Fort Worth vs Arlington
Pick Fort Worth for rail access (DART or TEXRail). Typical home values run $184,000 to $686,000 in Fort Worth and $230,000 to $380,000 in Arlington, by ZIP code (Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026).
| Fort Worth | Arlington | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, by ZIP | $184,000 to $686,000 | $230,000 to $380,000 |
| Citywide value trend, past year | -1.6% (Fort Worth) | -0.5% (Arlington) |
| Price tier | $$ | $$ |
| Home types | Single-family, Historic homes, Urban condos, New build | Single-family, Townhome |
| Home age | Everything from 1900s historic districts to brand-new suburbs | Mostly 1970s–2000s, with newer areas to the south |
| Lots | Varies widely by neighborhood | Standard suburban lots |
| HOA | Varies widely | Mix of HOA and non-HOA neighborhoods |
| School districts | Fort Worth ISD, Keller ISD (parts), Northwest ISD (parts), Crowley ISD (parts) | Arlington ISD, Mansfield ISD (parts) |
| Property tax rate (2025, total) | 2.16% | 2.19% |
| Drive to Downtown Dallas | ~42 min 33 mi | ~29 min 20 mi |
| Drive to Legacy West (Plano) | ~52 min 43 mi | ~46 min 36 mi |
| Drive to DFW Airport | ~35 min 24 mi | ~27 min 16 mi |
| Drive to Downtown Fort Worth | ~1 min 0 mi | ~23 min 15 mi |
| Major roads | I-30, I-35W, I-820, Chisholm Trail Pkwy, TEXRail | I-30, I-20, SH 360 |
| Nearby | Stockyards, Sundance Square, Cultural District museums, Dickies Arena, Trinity Trails | AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Six Flags Over Texas, Texas Live!, UT Arlington |
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026. Tax rates: 2025 tax rates per $100 of value, from Republic Title's 2025 DFW Area Tax Rates (compiled from county appraisal districts). County column includes county, community college and hospital districts where they apply. Excludes MUD/PID and special districts, and is before homestead exemptions. Drive times: Off-peak drive estimates from OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM), measured from each area's center on 2026-10-21. Rush hour is often much longer. School districts vary by street, so verify by address.
Fort Worth
A big city with a Western heart: museums, the Stockyards, a lively downtown and neighborhoods at every price point.
Strengths
- Distinct culture and downtown
- Wide range of prices
- Strong arts scene
Tradeoffs
- Far from Dallas job centers
- Huge city with uneven neighborhoods
- New suburbs can be far out
Arlington
Home of the Cowboys and Rangers: the entertainment capital of the metroplex, centrally placed between Dallas and Fort Worth.
Strengths
- Entertainment District
- Central between both cities
- Moderate prices
Tradeoffs
- Event-day traffic
- Few rail options
- Car-dependent
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