Fort Worth in Texas and Detroit in Michigan offer unique living experiences reflecting their geographical, economic, and cultural distinctions. While Fort Worth's sunny climate, friendly neighborhoods, and booming job market attracts individuals, Detroit's rich cultural background, diverse culinary scene, and strong automotive industry often allure a different demographic. Deviating crime rates, weather, cost of living, and healthcare services further differentiate these two cities. This comparison provides an insight into these factors to help those considering relocation or a visit.
Distance between
Fort Worth, TX and
Detroit, MI : 1,023.1 miles
Fort Worth's population is larger by 48%. Its population has grown by 400,814 people (75.0%) since 2000. The population of Detroit has decreased by 318,806 people (33.5%) during that time.
Fort Worth is considered to be safer than Detroit. While no city is crime-free, Detroit's crime rate is significantly higher than the national average, making safety a significant concern for residents and visitors alike. Fort Worth, being one of the safer large cities in the U.S., provides a more secure environment. However, it's suggested to observe all standard safety measures in both cities.
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
City-data.com crime index counts serious crimes and violent crime more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities. (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 301.1)
Sex Offenders
According to our data, there are 3,166 registered sex offenders living in Fort Worth and 3,446 registered sex offenders living in . The ratio of residents to sex offenders in Fort Worth is 270 to 1; the ratio in Detroit is 195 to 1. The number of registered sex offenders compared to the number of residents is a smaller in Fort Worth than in Detroit.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Fort Worth, TX, is noticeably lower than in Detroit, MI. This includes expenses like housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation. Even though Detroit strived to decrease its cost of living index, Fort Worth continues to outrank this effort with lower costs overall.
Income Tax
Texas offers an advantage here as it does not levy a state income tax, meaning Fort Worth residents keep more of their income. In contrast, Michigan enforces state income tax, leading to additional annual expenses for Detroit's inhabitants.
Property Tax
Property taxes are generally higher in Texas compared to Michigan. In Texas, county officials appraise most properties, which is not always the case in Michigan.
Sales Tax
Both Michigan and Texas levies a sales tax. Texas’ sales tax rate is 6.25%, and it can reach up to 8.25% with local surtaxes. Michigan levies a sales tax at a rate of 6% across the state, without the addition of local surtaxes, indicating slightly lower sales tax expenses in Detroit.
Income
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Estimated median household income
$68,235
$36,140
Estimated per capita income
$34,106
$22,122
Cost of living index (U.S. average is 100)
95.4
94.1
If you make $50,000 in Detroit, you will have to make $50,691 in Fort Worth to maintain the same standard of living.
Geographical Conditions
Fort Worth is largely flat, characterized by plains, while Detroit is located in the Great Lakes region with a natural harbor on the Detroit River. Fort Worth's geographical conditions make it more vulnerable to occasional tornadoes.
Detroit has a rich educational platform, thanks to the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, amongst others. Fort Worth also presents good educational opportunities featuring Texas Christian University and Texas Wesleyan. However, the overall performance of public elementary, middle, and high schools is typically higher in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth enjoys a healthier economy, with lower unemployment rates, and higher average income compared to Detroit. The oil, aviation, and tech industries heavily influence Fort Worth's economy. Conversely, Detroit, known as "Motor City," primarily relies on its automotive industry, which faced considerable hardships.
Biggest Employers
Fort Worth's major employers include Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and American Airlines, nourishing the city's economy. Detroit's economy mainly depends on the "Big Three" automobile manufacturers: General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler.
There were 7,236 building permits issued in Fort Worth in 2012 (4810 more than in 2011) compared to 10 building permits issued in Detroit in 2012 (8 less than in 2011).
In Fort Worth (Tarrant County), 41.4% voted for Democrats and 57.1% for Republicans in 2012 Presidential Election. In Detroit (Wayne County), 73.1% voted for Democrats and 26.2% for Republicans.
