Fort Worth doesn’t pretend to be Dallas and that’s exactly why 11.7 million people visited in 2025 alone. The Stockyards, Sundance Square, a world-class Cultural District, and the fastest-growing tourism economy in America all share a city that still knows where it came from. This is where the West begins, and it shows.
Fort Worth counted 918,915 residents in 2020 and about 1,028,117 in 2025, now the 10th-largest U.S. city, with a typical home value near $298,000. Older districts carry historic overlays, while master plans on the edges add PIDs. Here are 10 areas with dated price context.
Zillow typical near $420K
Porches and bungalows a few blocks from the Magnolia Avenue restaurant row and the medical district.
Fairmount/Southside has been a city historic and cultural district and a National Register district since 1990, so exterior changes go through city preservation review. Zillow’s typical value was about $420,000; a listing site showed a $524,000 median list price in July 2026. Tarrant County; Fort Worth ISD.
Typical value near $530K
A compact grid of tree-shaded streets on the bluff above the Trinity River and Forest Park.
Mistletoe Heights became a city historic district in 2002, and the neighborhood association publishes design guidelines. Zillow listed a typical value near $530,000 on an undated page. Tarrant County; Fort Worth ISD; confirm by address.
Zillow typical near $400K
Stone gate entries and a boulevard of older homes just south of Magnolia.
Elizabeth Boulevard became Fort Worth’s first local historic district in 1980 and is on the National Register; the rest of Ryan Place isn’t confirmed as designated. Zillow’s typical value was about $400,000. Tarrant County; Fort Worth ISD.
Zillow typical near $397K
Brick-street Camp Bowie, the Cultural District and the Botanic Garden a short drive away.
A large grid of bungalows, Tudors and newer infill, with Kincaid’s on Camp Bowie as a landmark. Zillow’s typical value was about $397,000, down 2.2 percent; Homes.com showed a $456,000 12-month median sale price. No city historic district was found. Tarrant County; Fort Worth ISD.
Area median near $325K
Cattle-drive history, Joe T. Garcia’s and the brick Stockyards close together.
The Stockyards has been a National Register district since 1976, with most buildings locally designated, and it has its own PID No. 11. Redfin’s North Fort Worth median sale price was about $325,000, up 8.3 percent, in mid-2026. Tarrant County; school district by address.
Zillow typical near $459K
Master-planned streets near Alliance, with Fort Worth’s first H-E-B on the parkway.
Zillow’s typical value was about $459,000 in August 2026, down 0.8 percent, with a median list price near $481,000. Heritage carries its own PID No. 7; the 2026 assessment wasn’t confirmed. H-E-B Alliance is at 3451 Heritage Trace Pkwy. Tarrant County; Keller ISD; confirm by address.
Area median near $340K
A master plan of more than 7,200 acres, inside Fort Worth city limits about 12 miles west of downtown.
Walsh is in Parker County and Aledo ISD. Its 2025 total rate was about $2.69 per $100, and the developer says the PID No. 16 rate in newer planning areas rose from $0.18 to about $0.36 in 2026. Redfin’s West Fort Worth median was about $340,000. An H-E-B is under construction nearby.
Area median near $310K
Newer construction along Chisholm Trail Parkway, next to a city community center and park.
A master-planned community at McPherson Boulevard. Redfin’s Southwest Fort Worth median was about $310,000, down 7.3 percent, in early 2026. A realtor guide places it in Crowley ISD. County, MUD and PID status weren’t confirmed; check the appraisal record.
Area median near $310K
Ranch-style homes on curving streets in the southwest.
A large established neighborhood of ranch-style homes. Redfin’s Southwest Fort Worth median was about $310,000 in early 2026. A realtor guide places most of it in Fort Worth ISD; confirm by address. No city historic overlay was found. Tarrant County.
Area median near $271K
East-side streets between Handley’s historic core and Lake Arlington.
Central Handley is a city historic district (2001) and a National Register district (2002), and the East Lancaster corridor has its own PID No. 20. Redfin’s East Fort Worth median was about $271,000, down 3.2 percent, in mid-2026. Tarrant County; school district varies by address.
Swipe or drag sideways to see them all.
Zillow’s typical home value was about $298,000 in July 2026, down 2.0 percent from a year earlier.
Redfin’s median sale price was about $328,000, roughly flat.
The city’s 2026 rate rose to $0.70565 per $100. With Fort Worth ISD, Tarrant County, JPS, TCC and the water district, the total is about $2.23 before exemptions.
Growth areas such as Walsh and Heritage add a PID; the city exempts 20 percent of a homestead.
A Fort Worth mailing address can be in Westover Hills, Benbrook or Haslet, and city limits reach into Parker and Denton counties.
More than a dozen school districts serve Fort Worth addresses. Check every address.
Fort Worth counted 918,915 residents in 2020; the Census Bureau estimated 1,028,117 for July 2025.
That makes it the 10th-largest U.S. city, after adding 19,512 residents in one year.
