Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Fresno?

Fresno, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,370 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $42,000 in Fresno.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Fresno?

Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Fresno under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax).

Fort Worth vs Fresno Cost of Living 2026

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

Fresno

California

$1,370/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Fort Worth, TX versus $1,370 in Fresno, CA. Overall, Fresno, CA is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX and $66,804 in Fresno, CA — about 13% higher in Fort Worth, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Fort Worth, TX

Fresno, CA

Rent

Studio

$1,310

$1,072

+18% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,191

$1,042

+13% in Fort Worth, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,393

$1,293

+7% in Fort Worth, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,721

$1,688

+2% in Fort Worth, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$277,300

$348,500

+26% in Fresno, CA

Income

Median Household Income

$76,602

$66,804

+13% in Fort Worth, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$46,910

+9% in Fort Worth, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.4 yr

32.4 yr

+1.0 yr in Fort Worth, TX

Homeownership

56.7%

49.7%

+7.0 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.7%

24.9%

+6.8 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Avg Commute

26.9 min

22.3 min

+4.6 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

464.8

741.9

+60% in Fresno, CA

Property Crime

2,734.1

3,334.2

+22% in Fresno, CA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

65.7°F

64.4°F

+1.3°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

36.1 in

11.5 in

+24.6 in in Fort Worth, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.96/gal

$5.91/gal

+49% in Fresno, CA

Area: Texas vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

$1.25

+38% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

33.4

+103% in Fresno, CA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$20.72

+16% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.37

+5% in Fresno, CA

Bread (lb)

$1.73

$2.10

+21% in Fresno, CA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.25

+3% in Fresno, CA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

$7.23

+10% in Fresno, CA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.14

+12% in Fresno, CA

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

$0.74

+21% in Fresno, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / CA)

6.25%

7.25%

+1.0 pp in CA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

13.30%

+13.3 pp in CA

Fort Worth vs Fresno — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Fresno?: Fresno, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,370 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Worth than in Fresno?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $42,000 in Fresno.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Fresno?: Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Fresno under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).