While it's gone by many nicknames over the years — Cowtown, Panther City and Queen City of the Prairie, to name a few — there's no doubt that Fort Worth truly is "Where the West Begins." This sprawling city in northeast Texas has a long history dating back to frontier days when a treaty established present-day Fort Worth as the dividing line between the Republic of Texas and Native American territory. The city grew over the years as a center for commerce, a stop for cowherds on the Chisholm Trail and a railroad hub, eventually transforming into the sprawling metropolis it is today.
Home to more than 935,000 people, Fort Worth makes up the western half of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. This vast growth has turned Fort Worth into a lively and energetic city with amenities homebuyers might expect, such as popular shopping and dining options, a variety of entertainment, access to major transportation centers and several Fortune 500 companies.
Fort Worth is often also similarly called "Panther City".
The sprawling city of Fort Worth has many districts such as Downtown, Southside, and University.
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An ever-changing real estate market
In communities such as Northside , homebuyers will find a dense landscape of ranch-style and bungalow homes from the mid-1900s in the $200,000 to $400,000 range. Areas like Monticello and Ridglea feature expansive Colonial Revival, Spanish-style and contemporary residences on sprawling, tree-covered lots, and prices can run between $500,000 and $2.5 million. Suburban neighborhoods with newly built houses tend to be some of the most popular destinations with today's buyers. "We have several master-planned communities that offer a family-oriented lifestyle," says Sarah Lyons, an associate broker with Century 21 Judge Fite Company, the No. 1 Century 21 agent in Fort Worth. These neighborhoods, such as Harvest Ridge , may have prices from $300,000 to $500,000, with additional HOA fees to cover the cost of small parks, community centers, gyms, swimming pools and walking trails. There are also condos and townhouses throughout the downtown, generally priced between $200,000 and $400,000.
Like most cities, Fort Worth saw lots of movement in the market in the early 2020s, but prices have begun to return to pre-pandemic levels. "We saw things slow down a little bit, but it's still a strong sellers' market. Inventory is sitting at about three to three-and-a-half months," Lyons says, adding that the average home in Fort Worth sells in about 45 days. In 2024, the median housing price was $340,000, significantly lower than the U.S. median price of about $430,000.
Fort Worth's Northside features classic bungalow-style homes.
Those looking for a more urban lifestyle, Downtown Fort Worth is flush with high-rise condos .
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A center for commerce
A significant part of Fort Worth's growth has been the influx of large corporations moving to the area. "The DFW chamber has worked really hard to bring in Fortune 500 companies and be a pro-business place. There's a lot of different types of businesses here, and I have a lot of relocation clients," Lyons says. Major companies in Fort Worth include American Airlines, GM Financial and Lockheed Martin. Within the larger Dallas-Fort Worth area, companies like Charles Schwab, Fidelity Investments, AT&T, Southwest Airlines and Texas Instruments have corporate headquarters or large offices. The city is also home to several medical facilities, and the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth offers a Level I Trauma Center.
One of Fort Worth's primary goals, outlined in the Downtown Fort Worth Plan 2023, is to bring more scientific research laboratories and health sciences symposiums to the city. Another objective is to increase housing options, walkability and accessibility across the city.
Corporations in Fort Worth, like GM Financial, bring in transplants from all over the world.
The Fort Worth Medical District offers many medical facilities, like John Peter Smith Hospital.
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Live music and cultural events in Cowtown
With a city as large and diverse as Fort Worth, residents have plenty of options for dining out. " Fairmount is the neighborhood with a ton of little mom-and-pop shops and restaurants," Lyons says. Fairmount is just south of downtown and features several locally owned restaurants along Magnolia Avenue. Diners can choose from authentic Texas-style barbecue joints, artisan pizzerias and trendy wine bars. Another popular spot is Clearfork, a large outdoor shopping mall on the west bank of the Trinity River in Como that is home to a movie theater, upscale chain retailers and sit-down restaurants that offer a little of everything from scratch-made Thai food to blackened catfish and Mexican small plates. In 2023, two Fort Worth restaurants received James Beard nominations, including Goldee's Barbecue. At this casual smokehouse on the city's southeastern outskirts, patrons begin lining up at 9 a.m. for smoked ribs.
Residents can also visit the Fort Worth Stockyards, near the Diamond Hill-Jarvis community, to explore the city's past. This historic district keeps the Wild West tradition alive with several saloons, Western wear stores and a twice-daily cattle drive through the streets. There are several places to catch live music throughout Cowtown, including Dickies Arena, which hosts major country artists in the Cultural District . In Downtown Fort Worth , an 80-foot-wide dome tops the Bass Performance Hall, the permanent home of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Ballet Theater and Fort Worth Opera. And, of course, there's always line dancing and country music at the world's largest honky-tonk, Billy Bob's Texas.