Fort Worth is the county seat of Tarrant County, with city limits extending into Parker and Denton counties, and covers about 347 square miles of land. It counted 918,915 residents in the 2020 census; the Census Bureau estimated 1,028,117 for July 1, 2025, and the Texas Demographic Center’s 2025 figure is lower. Area names follow neighborhood, developer and Redfin area names, and boundaries are approximate. A Fort Worth mailing address doesn’t establish the city, school district or special district: Westover Hills is a separate town, some Fort Worth addresses are in Benbrook, and Haslet-area PIDs belong to Haslet. Confirm everything by address with the appraisal district. Price figures are dated 2026 snapshots or undated neighborhood pages from Zillow, Redfin, Homes.com and listing sites; Redfin figures for Stockyards, Walsh, Chisholm Trail Ranch, Wedgwood and Eastern Hills are broad area medians, not neighborhood medians. They are context, not values. HOA dues weren’t confirmed for any area. Historic designations are from the city’s comprehensive plan and may not include newer overlays. The 2026 PID rates for Heritage and the MUD or PID status of Chisholm Trail Ranch weren’t confirmed; Walsh’s PID figures are from the developer. The combined rate adds 2026 adopted rates for the City ($0.70565), Fort Worth ISD ($1.029099), Tarrant County ($0.186), JPS ($0.159), TCC ($0.12) and TRWD ($0.0273); Denton and Parker County addresses differ. School districts are listed at the district level only. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Fort Worth’s food scene runs from Magnolia Avenue and the Stockyards to Camp Bowie, with 2026 openings downtown and on the Near Southside, and big civic projects on the way at Panther Island and the Convention Center. Here’s a 2026-checked sample of 17.
W. Magnolia Ave.
Fairmount’s historic streets meet one of Fort Worth’s densest rows of independent restaurants and coffee shops.
Anchors include Paris Coffee Shop and the new Felina pizzeria nearby.
2201 N. Commerce St.
A family-run Tex-Mex institution near the Stockyards, known for its garden patio. Listings note it’s cash only.
704 W. Magnolia Ave.
Magnolia’s longtime breakfast counter, renovated and reopened in 2022; open 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
4901 Camp Bowie Blvd.
A former grocery turned burger counter on Camp Bowie, open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday to 3 p.m.
4645 Dick Price Rd.
Central Texas-style barbecue that topped Texas Monthly’s statewide list; open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. until sold out. The address reads Fort Worth, near Kennedale.
401 Bryan Ave., Ste. 117
A Roman-style pizzeria from the Bocca Osteria Romana team, opened in summer 2026.
White Settlement Rd.
The local craft barbecue brand’s White Settlement Road location; its original Magnolia restaurant closed February 1, 2026.
3451 Heritage Trace Pkwy.
Fort Worth’s first H-E-B, opened in 2024, with True Texas BBQ and a pharmacy.
E. Exchange Ave.
A National Register district since 1976, with its own improvement district and brick streets near Joe T. Garcia’s.
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd.
A botanic garden in the Cultural District; a new restaurant, Flora House, is replacing Rock Springs Cafe.
Along the Trinity River
Levee trails maintained by the Tarrant Regional Water District, funded in part by its 2026 tax rate.
Downtown, along Commerce St.
The downtown campus’s first building, an eight-story, 228,000-square-foot law and education building, opened August 5, 2026.
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
A Westland Hospitality restaurant replacing Rock Springs Cafe, planned for fall 2026.
309 W. Daggett Ave., Ste. 105
A Latin bar-food concept near the Convention Center, planned to open in late September 2026; confirm it’s open.
FM 3325 and I-20
A 127,754-square-foot H-E-B in Parker County, with state filings targeting December 2026.
East of N. Main St.
The first phase plans three blocks of canals and a 3-acre park between NE 4th and NE 5th streets; bids for part of the bypass channel opened in June 2026.
Downtown
A $606 million second phase, with the 1968 arena coming down in early 2027 and completion targeted for 2030.
Fort Worth is too big for one list, so this one samples institutions, 2026 openings and civic projects from the Near Southside, North Side, Camp Bowie, downtown and the growth edges.
Several longtime favorites aren’t listed because their 2026 status wasn’t confirmed.
Compiled October 2026. Listings are from business websites, Yelp, the Fort Worth Report, Fort Worth Magazine, PaperCity, CultureMap, The Dallas Morning News, the Texas A&M University System, the Tarrant Regional Water District, the City of Fort Worth and 2026 local guides, and were not confirmed with owners; call ahead to confirm hours and that a business is still open. Heim Barbecue’s Magnolia location closed February 1, 2026; its White Settlement Road street number wasn’t confirmed. Goldee’s has a Fort Worth address near Kennedale, and whether it’s inside city limits wasn’t confirmed. Felina’s street number differs by source (401 or 411 Bryan Ave.). Breweries, Central Market, the Shops at Clearfork, Madrone at the Public Market and several other well-known spots weren’t listed because their 2026 status wasn’t confirmed. Flora House, Mea Culpa, H-E-B Walsh, the Panther Island canals and the Convention Center expansion are plans or announcements, and dates can slip; sources place Convention Center completion in early or late 2030. H-E-B Walsh is in Parker County, inside Fort Worth city limits. Businesses listed are for general local reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any business named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
From an Army Camp on the Trinity to a City of More Than a Million
Fort Worth grew where the Clear Fork meets the West Fork of the Trinity River, on the line between Cross Timbers woodland and open prairie.
The Handbook of Texas places Fort Worth on the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, near where it meets the West Fork, at the edge of the Great Plains. That position explains the city’s split landscape: the eastern part lies within the Cross Timbers, while the western part is flat, open prairie. The two river forks later shaped where the Army camped, where cattle crossed and where flood-control work was concentrated.
