in Fort Worth compared with $105,679 in Plano, so Plano has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Fort Worth or Plano?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 109 in Fort Worth and 109 in Plano (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Fort Worth or Plano?

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

New search

City comparison

Fort Worth, TX vs Plano, TX

Fort Worth, TX versus Plano, TX 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 $1,723 a month in Fort Worth and $1,931 in Plano, and median household income lands at $72,726 versus $105,679. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Fort Worth takes affordability, while Plano takes job market and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Plano leads by 45% — 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 Plano do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Fort Worth and Plano reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Fort Worth report Full Plano report

Fort Worth, TX

Rent: $1,723/mo
Median income: $72,726
Crime index: 109
Schools: A-
Weather: 92°F

Plano, TX

Rent: $1,931/mo
Median income: $105,679
Crime index: 109
Schools: A-
Weather: 91°F

Rent

11% cheaper

Fort Worth rent is 11% cheaper than Plano

Fort Worth

Winner

$1,723/mo

Plano

$1,931/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,723 a month in Fort Worth versus $1,931 in Plano, so Fort Worth is 11% 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 $2,496 — 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 Plano.

Median income

45% higher

Plano's median income is 45% higher than Fort Worth

Fort Worth

$72,726

Plano

Winner

$105,679

What this means for your life

Median household income is $105,679 in Plano versus $72,726 in Fort Worth, so typical pay runs 45% higher in Plano — about $32,953 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, Plano 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 Plano are about even on crime index.

Fort Worth

109 (100 = avg)

Plano

109 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Fort Worth and Plano post similar crime indexes (109 vs 109, 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 Plano are about even on school scores.

Fort Worth

A- · 84/100

Plano

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Fort Worth, A- in Plano). 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

7% more comfortable

Plano weather is 7% more comfortable than Fort Worth

Fort Worth

92°F typical

Plano

Winner

91°F typical

What this means for your life

Plano scores 7% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 92°F in Fort Worth and 91°F in Plano. Fort Worth reads as hot, long summers; Plano reads as hot, long summers. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Fort Worth's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Plano is the city where the forecast fights you less.

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 11% cheaper here at about $1,723 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 Plano

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 45% higher ($105,679), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 91°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Plano report →

Bottom line

Fort Worth vs Plano, called

If the job market is your priority, Plano is the clear choice.

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

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

Common questions

Fort Worth vs Plano FAQ

Is Fort Worth cheaper than Plano?: Yes. Typical rent in Fort Worth is $1,723 a month versus $1,931 in Plano — 11% cheaper. Median household income is $72,726 in Fort Worth compared with $105,679 in Plano, so Plano has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Fort Worth or Plano?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 109 in Fort Worth and 109 in Plano (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Fort Worth or Plano?: School composites are close: A- in Fort Worth and A- in Plano. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Plano?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps