Median rent is 50% lower in Fort Worth ($1,509/mo vs $2,997/mo). Buying is cheaper in Fort Worth, where the median home runs $303,000 versus $1,191,500. Households earn more in Irvine ($136,719 vs $79,507 a year).
City A
Fort Worth, TX
City B
Irvine, CA
How much would you need to earn in Irvine, CA to maintain your standard of living from Fort Worth, TX?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Fort Worth
Texas
Irvine
California
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Fort Worth — median rent of $1,509/mo versus $2,997/mo in Irvine, a 50% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Irvine: the median home is $1,191,500 versus $303,000 in Fort Worth — 75% more expensive.
Metric
Fort Worth
Irvine
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Fort Worth
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Irvine
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is not yet available for these cities.
Pick Irvine if you prioritize higher median household income ($136,719/yr).
Pick Fort Worth if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,509/mo median).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,509/mo in Fort Worth, TX and $2,997/mo in Irvine, CA. Fort Worth, TX has the lower rent by about 50%.
Median household income is $79,507 in Fort Worth, TX and $136,719 in Irvine, CA. Irvine, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