Native nations lived in villages along the region’s creeks long before Anglo settlement. On May 24, 1841, Republic of Texas militia attacked villages along Village Creek in eastern Tarrant County, in what the Handbook of Texas calls the Battle of Village Creek. A treaty in September 1843 opened the region to settlement and moved the tribes to the upper Brazos. The battlefield lies in present-day Arlington, not Fort Worth.
Maj. Ripley A. Arnold founded Camp Worth on June 6, 1849. Civilians moved into the post after the Army left in 1853, and the town won the county seat by 1860.
Advised by Middleton Tate Johnson, Maj. Ripley A. Arnold set up camp on the Trinity on June 6, 1849, naming it for Gen. William Jenkins Worth, who had died of cholera that May. In August, Arnold moved the camp to a bluff above the mouth of the Clear Fork, and on November 14, 1849, the War Department officially named the post Fort Worth. A 1921 marker stone stands at the downtown site.
Settlers moved into the abandoned post in 1853 and called their community “Fort Town,” according to the Handbook of Texas. Mail stage service began in 1856, and the Butterfield Overland line followed two years later. Birdville was Tarrant County’s first seat; an 1856 election narrowly favored Fort Worth amid disputes, and an April 1860 election settled it. A stone courthouse begun in 1860 was finished in 1869.
Cattle drives earned the nickname “Cowtown,” the city incorporated in 1873, and the Texas and Pacific Railway arrived on July 19, 1876.
The Handbook of Texas records that in 1867 the first long drive of longhorn cattle bound for Kansas railheads passed through Fort Worth, and drives continued each season until the early 1880s. The state legislature incorporated the city in 1873, with W. P. Burts as first mayor. The Texas and Pacific line reached Fort Worth on July 19, 1876, and the population grew from 6,663 in 1880 to 23,076 in 1890.
Hell’s Half Acre, a rowdy district at the south end of downtown, grew up in the 1870s to serve cowhands arriving with the drives. The Handbook says gambling and saloons operated openly because officials valued the revenue, until reformers and the Army shut the district in 1917. In 1889 the city built the Texas Spring Palace, an agricultural exhibition that ran two seasons before burning in May 1890.
The Fort Worth Stock Yards incorporated in 1893, the first Fat Stock Show was held in 1896, and Swift and Armour opened in 1903.
By 1886 four stockyards stood near the railroads, and the Fort Worth Stock Yards incorporated on March 23, 1893, according to the Handbook of Texas. The Swift and Armour packing plants opened a mile north of the river in 1903 and set off rapid growth on the North Side. Fort Worth ranked third or fourth among the nation’s terminal livestock markets from about 1905 to the mid-1950s, and the population reached 73,312 by 1910.
In 1896 the city held its first Fat Stock Show on Marine Creek, north of town. It grew into today’s Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, which marks its 130th anniversary in 2027. The world’s first indoor rodeo was held at the North Side Coliseum on March 12, 1917. Texas Christian University moved to Fort Worth in 1911, and the Paddock Viaduct improved the Trinity crossing in 1914.
World War I training at Camp Bowie, West Texas oil strikes and the 1936 Texas Frontier Centennial reshaped the city.
Camp Bowie opened west of town on August 24, 1917, peaked at an average monthly strength of 30,901 that October and closed in August 1919, according to the Handbook of Texas. Its roads and utilities helped open Arlington Heights to development. Oil strikes at Breckenridge, Ranger and Desdemona from 1916 to 1918 turned Fort Worth into an oil town, and publisher Amon G. Carter launched the Star-Telegram in 1909 and WBAP radio in 1922.
Carter and his associates staged the 1936 Texas Frontier Centennial as Fort Worth’s answer to the official Centennial in Dallas. It covered 162 acres and drew about two million visitors before closing on November 14, 1936. Its Will Rogers Auditorium and Coliseum, built with New Deal funding, became the core of today’s Cultural District. Casa Mañana returned as a theater in the round in 1958.
The World War II “Bomber Plant” and Carswell Air Force Base tied the city to military aviation, and the 1949 flood led to a modern floodway.
In 1942 Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation opened a factory west of town to build B-24 Liberator bombers, and locals called it the “Bomber Plant.” Employment peaked near 38,000 in 1944 and 1945, and the Smithsonian credits the plant with 2,743 B-24s. General Dynamics later built the B-36 and B-58 there. Nearby Tarrant Field became Carswell Air Force Base in 1948, and the population rose from 177,662 in 1940 to 278,778 in 1950.
The Trinity River flood peaked on May 17, 1949, when the Clear Fork broke through levees; sources put the death toll at 10 or 11. That year the Tarrant Regional Water District became the local sponsor for floodway work, and in 1950 the Corps of Engineers began a major overhaul of the Fort Worth Floodway. On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy spoke at a breakfast at the Texas Hotel.
New airports, interstates and the Cultural District changed the city after the war, while private investment began reviving downtown.
Greater Fort Worth International Airport, later Amon G. Carter Field, opened in 1953. After years of rivalry, Fort Worth and Dallas jointly opened the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in January 1974, renamed Dallas-Fort Worth International in 1985. Interstate 35W brought the state’s first four-level interchange in 1958. The population peaked at 393,476 in 1970 and dipped to 385,141 in 1980 as businesses moved to the suburbs.
