Living Cost Compare
Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/mo est.

vs
Rochester

New York

$1,160/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 $1,160 in Rochester, NY. Overall, Rochester, NY is roughly 17% 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 $46,628 in Rochester, NY — about 39% higher in Fort Worth, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; New York has a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,310
$750
+43% in Fort Worth, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,191
$857
+28% in Fort Worth, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,393
$1,114
+20% in Fort Worth, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,721
$1,240
+28% in Fort Worth, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$277,300
$120,600
+57% in Fort Worth, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$76,602
$46,628
+39% in Fort Worth, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$51,210
+0% in Fort Worth, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
33.5 yr
+0.1 yr in Rochester, NY
Homeownership
56.7%
37.2%
+19.5 pp in Fort Worth, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.7%
29.9%
+1.8 pp in Fort Worth, TX
Avg Commute
26.9 min
18.9 min
+8.0 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
465.2
690
+48% in Rochester, NY
Property Crime
2,735.7
3,533.4
+29% in Rochester, NY

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
48.2°F
+17.5°F in Fort Worth, TX
Annual Precipitation
36.1 in
34.3 in
+1.8 in in Fort Worth, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$4.04/gal
+12% in Rochester, NY

Area: Texas vs New York.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
29.9
+82% in Rochester, NY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$22.74
+25% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Rochester, NY
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Rochester, NY
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Fort Worth, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Rochester, NY
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Rochester, NY
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Rochester, NY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NY)
6.25%
4%
+2.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.90%
+10.9 pp in NY

Fort Worth vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Rochester?
Rochester, NY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,160 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% 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 Rochester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Fort Worth versus $34,000 in Rochester.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Rochester?
Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Rochester under New York's (a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% 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).