One of the most asked questions we receive from people relocating to Fort Worth is:
How much does it cost to live in Fort Worth?
There’s a lot on your plate where you’re thinking about relocating to a new city. And if you’re thinking about making Fort Worth your home, you may want to know what the cost of living in Fort Worth.
In this article, we’ll provide a detailed overview of what it costs to live in Fort Worth.
Overall Cost of Living In Fort Worth
Let’s start with the overall cost of living. I relocated to the Fort Worth area just over about 17 years ago. And one of the reasons I wanted to make this area of my home was because the cost of living was so darn low.
So one of the first questions you may have is how much money can I make in Fort Worth, Texas? Well, obviously that depends on your industry, your skillset, and how much your job is in demand. But on average, the household salary in Fort Worth is about $65,000.
Housing Cost
When it comes to your largest expense, it is housing. And when it comes to the median home price in Fort Worth, that’s $325,000, and that’s gonna get you a really good home in any area of town.
With that price of a home in Fort Worth, you’re not stuck in one portion of the city. That could be north, south or west. So when searching homes for sale in Fort Worth, you have a variety of areas to choose to live within that price point. Now, of course, there are homes that are less expensive and more expensive than that.
Utilities
In terms of utilities, you’re definitely gonna be interested in how much your energy bill is going to be.
Now what’s cool in the state of Texas and of course in Fort worth is that the energy market is deregulated, which simply means you don’t have to choose from just one provider.
You have a choice of multiple energy providers within the area, which allows you to compare rates, see what plans work best for you and the length of the terms of the contract that you’ll sign.
So, one thing that helped me when I moved here was going to a website called powertochoose.com. On the website, you simply enter your information, your zip code and how much energy you think you’ll be using in a month. Once you enter that information, it’ll show you a list of rates and companies to choose from.
So then you can have the best plan for you. Your energy bill and consumption will gonna vary from month to month and season to season. But on average, I would say you’re probably gonna spend anywhere between 130 up to $200 a month, just depending on what’s happening in your home.
Internet
When it comes to internet service, it’s something you definitely in these times need and you want high speeds at an affordable cost.
Fort Worth has two internet service providers to choose from:
If you are buying a home, be mindful that not every home has access to internet. That’s something a lot of people move into the area may not be aware of. So if you’re planning a relocation, consult with your REALTOR® and make sure that you know that the home that you’re interested in purchasing has access to internet.
In terms of price, I have Spectrum at home. And I think I $75 a month for around 300 megabits per second. There are some places I know that are getting 50 as the max and spending $50 a month.
Natural Gas
Another utility you may have, depending on your area, is natural gas. Not every home in Fort Worth is going to have natural gas. There may be some areas, either apartments or homes that are running all on electricity and not having gas at all. But if you do have to purchase gas, you’re gonna be purchasing from Atmos Energy.
Unlike the energy providers, where you can choose from multiple companies, we don’t have that when it comes to natural gas. So you’re only going to be getting your natural gas from one provider.
Your natural gas bill is gonna be anywhere from $60-$100, depending on how much natural gas you use.
Transportation
Cost of living in Fort Worth has to include transportation. Public transportation is available in Fort Worth, but in reality, you need a car to really enjoy the city. The city is so spread out and you also have suburbs. Arlington and Dallas may be cities you would travel to work or enjoy amenities.
And when it comes to just commuting from place to place, your average commute time is probably gonna be about 25 to 30 minutes.
With the surrounding suburbs and the other major cities that make up the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, you’re gonna wanna factor in car maintenance as a part of your cost of living in Fort Worth.
That means oil changes, tires, just your regular routine maintenance. The last thing you want to do in a city the size of Fort worth is have car issues because you weren’t maintaining that vehicle. So just make sure you put that in your budget. So you are aware to take care of those things when they arise.
Toll Tag
Additionally, you will need to purchase a NTTA Toll Tag. There are toll roads all over the metroplex, including within Fort Worth proper. And depending on when you’re going to be traveling, you might run into some rush hour traffic in the morning or the afternoon, or generally just want to take a shortcut because it’s gonna save you some time.
Purchasing a toll tag is gonna be critical.
My wife and I both have toll tags on our vehicles. I’d say we spend anywhere between $25 to $30 a month on toll tag charges. Your toll tag expense will depend on how much you commute and how much you use toll roads within the Fort Worth area.
If you decide not to purchase a toll tag, just note that if you take a toll road with your vehicle without a toll tag, you’ll receive a zip cash invoice in the mail, which essentially is gonna charge you for using that toll road. And it’s typically about 50% higher than your cost if you had a toll tag.
Dining in Fort Worth
So if it’s date night, you’re thinking about a restaurant for you and your boo to enjoy, Fort worth has something for you. Of course, now we’re talking above the chain restaurant here. We’re talking really good restaurants here, but it doesn’t have to break the bank.
And if you’re at one of these restaurants around Fort worth, I’d say appetizers are gonna run you anywhere between 10 to $15 and a drink or cocktail likely will be seven to $15-$16. Your main entree will be anywhere between 20 to $30 at a really good restaurant.
Have any questions about the cost of living in Fort Worth? Need help buying or selling a home? Contact us to schedule a conversation.