The Amon Carter Museum was founded in 1961 under its namesake’s estate plan, and the Kimbell Art Museum opened in 1972. The Fort Worth Opera, founded in 1946, and the Fort Worth Symphony, reorganized in 1957, grew the city’s classical-music scene. The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition began in 1962 and has been held every four years since. The Handbook credits the Bass family’s investment with reviving downtown.
Alliance Airport, Texas Motor Speedway and Bass Performance Hall pushed the city’s economy and visitor draw in new directions.
The Handbook of Texas dates Alliance Airport to 1989; it became the anchor of AllianceTexas in far north Fort Worth. Texas Motor Speedway held its first race on April 5, 1997, bringing national NASCAR racing to the Fort Worth area. Downtown, Bass Performance Hall opened on May 1, 1998, with a six-week grand-opening festival, and the Fort Worth Cats returned to minor-league baseball from 2002 to 2014.
The Stock Yards corporation dissolved in 1944, but its buyers kept operating under the same name until leasing the facilities in 1981, according to the Handbook. On July 26, 1987, residents celebrated the centennial of the Fort Worth Union Stock Yards. The Handbook now describes the Stockyards National Historic District as primarily a visitor attraction, and the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering has been held there each fall since 1991.
Rapid growth, the long-running Panther Island flood-control project and new transit and arena openings defined the decade.
The 2010 census counted 741,206 residents. The Central City flood project, later branded Panther Island, aims to create an 800-acre island north of downtown and protect about 2,400 acres from flooding. In 2018 voters approved $250 million in bonds toward a project whose total cost has been put at $1.16 billion. Its timeline has stretched for years, and the Handbook of Texas noted there was no completion date in sight.
TEXRail commuter service between downtown and DFW Airport began on January 10, 2019, and carried a million annual riders for the first time in 2026. Dickies Arena, a public-private partnership owned by the city, opened on November 8, 2019, and the Stock Show rodeo moved there in 2020. The Colonial tournament, played at Colonial Country Club since 1946, continues as the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Fort Worth passed 1 million residents to become the nation’s 10th-largest city, as a new campus, a convention center expansion and canals reshaped downtown’s edges.
The 2020 census counted 918,915 residents. The Census Bureau’s estimates, released May 14, 2026, put Fort Worth at 1,028,117 for July 2025, moving it past Jacksonville, Florida, from 11th to 10th nationally and keeping it fourth in Texas. The city added 19,512 residents in a single year, the second-largest numeric gain of any U.S. city. The city marked its 175th anniversary in 2024.
Texas A&M-Fort Worth opened its eight-story, 228,000-square-foot Law & Education Building downtown on August 5, 2026, and broke ground on a research building the same day. The convention center’s $95 million first phase opened in December 2025, and a $606 million second phase runs into 2030. Construction on the first Panther Island canals is now expected to begin around the turn of 2027.
Compiled from the Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas (Fort Worth, Fort Worth Stockyards, Texas and Pacific Railway and Village Creek entries), the Historical Marker Database, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Tarrant Regional Water District, TCU Magazine, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Trinity Metro, the Fort Worth Report, WFAA, the Texas A&M University System, the City of Fort Worth and U.S. Census counts. The Battle of Village Creek took place in present-day Arlington and is included as regional context. The city’s incorporation is dated 1873, per the Handbook. Sources put the 1949 flood’s death toll at 10 or 11. Panther Island’s canal start has slipped from mid-2026. Bomber Plant employment is a Texas State Historical Association figure as cited secondhand. The Water Gardens, the Modern Art Museum’s building and the Stockyards’ National Register listing date aren’t included because they weren’t confirmed with a primary source. Texas Motor Speedway is described as a Fort Worth-area venue; its city-limits status wasn’t confirmed. Native peoples are described at the regional level. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
The Stock Show, the Stockyards and the Parade of Lights
Western music, poetry and a cowboy trade show in the Stockyards, held each fall since 1991. Next: October 23–25, 2026.
The trade show has been free; ticketed shows ran $40 to $140 in 2025.
The Friday show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Daytime trick-or-treating at the zoo, included with admission; held for more than 20 years. Next: October 23–25, 2026.
The 20th edition runs November 4–13, 2026, with screenings across the Cultural District. All-access passes were $350, rising to $400 on November 1.
A daylong street art festival on Magnolia, in its 23rd year. Next: Saturday, October 24, 2026, noon to 10 p.m. Organizers plan to pause it in 2027.
A free parade and festival by Artes de la Rosa, held in 2023, 2024 and 2025 (its 22nd year). The 2026 date wasn’t announced.
A lighted holiday parade through downtown, held since 1983. Next: Sunday, November 22, 2026, at 6 p.m. Viewing is free; reserved street seats cost extra.
Run by Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
The 2025 parade was rain-delayed a week.
An evening holiday lights walk, from $20 for adults. Runs November 20, 2026, to January 3, 2027; it replaced the garden’s earlier Lightscape show in 2025.
Free tree lighting on November 27, 2026, at 6 p.m., and Christmas in the Stockyards on December 5, with a 4 p.m. parade. Both were held in 2024 and 2025.
Held each year since 1896, the show marks its 130th anniversary with a run of January 15 to February 6, 2027. Rodeo tickets went on sale in September.
Run by the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show.
Grounds admission and rodeo tickets are separate.
