Living Cost Compare
Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/mo est.

vs
Missoula

Montana

$1,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,390 in Fort Worth, TX versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Missoula, MT is roughly 21% 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 $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 15% higher in Fort Worth, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Fort Worth, TX
Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio
$1,310
$755
+42% in Fort Worth, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,191
$953
+20% in Fort Worth, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,393
$1,176
+16% in Fort Worth, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,721
$1,676
+3% in Fort Worth, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$277,300
$427,400
+54% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income
$76,602
$65,329
+15% in Fort Worth, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$47,830
+7% in Fort Worth, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
34.3 yr
+0.9 yr in Missoula, MT
Homeownership
56.7%
47.8%
+8.9 pp in Fort Worth, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.7%
51.7%
+20.0 pp in Missoula, MT
Avg Commute
26.9 min
16.6 min
+10.3 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
465.2
601.9
+29% in Missoula, MT
Property Crime
2,735.7
3,685.2
+35% in Missoula, MT

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
45.9°F
+19.8°F in Fort Worth, TX
Annual Precipitation
36.1 in
14.1 in
+22.0 in in Fort Worth, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$4.27/gal
+19% in Missoula, MT

Area: Texas vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
15.1
+5% in Fort Worth, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$10.12
+68% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Missoula, MT
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Missoula, MT
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Fort Worth, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Missoula, MT
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Missoula, MT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Missoula, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MT)
6.25%
None
+6.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.65%
+5.7 pp in MT

Fort Worth vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Missoula?
Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Worth than in Missoula?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Missoula?
Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no 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).