Elections
Type
Democrats
Republicans
Other
Year
Fort Worth
Detroit
Fort Worth
Detroit
Fort Worth
Detroit
2020
49.3%
68.6%
49.1%
30.4%
1.6%
1.0%
2016
43.2%
66.6%
51.8%
29.4%
5.0%
4.0%
2012
41.4%
73.1%
57.1%
26.2%
1.4%
0.6%
2008
43.8%
74.4%
55.5%
24.7%
0.7%
0.9%
2004
37.0%
69.7%
62.5%
29.9%
0.5%
0.4%
2000
36.9%
69.1%
60.9%
29.1%
2.3%
1.8%
1996
41.6%
69.0%
50.9%
24.0%
7.5%
7.0%
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregation
Type
Adherents
Congregations
Religion
Fort Worth
Detroit
Fort Worth
Detroit
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
17.3%
0.4%
33.3%
3.2%
CATHOLIC CHURCH
11.1%
16.3%
1.9%
11.2%
MUSLIM ESTIMATE
2.2%
3.7%
0.9%
2.9%
LUTHERAN CHURCH
0.5%
1.2%
0.9%
3.9%
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
0.4%
0.4%
1.6%
1.4%
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
0.3%
0.4%
0.8%
2.5%
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
0.3%
0.7%
0.9%
2.8%
AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THE USA
0.0%
1.5%
0.1%
2.4%
Weather
The weather varies strikingly between the two cities. Detroit experiences a more drastic season change, with cold winters, which includes snowfall and mild, pleasant summers. On the other hand, Fort Worth is known for its hot, humid summers, and its winters are mild with rare snowfalls. To choose the best place for living or visiting, it depends largely on individual climate preferences.
Weather and climate
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Temperature - Average
65°F
50°F
Humidity - Average morning or afternoon humidity
71.4%
75.3%
Humidity - Differences between morning and afternoon humidity
34.1%
33%
Humidity - Maximum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
82.1%
86%
Humidity - Minimum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
48%
53%
Precipitation - Yearly average
35 in
33.6 in
Snowfall - Yearly average
4.2 in
86.5 in
Clouds - Number of days clear of clouds
22.8%
12.7%
Sunshine amount - Average
66.6%
56.8%
Sunshine amount - Differences during a year
20%
38%
Sunshine amount - Maximum monthly
74%
69%
Sunshine amount - Minimum monthly
54%
31%
Wind speed - Average
10.3 mph
10.2 mph
Average climate in Fort Worth, Texas
Average climate in Detroit, Michigan
Air pollution
Type
AQI
CO
NO2
OZONE
PB
PM25
SO2
Year
Fort Worth
Detroit
Fort Worth
Detroit
Fort Worth
Detroit
Fort Worth
Detroit
Detroit
Fort Worth
Detroit
Fort Worth
Detroit
2018
67
90
N/A
0.44
5.8
12.9
27.1
25.8
N/A
N/A
N/A
10.1
N/A
1.1
2017
67
87
N/A
0.56
6.2
12.7
27.2
20.9
N/A
N/A
N/A
10.1
N/A
1.3
2016
56
86
N/A
0.47
6.3
13.2
25.5
22.0
N/A
N/A
N/A
10.9
N/A
0.8
2015
61
95
N/A
0.49
6.5
14.8
24.8
26.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
11.9
N/A
1.2
2014
56
95
0.22
0.48
6.8
14.2
26.6
24.2
N/A
N/A
N/A
12.0
N/A
1.7
2013
64
80
0.25
0.53
6.4
14.4
26.5
24.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
11.0
N/A
1.3
2012
87
99
0.26
0.49
7.8
14.6
30.3
25.7
N/A
N/A
N/A
6.6
N/A
1.7
2011
79
94
0.23
0.32
7.9
12.9
30.7
24.3
N/A
N/A
N/A
6.5
N/A
1.6