A weekend of 10K, half, full and ultra races. Held March 1, 2026; next set for February 26–28, 2027.
A four-day arts festival on Main Street; the 39th ran April 16–19, 2026.
A riverside spring festival; the 54th ran April 30 to May 3, 2026.
A PGA Tour event played at Colonial since 1946. Next: May 24–30, 2027.
Free Fourth of July fireworks and festivities run by the Tarrant Regional Water District; the 19th was July 4, 2026.
A free Juneteenth walk honoring Opal Lee’s campaign for the holiday, held for several years, most recently June 19, 2026.
A free longhorn cattle drive down Exchange Avenue twice a day, weather permitting.
A year-round rodeo in the Stockyards’ historic coliseum, with holiday-week shows added; adult tickets started at $41 in 2025.
Fort Worth’s calendar peaks with the Stock Show & Rodeo in January and February, spring festivals on Main Street and at Trinity Park, and a fall run of Stockyards and holiday events.
The Stockyards runs a cattle drive every day and a rodeo on Saturdays.
Dates move, so check each organizer’s calendar before you go.
Timing shown is the usual pattern for each event; exact dates, times, prices and locations change from year to year and should be confirmed with organizers. Event details are from organizer websites and releases, the Fort Worth Stockyards, Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the Fort Worth Zoo, the City of Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Report, CultureMap, Fort Worth Magazine, NBC DFW and event listings; each event listed was found in at least two years. Some costs and hours come from secondary listings. Lone Star Film Festival end dates differ by source; the newest release is used. Parade of Lights edition counts differ by source. The Stock Show’s grounds admission and the Cowtown’s race fees weren’t confirmed. Opal’s Walk for Freedom’s exact route varies by year. The former Air Power Expo, now Wings Over Cowtown, hasn’t held a show since 2024; Sick New World at Texas Motor Speedway was new in 2026; and NASCAR weekends at Texas Motor Speedway, whose city-limits status wasn’t confirmed, aren’t listed. The Fort Worth Opera Festival and Friday on the Green weren’t confirmed for 2026, so they aren’t listed. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
What to know about Fort Worth schools:
The rating: Check TXschools.gov for each district’s current status.
Nearby: Fort Worth ISD offers Gold Seal programs of choice, leadership academies and early-college campuses with Tarrant County College. Texas treats homeschools as private schools.
Want the full breakdown? Read our complete Fort Worth schools guide →
Much of Fort Worth is in Fort Worth ISD, about 67,300 students, rated a preliminary C (77) for 2026 and run by a state-appointed board since March 2026. The city also reaches into Keller, Northwest, Aledo and other districts. Confirm the district and campus by address.
City-wide
Fort Worth ISD is the largest, but city limits also reach into Keller, Northwest, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw, Crowley, Aledo and several other districts.
Walsh is in Aledo ISD and much of the Alliance area is in Northwest ISD or Keller ISD. Check the parcel’s appraisal record and the district’s zone lookup, not the ZIP code.
District-wide
Fort Worth ISD earned a preliminary C (77) for 2026, up from C (73) in 2025, C (70) in 2024 and D (65) in 2023. Its D- and F-rated campuses fell from 39 to 26.
2026 ratings are preliminary until TEA finalizes them in December 2026. District office: 7060 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817-814-2000.
District-wide
After one campus received five straight failing ratings, TEA announced a takeover in October 2025. Trustees lost their appeal in February 2026, and on March 24, 2026, TEA seated a nine-member board of managers and a new superintendent.
A state conservator was appointed in November 2025. Control returns to an elected board only after TEA’s exit criteria are met.
District-wide
Fort Worth ISD had nearly 83,000 students in 2019–20 and about 67,300 in 2025–26. Its 2026–27 budget assumes 63,068. The district says its buildings were sized for about 90,000.
District forecasts have varied, from about 66,500 in April 2026 to the 63,068 in the June budget.
District-wide
In May 2025 the board voted to close 18 campuses, mostly elementary schools, by June 2029. Six more closed in June 2026, including Briscoe, Kirkpatrick, Nash and De Zavala elementaries, and zones were redrawn for fall 2026.
The International Newcomer Academy closed in May 2026, and Western Hills Primary merged into Western Hills Elementary.
District-wide
Voters approved $750 million in 2017 with about 78 percent. In 2021 the $1.211 billion Proposition A passed by 57 votes, while three propositions for fine arts, stadiums and recreation failed.
No Fort Worth ISD bond or tax election was found for 2025 or 2026.
Per $100 of value
Fort Worth ISD kept its 2026 rate at $1.029099: $0.7869 for maintenance and $0.242199 for debt. On a $300,000 homestead, the school share is about $1,647 after the $140,000 exemption.
The 2026–27 budget projects a $49.8 million deficit, with $854.2 million in operating revenue.
By area
In 2026 preliminary ratings, Keller ISD earned a B (84), Northwest ISD a B (82), Crowley ISD a B (80) and Aledo ISD an A (92). Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD earned a C.
Keller ISD’s 2026 rate is $1.0852; Northwest ISD proposed $1.0702. Lake Worth ISD earned a D and is under a state takeover.
Fort Worth ISD
Choice options include Gold Seal programs, the Young Men’s and Young Women’s Leadership Academies, the Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences, Daggett Montessori and early-college campuses with Tarrant County College.
