Raleigh, NC vs Fort Worth, TX Cost of Living (2026)

Raleigh has a cost of living index of 94.7, about 5.3% below the national average. Housing runs below the national baseline, with a housing index of 87.5. Typical apartment rent is about $1,492 a month, and median home values are around $453,944. The median household income is approximately $72,000. Raleigh has seen rapid growth driven by the Research Triangle Park corridor, which houses major employers in technology, pharmaceuticals, and research.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city stretches to about $105,600 in Raleigh. That extra room can make it easier to save, pay down debt, or stretch for a better housing setup. Most everyday categories stay manageable here, although healthcare still runs a bit high.

North Carolina has a flat state income tax of 4.5%, which is straightforward and relatively low. There is no Raleigh city income tax. Sales tax in Wake County runs about 7.25%. Property taxes in Wake County are moderate, with effective rates around 0.8 to 1.0% of assessed value.

One specific dynamic in Raleigh: the growth of Research Triangle Park companies has created significant salary variation within the metro. Tech workers at IBM, Cisco, or SAS often earn $120,000 to $180,000 or more, while service, healthcare support, and government workers may earn $45,000 to $70,000. The same apartment costs the same for both groups, so workers at the lower end of the income spectrum face more budget pressure than the city-level median income suggests.

Fort Worth has a cost of living index of 95.9, about 4.1% below the national average. Housing runs below the national baseline, with a housing index of 87.3. Typical apartment rent is about $1,572 a month, and median home values are around $443,224. The median household income is approximately $72,000.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city stretches to about $104,300 in Fort Worth. The difference is real, but it is small enough that housing choice matters more than the metro average by itself. The overall gap is fairly modest, but utilities can still nudge the budget around month to month.

Texas has no state income tax, which benefits Fort Worth residents the same as other Texas cities. The effective property tax rate in Tarrant County typically runs around 1.8 to 2.2% of appraised value, which adds a real cost to homeownership. On a $300,000 home, property taxes can run $5,400 to $6,600 per year. Buyers should calculate total monthly housing cost including property tax and insurance rather than mortgage payment alone.

Fort Worth is often described as the western edge of the DFW metroplex, and the commute to Dallas employment centers is a real consideration. Driving from western Fort Worth to central Dallas can take 45 to 60 minutes in typical traffic. Trinity Metro operates local bus service, and TEXRail provides commuter rail to DFW Airport and some points east, but the region remains primarily car-dependent. Vehicle expenses are an unavoidable part of the monthly budget for nearly all Fort Worth residents.