2010
70
96
0.23
0.28
8.5
11.8
27.7
24.7
0.006
N/A
N/A
12.1
N/A
1.6
2009
81
68
0.25
0.27
8.7
12.7
29.5
23.4
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
1.9
2008
69
67
0.25
0.27
9.6
12.8
25.8
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2.0
2007
75
81
0.30
0.29
10.6
13.7
24.6
25.8
0.017
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2006
90
63
0.34
0.31
10.2
14.0
29.7
19.8
0.022
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
3.2
2005
102
83
0.34
0.36
10.9
17.4
28.4
22.6
0.019
N/A
11.3
N/A
0.9
4.0
2004
78
70
0.39
0.43
10.6
15.0
25.4
N/A
0.014
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
3.7
2003
82
86
0.40
0.40
11.1
18.5
27.2
N/A
0.013
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
4.8
2002
94
88
0.37
0.36
11.8
18.3
25.8
N/A
0.019
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
4.3
2001
16
83
0.48
0.36
N/A
19.0
N/A
N/A
0.020
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
4.4
2000
17
71
0.55
0.35
N/A
18.2
N/A
N/A
0.027
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
5.2
Natural disasters
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Tornado activity compared to U.S. average
249.6%
128.5%
Earthquake activity compared to U.S. average
562.8%
53.2%
Natural disasters compared to U.S. average
23%
14%
Transportation
Fort Worth boasts a more efficient public transit system with buses and light rail, making commuting easy. Detroit also provides public transit but it's less comprehensive. Traffic congestion is more common in Fort Worth, due to its concentrated development.
Transport
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Amtrak stations
1
1
Amtrak stations nearby
1
3
FAA registered aircraft
2
93
FAA registered aircraft manufacturers and dealers
19
3
Means of transportation to work
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Bicycle
0.1%
0.5%
Bus
0.4%
4%
Carpooled
11%
7.5%
Car alone
85.8%
83.4%
Motorcycle
0.1%
0%
Taxicab
0.1%
0.5%
Walked
1.3%
2.7%
Average travel time to work
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Average
28.5 min
30.6 min
Other means
25.3 min
26 min
Public transportation
41.8 min
47.7 min
Private vehicle occupancy
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Average
1.2
1.2
Drove alone
87.6%
87.1%
In 2 person carpool
8.5%
10.5%
In 3 person carpool
2.5%
1%
In 4 person carpool
1.1%
1%
In 5-6 person carpool
0.3%
0.3%
In 7+ person carpool
0.1%
0.2%
How many people usually rode to work in the car, truck or van.
Real Estate
The Fort Worth real estate market is highly competitive with booming prices, while Detroit properties, despite recent improvements, still remain comparatively affordable, making it a promising market for property investors.
Neighborhoods
Both cities offer diverse and unique neighborhoods. In Fort Worth, renowned neighborhoods include Tanglewood and Mistletoe Heights, ideal for families. Detroit, on the other hand, offers historic areas like Indian Village or contemporary locales like Midtown for urban dwellers.