Most programs of choice admit by application. Confirm eligibility, deadlines and transportation with the district.
Tarrant Appraisal District
Schools exempt $140,000, plus $60,000 at 65 or with a disability, then freeze the school bill. The city exempts 20 percent plus $80,000 at 65, and Tarrant County and JPS each exempt 20 percent.
TAD held most home values at 2024 levels for 2025 and 2026 and plans to reappraise in 2027. Confirm exemptions with TAD.
Fort Worth addresses fall in more than a dozen districts, and Fort Worth ISD redrew zones for fall 2026.
Confirm the district and campus before you write an offer.
On a $300,000 homestead, the school share runs about $1,647 in Fort Worth ISD and $1,736 in Keller ISD at 2026 rates.
Owners 65 and older get a larger exemption, then a ceiling applies.
Fort Worth ISD earned a preliminary C (77) for 2026; Keller ISD a B (84); Aledo ISD an A (92).
Check TXschools.gov for each district’s current rating.
Fort Worth ISD has more closures scheduled through 2029 under a state-appointed board.
No Fort Worth ISD bond was found for 2025 or 2026.
Accountability ratings are shown at the district level only; campus ratings are intentionally not shown, and campuses are named only for closures and programs. Ratings change every year, and 2026 ratings are preliminary until TEA finalizes them in December 2026; use TXschools.gov for current ratings. Ratings are from TXschools.gov, TEA releases and news coverage; some other-district scores came from news summaries and weren’t confirmed on TXschools.gov. Enrollment counts differ by snapshot date; TEA’s 2025–26 count is used. Forecasts and the closure schedule are district plans and can change. Bond vote shares are from Ballotpedia and news reports, which differ slightly for 2017. Fort Worth ISD’s most recent FIRST financial rating conflicts across district documents, so it isn’t shown. Northwest ISD’s 2026 rate is its proposed rate. Takeover details are from TEA and the district; no current officials or appointees are named. The school tax examples use 2026 rates and the $140,000 state homestead exemption on an illustrative $300,000 home; they are illustrations, not quotes. Private and charter options weren’t compiled for this guide. Campus assignment is determined by address and must be confirmed with the district. School information is provided for general reference only and is not a recommendation regarding any school, district, neighborhood or property. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
What Fort Worth homes actually sold for each month. In a city of more than a million people, historic homes in Fairmount and Ryan Place, older streets in Wedgwood and Eastern Hills, and new builds in Walsh and around Alliance all land on one line, so the mix of what sold moves it as much as the market does.
Fort Worth’s median moves with which homes sold: historic central homes, older neighborhoods or new master-plan builds. Redfin put the median at about $328,000, roughly flat from a year earlier, and Zillow’s typical home value was about $298,400 in July 2026. Read the trend, not one month.
A Fairmount bungalow, a Wedgwood ranch home and a new Walsh build in a PID can all land on this one line. The chart is not your comp. Your comps match your size, age, lot, condition and school district.
Texas is a non-disclosure state, so portal prices are models. This is MLS. Ask for the actual comparable sales, plus the county, the school district and whether a PID or historic district applies. A Fort Worth address can be in Fort Worth ISD, Keller ISD, Aledo ISD or another district.
Days on market describes how buyers behaved. Compare this year’s line with last year’s same months: rising days mean more room to negotiate, and falling days mean sellers have the edge.
The first two weeks bring the most traffic a listing will ever get. If they pass without an offer, that is pricing information. Acting in week three beats acting in week ten.
When homes sit longer, there’s usually room to negotiate on price, repairs or closing costs. A listing that has waited a while is usually where the negotiating room is, and builders on the city’s edges often compete with rate buydowns and closing-cost help; ask what’s on the table.
Under 10 showings means buyers are deciding quickly. Rising counts mean people are walking through and walking away, which is a different problem from nobody looking at all.
This separates a pricing problem from a presentation problem. Plenty of showings and no offer usually means something specific is putting people off, and that is fixable without dropping the price.
High showings-to-pending means you can be selective without losing homes. Read it against days on market: low on both is a hot market, high on both means the leverage is yours.
Check how many homes closed before you read anything into the price or days-on-market charts. A month heavy with new-build closings in Walsh, Chisholm Trail Ranch or north Fort Worth can move the median more than the market did.
Your competition includes builders across Fort Worth’s growth areas, many offering rate buydowns, plus resales in nearby cities. In historic districts, your competition is the few comparable homes listed at the same time. Price against true comparables and have your permit and repair records ready.
Inventory runs from 1920s bungalows to brand-new construction. Confirm the county, school district, any PID or historic district rules, the age of major systems and the full tax bill early, because they affect your monthly cost more than the price chart does.
Charts supplied by NTREIS via 10K Research and Marketing and update automatically. Data reflects residential activity reported to the MLS and may be revised as late-reported sales come in. Fort Worth reaches beyond Tarrant County into Denton and Parker counties, and some homes in Benbrook and other neighboring cities carry Fort Worth mailing addresses, while Westover Hills is a separate town, so MLS city fields may not match the city boundary. The $328,000 median is from Redfin’s September 2026 Fort Worth page; the $298,400 figure is Zillow’s July 2026 typical home value, an index rather than a sale price. These charts do not separate new construction or resale, historic districts, homes in and out of a PID, or the many school districts that serve Fort Worth addresses. Market statistics describe the area as a whole and are not a substitute for a comparative market analysis on a specific property. Texas is a non-disclosure state, so publicly available sale prices elsewhere are estimates rather than recorded figures. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Pick a purchase year and the price fills in. If you own here, type over it with what you actually paid. This calculator runs on the Tarrant County index, the federal repeat-sales measure for the county Fort Worth sits in. A home bought in 2015 is worth about twice its price on the index, with the biggest jump in 2021 and 2022, then nearly flat in 2024 and 2025.
