Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Paterson?

Fort Worth, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,390 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $47,000 in Paterson.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Paterson?

Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Fort Worth vs Paterson Cost of Living 2026

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/mo est.

Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/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 $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Fort Worth, TX is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Paterson, NJ, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 30% higher in Fort Worth, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Fort Worth, TX

Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio

$1,310

$786

+40% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,191

$1,183

+1% in Fort Worth, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,393

$1,468

+5% in Paterson, NJ

3 Bedroom

$1,721

$1,729

+0% in Paterson, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$277,300

$335,400

+21% in Paterson, NJ

Income

Median Household Income

$76,602

$53,766

+30% in Fort Worth, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,440

$61,430

+19% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.4 yr

33.3 yr

+0.1 yr in Fort Worth, TX

Homeownership

56.7%

26.2%

+30.5 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.7%

12.5%

+19.2 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Avg Commute

26.9 min

23.1 min

+3.8 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

465.2

1,010.1

+117% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

2,735.7

2,391.4

+13% 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

65.7°F

52.2°F

+13.5°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

36.1 in

49.0 in

+13.0 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.58/gal

$3.94/gal

+10% in Paterson, NJ

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

24.9

+57% in Paterson, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.89

$17.68

+45% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Paterson, NJ

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Paterson, NJ

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Fort Worth, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Paterson, NJ

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Paterson, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Paterson, NJ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NJ)

6.25%

6.625%

+0.4 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

None

10.75%

+10.8 pp in NJ

Fort Worth vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Paterson?: Fort Worth, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,390 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Paterson, NJ's $1,430, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Worth than in Paterson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Paterson?: Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).