Living Cost Compare
Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/mo est.

vs
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 2% higher in Fort Worth, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,310
$997
+24% in Fort Worth, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,191
$1,166
+2% in Fort Worth, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,393
$1,461
+5% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,721
$1,993
+16% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$277,300
$495,700
+79% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$76,602
$74,925
+2% in Fort Worth, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$55,240
+7% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
33.0 yr
+0.4 yr in Fort Worth, TX
Homeownership
56.7%
46.8%
+9.9 pp in Fort Worth, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.7%
50.9%
+19.2 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
26.9 min
19.6 min
+7.3 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
465.2
878.8
+89% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
2,735.7
5,257.3
+92% in Salt Lake City, UT

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
52.8°F
+12.9°F in Fort Worth, TX
Annual Precipitation
36.1 in
16.1 in
+20.0 in in Fort Worth, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$4.29/gal
+18% in Salt Lake City, UT

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)
16.4
13.0
+21% in Fort Worth, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$10.26
+66% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / UT)
6.25%
6.1%
+0.2 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.50%
+4.5 pp in UT

Fort Worth vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Worth or Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,390, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Worth than in Salt Lake City?
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 Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Worth or Salt Lake City?
Fort Worth is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Salt Lake City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).