Bought here? Tap the number and enter what you paid.
Federal house price index growth, indexed to the purchase year, where the purchase year equals 100.
From 2015 to 2025 the Tarrant County index rose about 106 percent, with a 21 percent jump in 2022 alone.
It rose just 0.5 percent in 2025, and Zillow shows Fort Worth values down 2 percent in the year to July 2026.
Zillow’s typical value for Fort Worth was about $298,400 in July 2026, down 2.0 percent from a year earlier.
Tarrant County’s typical value was about $324,300. Type over the prefilled price with what you paid.
The Tarrant Appraisal District held most home values at 2024 levels for 2025 and 2026, and plans to reappraise in 2027.
Walsh adds a PID, and Alliance-area homes in Denton County pay a different set of taxes.
A $300,000 homestead pays about $4,604 a year in Fort Worth ISD, $4,694 in Keller ISD and about $3,956 in Northwest ISD in Denton County.
Owners 65 and older pay roughly $1,200 to $1,300 less in their first year, before ceilings take hold.
Growth rates are the FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index, annual values 2009 through 2025: Tarrant County, Texas (FRED series ATNHPIUS48439A, base 2000 equals 100), the State of Texas (TXSTHPI) and the United States (USSTHPI). State and national figures are annual averages of published quarters. The Tarrant County series recorded 146.87 in 2015, 286.37 in 2022, 300.61 in 2024 and 301.99 in 2025. FHFA describes county indices as developmental and subject to revision, and the annual series does not cover 2026. No city-specific index was used, and no 2015 Zillow value for Fort Worth was retrieved. The prefilled dollar figures are derived and illustrative, not published: they apply the Tarrant County index to a $298,000 anchor near Zillow’s July 2026 typical value for Fort Worth ($298,353). Redfin’s city median sale price was about $328,000 in its September 2026 update; typical value and median sale price are different measures. The index is built from conforming loans and excludes jumbo lending and all-cash purchases. Equity figures assume a 30-year fixed mortgage at that year’s Freddie Mac annual average rate (2025 approximately 6.6 percent), held to today, with no refinancing, no extra principal and no additional borrowing. They exclude closing costs, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, improvements and selling costs. Tax examples use an illustrative $300,000 appraised homestead and 2026 rates: City of Fort Worth 0.70565 after its 20 percent exemption; Fort Worth ISD 1.029099 or Keller ISD 1.0852 after the $140,000 school exemption; Tarrant County 0.186 and JPS 0.159 after their 20 percent exemptions; Tarrant County College 0.12 after its 1 percent ($5,000 minimum) exemption; and the Tarrant Regional Water District 0.0273. The Denton County example uses the city, Denton County 0.183394 and Northwest ISD’s proposed 1.0702, with no county exemption applied. The 65-and-older examples add the schools’ $60,000, the city’s $80,000 and Tarrant County’s $50,000; ceilings then freeze school and county amounts. JPS, TCC, TRWD and Denton County senior exemptions weren’t confirmed and aren’t applied. Tarrant Appraisal District values for 2026 generally reflect 2024 market levels, so a tax bill may be based on a lower value than today’s price. Walsh homes are in Parker County and Aledo ISD and pay a PID assessment; check the appraisal record for every taxing unit. HOA dues are extra. It is an illustration, not a quote. The homestead appraisal cap limits increases in a homestead’s taxable appraised value to 10 percent a year and ends on sale. This is an illustration for general reference, not an appraisal, a comparative market analysis, a valuation or investment advice. Past appreciation does not predict future appreciation. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Fort Worth counted 918,915 residents at the 2020 census and about 1,028,117 by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, now the nation’s 10th-largest city, with a typical value near $298,000. The trade-offs are real: the city rate rose in 2026, appraisals are frozen at 2024 levels until 2027, and Fort Worth ISD is under state management.
Estimated Off-Peak Drive Time from Downtown Fort Worth
Around Town and Beyond
Estimated minutes off-peak from City Hall at 100 Fort Worth Trail. These are planning estimates, so check a live map before relying on any of them.
Fort Worth added 19,512 residents in one year, the second-largest gain of any U.S. city.
It covers about 347 square miles, with roughly 169,000 acres of extraterritorial land beyond city limits.
The city maintains 313 parks on 13,493 acres, and the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge covers about 3,621 acres.
The fire department has held an ISO Class 1 rating since 2017.
TEXRail runs 27 miles from downtown to DFW Airport Terminal B and passed 1 million rides in 2026 for the first time.
A Medical District extension breaks ground October 29, 2026.
AllianceTexas covers 27,000 acres in north Fort Worth, with 602 companies and about 73,100 direct jobs, its developer says.
MTU Maintenance and Foxlink announced plants there in 2026.
The city rate rose 3.565 cents to $0.70565, though the city says the average bill fell $8.19 because the average taxable value dropped.
