Residential comparison · 13 facts
Chicago, IL vs Fort Worth, TX
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $69,500 in Fort Worth to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Fort Worth, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $101,500 in Chicago.
A few differences
- Fort Worth is lower on property tax rate (1.68% vs 2.1%).
- Fort Worth is lower on sales tax (8.2% vs 10.25%).
- Fort Worth is lower on groceries index (96 vs 102).
Chicago vs Fort Worth · facet by facet
| Facet | Chicago, IL | Fort Worth, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $360,000 | $303,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,200/mo | $1,483/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% | 1.68% |
| State & local income tax | 4.95% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 10.25% | 8.2% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 95 |
| Groceries index | 102 | 96 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $185/mo |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $79,507 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 189 days | 230 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Chicago, IL · Fort Worth, TX
Questions & answers
- Is Chicago cheaper than Fort Worth?
- Fort Worth has the lower day-to-day cost index (95 vs 106 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Fort Worth equals $85,000 in Chicago?
- A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $69,500 in Fort Worth to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Fort Worth lifestyle costs about $101,500 in Chicago.