Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Fort Worth?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Fort Worth?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Fort Worth?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Fort Worth under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Casper vs Fort Worth Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,390 in Fort Worth, TX. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX — about 10% higher in Fort Worth, TX. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Fort Worth, TX

Rent

Studio

$730

$1,310

+79% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,191

+56% in Fort Worth, TX

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,393

+50% in Fort Worth, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,721

+32% in Fort Worth, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$277,300

+11% in Fort Worth, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$76,602

+11% in Fort Worth, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$51,440

+5% in Fort Worth, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

33.4 yr

+3.6 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

56.7%

+13.6 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

31.7%

+1.7 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Avg Commute

16.9 min

26.9 min

+10.0 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

465.2

+54% in Fort Worth, TX

Property Crime

2,123.8

2,735.7

+29% in Fort Worth, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.4°F

65.7°F

+20.3°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

36.1 in

+23.6 in in Fort Worth, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.58/gal

+16% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Trinity Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

15.9

+5% in Fort Worth, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$31.89

+74% in Fort Worth, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Fort Worth, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / TX)

6.25%

+2.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Casper vs Fort Worth — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Fort Worth?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Fort Worth?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Fort Worth?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Fort Worth under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).