In addition to its many celebrations of Western cowboy culture, Fort Worth hosts the annual Lone Star Film Festival. In April, local artists and makers bring their works to the Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival. Juneteenth has a special significance in the city, as Opal Lee, the grandmother of Juneteenth, is a Fort Worth resident. The National Juneteenth Museum, slated to open in 2026, will honor her legacy. Mayfest takes place in Trinity Park each spring. It's a four-day event packed with fair snacks, live music and Ferris wheel rides. At the stockyards, there's a year-round schedule of weekend rodeos and larger events like the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering, where young cowboy poets, fiddlers and chuck wagon chefs can debut their skills.
Western wear stores in the Fort Worth Stockyards offer everything from Cowboy hats to boots.
A fan-favorite, Billy Bob's in Fort Worth is a large dance hall offering two-step classes.
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Take a trip on the Trinity River
The Fort Worth Parks and Recreation Department operates nearly 300 parks, many of which are so-called "pocket parks" with a few trees, benches and tennis courts. Gateway Park, in the White Lake Hills community, is the city's largest at 791 acres. This expansive green space is situated along the river and has sports fields, a disc golf course, mountain bike trails and a dog park. Baseball and softball teams often meet on the city's north side at Rockwood Park.
Fort Worth's location along the Trinity River provides residents with plenty of ways to take advantage of the region's natural beauty. The Trinity Trails are a network of more than 100 miles of biking and walking paths along the river. For residents who want to experience the river fully, several boat launches throughout the city can accommodate kayaks and canoes. Fishing is also available in the river, which holds catfish, crappie, bluegill and trout. The city hosts several trout stocking events each year that culminate with Trinity Flyfest, a celebration that features fly-tying demos, casting classes, vendors and open fishing. However, as insecticides and other pollutants have been detected in the river, anglers are not advised to consume their catches.
The Trinity Trails lead through Trinity Park, a 253-acre green space that adjoins the Fort Worth Cultural District. The district is home to six museums, including the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the National Cowgirl Museum. Plant lovers can also explore the area's Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
Locals walk, jog, and bike along the over 100 miles of Trinity Trails in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth's Trinity River offers a multitude of boat launches for kayaks and canoes.
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Preparing Fort Worth students for future success
Most of Fort Worth is served by the Fort Worth Independent School District, although several other districts in the area allow for more options. Nearly 75,000 students attend Fort Worth schools, and the district has an overall student-teacher ratio of 17-to-1. Several of the district's high schools offer early college programs, which allow students to earn an associate degree at the same time as their high school diploma. Eight schools also offer Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools academies, where students can earn industry certifications and relevant work experience during their high school education.
Fort Worth is home to Texas Christian University and Texas Wesleyan University. TCU has a student population of just over 10,000 and is a member of the Big 12 Conference for athletics. The Horned Frogs play football games at the 53,000-seat Amon G. Carter Stadium. In 2024, the Princeton Review ranked TCU the No. 4 best-run college and the college with the happiest students. Texas Wesleyan is home to about 2,600 students and offers 31 undergraduate and five graduate programs.
Arlington Heights residents can send their kids to Stripling Middle School.
Some Chapel Creek residents attend Western Hills High School.
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Crime rates and extreme weather
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, Fort Worth’s property crime rate is significantly higher than state and national figures, while the violent crime rate remains lower than the state’s but higher than the national number. Both property and violent crime rates significantly decreased between 2010 and 2020 but remained steady from 2020 to 2024. However, the city’s police department reported a sharp rise in motor vehicle thefts in 2023.
Northern Texas can experience extreme weather. The summers are hot and dry, which can lead to wildfires. Residents should expect some tornadic activity in late spring and early summer, while rainy seasons in spring and fall can bring minor flooding. Fort Worth faces many environmental concerns, including poor air quality, waterway pollution and soil contamination. City officials created an ecological master plan in 2019 to address many of these issues.
A transportation hub of North Texas
In the early days of Fort Worth, newspaper editor B.B. Paddock envisioned several railroads coming to the city, forming a tarantula-like map of rail lines entering and exiting. While some railroads are still in use, many commuters now rely on major highways like Interstate 35W, which cuts straight through the city and heads north to Denton and south to Waco and Austin. Interstate 30 passes through downtown Fort Worth and connects drivers with downtown Dallas in about 32 miles. Other significant roadways include Interstate 20, another route to Dallas, and Interstate 820, which loops around the city.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is just 25 miles northeast of downtown. The airport serves approximately 625,000 passengers each day across 28 airlines. It is the third-busiest airport in the world by operations and the second-busiest airport in terms of passenger movement. The airport has flights to 51 international destinations and 188 domestic destinations, the most of any airport in the United States.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