Houses and residents
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Houses
361,341
322,906
Average household size (people)
2.8
2.6
Median year apartment built
1991
1953
Median year house/condo built
1995
1946
Length of stay in the house since moving in
11.2 years
16.7 years
Houses occupied
334,286 (92.5%)
251,729 (78%)
Houses occupied by owners
185,197 (55.4%)
129,084 (51.3%)
Houses occupied by renters
149,089 (44.6%)
122,645 (48.7%)
Median rent asked for vacant for-rent units
$1,068
$798.06
Median monthly housing costs
$1,328
$755
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos
$288,576
$86,452
Estimated median house or condo value
$249,000
$69,300
Median numbers of rooms
5.3
5.7
Median number of rooms in apartments
4.2
5
Median number of rooms in houses and condos
6.3
6.3
Median house price - detached houses
$279,885
$96,752
Median house price - in 2-unit structures
Over $1,000,000
$72,631
Median house price - in 3-to-4-unit structures
$337,081
$183,952
Median house price - in 5 or more unit structures
$298,062
$242,851
Median house price - mobile homes
$58,470
$43,864
Median house price - Townhouses or other attached units
$279,957
$128,652
Median house price - All housing units
$279,281
$101,554
Median house age
29
74
Renting percentage
40.8%
48.9%
Housing density (houses/condos per square mile)
1,235.2
2,326.9
House value disparities
31.8%
48.4%
Household income disparities
43.6%
49.3%
Median household income for houses/condes with a mortgage
$106,170
$61,259
Median household income for apartments without a mortgage
$72,147
$38,901
Housing units without a mortgage
2,986 (2.4%)
2,599 (5.6%)
Housing units with both a second mortgage and home equity loan
3,696 (3%)
2,270 (4.9%)
Housing units with a mortgage
121,099 (97.6%)
43,675 (94.4%)
Housing units with a home equity loan
66 (0.1%)
357 (0.8%)
Housing units with a second mortgage
5,171 (4.2%)
3,466 (7.5%)
House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago)
8
16
House/condo renter moved in on average (years ago)
1
4
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities
1.8%
17.1%
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities
0.7%
13.6%
Housing units in structures
Housing units in structures
Fort Worth
Detroit
One, detached
65.4%
66.0%
One, attached
2.9%
6.1%
Two
1.6%
6.5%
3 or 4
4.1%
2.7%
5 to 9
5.8%
2.2%
10 to 19
6.5%
2.7%
20 to 49
4.6%
3.9%
50 or more
7.0%
9.4%
Mobile homes
2.1%
0.5%
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
27,257
11,725
State government workers
8,587
8,763
Unpaid family workers
392
441
Industries and Occupations
The chief industries in Fort Worth are oil, aviation, and technology. This leads to a high demand for engineers, pilots, and tech experts. In contrast, Detroit is centered around the auto industry, making manufacturing and automotive design the prevalent jobs.
Fort Worth is home to highly-rated hospitals, such as the Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center. Detroit also has prestigious medical centers. However, Texas healthcare overall is often ranked higher than Michigan.
Health (county statistics)
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
General health status score of residents in this county from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)
Detroit, being older, has a rich infrastructure featuring numerous historic buildings, while Fort Worth is modern and continually developing. However, both cities invest significantly in infrastructure development, benefitting both residents and visitors.
Infrastructure
Type
Fort Worth
Detroit
Hospitals
76
41
TV stations
25
16
Arenas or stadiums
7
4
Bank branches located here
175
98
Bank institutions located here
42
12
Main business address for public companies
24
11
Drinking water stations with no reported violations in the past
3
5
Drinking water stations with reported violations in the past
HMDA - Conventional home purchase loans - Applications denied
Year
Fort Worth
Detroit
1999
3,575
2,901
2000
2,473
4,079
2001
2,109
3,815
2002
1,701
3,247
2003
2,183
5,511
2004
3,202
9,068
2005
4,261
13,958
2006
4,161
16,654
2007
2,871
10,742
2008
1,256
2,823
2009
585
484
Culture and Food
Both cities have unique cultural and food scenes. As part of the South, Fort Worth offers outstanding barbecue and Tex-Mex cuisine, and it enjoys rich cultural traditions exemplified by a vibrant rodeo culture. Detroit, in contrast, is known for Coney-Dogs and Motown music tradition, reflecting its diverse immigrant population.
Sports Teams
In terms of sports, both cities excel. Detroit is home to well-established teams like the Detroit Tigers (MLB), Detroit Lions (NFL), and Detroit Pistons (NBA). Fort Worth, being part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, is proud of the Dallas Cowboys (NFL), Texas Rangers (MLB), and Dallas Mavericks (NBA).
Fort Worth, TX
Detroit, MI
Fort Worth, TX and 
Detroit, MI : 1,023.1 miles
