🇺🇸 North America

FIRE Number for Fort Worth, United States

Name: Fort Worth, United States
Address: Fort Worth, United States

United States

Cowtown Culture, No State Income Tax, and Genuine Texas Affordability

FIRE Score Based on safety, healthcare, infrastructure & expat friendliness

Fort Worth delivers authentic Texas culture with significantly more affordability than its neighbor Dallas. The Stockyards, world-class museums along the Cultural District, and a revitalized downtown with craft breweries and live music make it far more than a cowboy town. With zero state income tax and housing costs well below the national average, Fort Worth is one of the most practical FIRE destinations in America for those who want big-city amenities without the big-city price tag.

Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE for Fort Worth

Needed to retire here is the portfolio that, in a historical backtest, would have lasted your retirement at your chosen confidence and length. Status is the verdict for your portfolio. The 4% rule benchmark is shown underneath each figure for reference only. Cost estimates are for a one-person household — adjust household size below.

Household size

Costs scale by category, not a flat multiple — housing is largely shared; food and healthcare scale per person.

Use my own healthcare cost

Lifestyle	Needed to retire here	Monthly Cost
Lean FIRE	$743K	$2,475/mo
FIRE	$1.39M	$4,640/mo
Fat FIRE	$4.97M	$16,560/mo

Cost data: Q3 2026 · Medium confidence

Cost of Living Breakdown for Fort Worth

Cost and FIRE figures are for a one-person household — adjust household size in the controls above.Showing costs for 2 adults.

Lean FIRE Lifestyle

$743K

A cheapest-acceptable older studio or one-bedroom in Fairmount, Arlington Heights, or the Ridgmar edge, cooking at home most nights with BBQ or Tex-Mex out a couple of times a week. The Stockyards cattle drives and the Kimbell's permanent collection are free. No state income tax helps, though summer A/C bills are a meaningful expense — utilities are Fort Worth's one above-average line. The ACA Silver premium stays low only if annual income is kept under the 2026 ~$62,600 subsidy cutoff (Texas has no state subsidy). A manageable Lean budget with genuine big-city amenities.

FIRE Lifestyle

$1.39M

A high-quality place in a walkable district like West 7th or near Rivercrest, regular dinners at Grace and Lonesome Dove, and premium TCU and Rangers tickets. A late-model truck or luxury SUV handles daily life, and healthcare is a padded Gold plan near the ~$62,600 ACA subsidy cutoff. This is a genuinely affluent life by Fort Worth standards, with no state income tax and affordable housing leaving substantial room for travel and saving.

Fat FIRE Lifestyle

$4.97M

A historic Rivercrest estate or a ranch property outside the city, household help several days a week, and occasional private-chef evenings alongside the city's best steakhouses and dining rooms. First-class travel, premium club-level Cowboys season tickets, and concierge healthcare are all covered. No state income tax and Fort Worth's moderate cost base mean this budget — roughly $199k a year — delivers very comfortable, low-friction living with large margins.

Retirement Confidence

The 4% rule is a great starting point. Here we go a step further and test your plan against real market history.

Enter your portfolio on the homepage to backtest a retirement in Fort Worth against market history.

How this is calculated

This is a real historical backtest. We run your plan through every retirement-length window in US market history (1871–2022): a 75% stock / 25% bond portfolio, rebalanced annually, with withdrawals raised each year for that period's actual inflation. The success rate is the share of those historical start years in which the money lasted the full length without running out.

Your confidence level sets the bar: at Balanced (90%), a survival rate of 90% or more reads "You can retire here", within 10 points below is "Close - worth a closer look", and lower is "Not quite yet". The same level sizes the "Needed to retire here" target. Retirement length also drives it - early retirees planning 40–50+ years see lower survival than the 30-year baseline.

Healthcare, Visa & City Overview

climate Warm

healthcare Excellent

english Widely spoken

safety Exercise caution

visa Easy

Timezone

CST (UTC-6)

Currency

USD

Language

English

Avg. Temperature

65°F / 18°C

Internet

200+ Mbps average

Airport

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Frequently Asked Questions About Retiring in Fort Worth

What is the FIRE Number for Fort Worth, United States?

The FIRE Number for Fort Worth ranges from $743K (Lean FIRE lifestyle) to $4.97M (Fat FIRE lifestyle). A FIRE retirement requires a portfolio of approximately $1.39M, based on estimated monthly costs of $4,640 and a 4% safe withdrawal rate.

How much does it cost to retire in Fort Worth?

Monthly living costs in Fort Worth range from $2,475 (Lean FIRE) to $4,640 (FIRE), covering housing (market rent), dining, groceries, healthcare, transportation, entertainment, and utilities.

What is healthcare like in Fort Worth for retirees?

Healthcare in Fort Worth costs approximately $460 to $620/month depending on coverage level. Typical coverage at the Lean FIRE budget: A subsidized ACA marketplace Silver plan, assuming annual income stays under the 2026 subsidy cutoff of about $62,600 for a single person; Texas did not expand Medicaid and offers no state subsidy above that line, so the full price runs about $900 a month. Priced for an early retiree aged 45-55; older retirees should budget more.

What is the weather like in Fort Worth?

Subtropical with hot summers and mild winters. The average temperature is 65°F / 18°C.

How safe is Fort Worth for retirees?

Retirees should exercise normal caution in Fort Worth, scoring 5 out of 10 in our safety ratings.