Appraisals stay at 2024 levels until 2027, and water, sewer and trash fees rise in 2026 and 2027.
Fort Worth ISD has been run by a state-appointed board since March 2026.
The Panther Island flood project targets 2032 and still needs about $543 million in federal funding.
Drive times are planning estimates from downtown Fort Worth, not live traffic or measured routes; check a live map before you rely on them. Rush-hour times on I-30, I-35W and I-820 can run much longer. Population figures are the 2020 census count and the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimate; some city pages still say 11th-largest. The typical value is Zillow’s July 2026 figure. Park figures are from the city’s July 2026 inventory; Nature Center acreage differs slightly by source. ETJ acreage is from a 2024 report and has changed with later releases. AllianceTexas figures are the developer’s July 2026 numbers. TEXRail figures are from Trinity Metro. The ISO class is from the city; the number of fire stations differs by source. Tax figures are from the city’s adopted 2026 budget. The Panther Island target and funding gap are from February 2026 reporting. Employer headcounts conflict across sources and aren’t listed. Flood zones and easements vary by parcel; check FEMA maps by address. No crime, school ranking or flood zone claims are made. This information is provided for general reference and is not a representation about any specific property, commute or future development outcome. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Answered with verified specifics, from the tax rate, the appraisal freeze and utilities to 311, TEXRail, voting, the ETJ and historic districts.
Yes. The Census Bureau’s estimates released May 14, 2026, put Fort Worth at 1,028,117 residents on July 1, 2025, moving it past Jacksonville, Florida, to 10th among U.S. cities and fourth in Texas. The 2020 census counted 918,915.
The city added 19,512 residents in a single year, the second-largest numeric gain of any U.S. city. The Texas Demographic Center’s own 2025 estimate is lower, at 1,020,987, and some city pages still say 11th-largest.
Fort Worth covers about 347 square miles of land in Tarrant County and reaches into Denton and Parker counties, so growth shows up both downtown and on the far north and west edges.
On September 15, 2026, the City Council adopted a rate of $0.70565 per $100, up 3.565 cents from $0.6700. The rate splits into $0.55815 for operations and $0.1475 for debt.
The Tarrant Appraisal District kept most home values at 2024 levels, and the city says the average residential taxable value fell $13,616, to $232,925. Applying the higher rate to that lower value, the city says the average city bill fell $8.19, to about $1,644.
Your own bill depends on your value, exemptions and every other taxing unit. The city offers a 20 percent homestead exemption and an $80,000 exemption for owners 65 and older or disabled.
Using 2026 rates, a $300,000 homestead in Fort Worth ISD pays about $4,604 a year: city $0.70565, Fort Worth ISD $1.029099, Tarrant County $0.186, JPS $0.159, Tarrant County College $0.12 and the water district $0.0273 per $100.
In Keller ISD, the same home pays about $4,694. A Fort Worth home in Denton County and Northwest ISD pays about $3,956, mostly because it doesn’t carry the JPS, college and water district levies.
These figures apply the school, city, county and college exemptions. Owners 65 and older pay roughly $1,200 to $1,300 less. Check every taxing unit on the property’s appraisal record.
The Tarrant Appraisal District’s reappraisal plan kept most residential values at 2024 levels for tax years 2025 and 2026, moved homes to a two-year cycle and set a 5 percent threshold for typical increases. New construction and improvements are still added.
The next residential reappraisal is planned for 2027. Several school districts, including Fort Worth ISD, objected to the plan, and in June 2026 the district’s board discussed it but took no action.
For buyers, a 2026 tax bill may be based on a value lower than today’s price. Budget for the 2027 reappraisal, and remember the 10 percent homestead cap limits yearly increases once you have the exemption.
Call Fort Worth Water at 817-392-4477 or visit City Hall, 100 Fort Worth Trail, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The contact center answers 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and option 1 on the same number is the 24-hour emergency line.
The city charges a $20 activation or transfer fee on the first bill, and same-day service adds $25. Residential deposits start at $50 and can be waived with 12 months of on-time payments or a letter of credit from your previous utility.
One water account also carries trash, stormwater and environmental fees. Email [email protected] with questions.
New rates take effect January 1, 2027. Inside the city, the monthly service charge for a standard 5/8-inch meter rises to $14.45 from $13.75. Water is billed per 100 cubic feet, about 748 gallons: $2.28 for the first 6, $3.19 from 6 to 12, $4.35 from 12 to 24 and $5.60 above 24.
Wastewater is $4.33 per 100 cubic feet plus an $8.35 monthly charge, based on your average December through February water use, applied starting with the April bill.
The city estimates the average bill will rise about $1.32 a month. Irrigation-heavy households see the steepest increases because of the upper tiers.
The stormwater fee pays for drainage and flood-reduction work and appears on your water bill. It’s based on the hard surface on your lot, such as roof, driveway and patio, in four tiers for single-family homes.
Under rates effective January 2026, the tiers ran from $3.65 a month for small homes to $14.58 for large ones, with the typical home at $7.29. Nonresidential property pays $7.29 per 2,600 square feet of hard surface.
The 2027 budget adds an increase of about 4.9 percent, but published 2027 tier amounts conflict, so confirm them with Stormwater Management. The city also adopted new stormwater regulations effective February 1, 2026.
Garbage is collected weekly in city carts of 32, 64 or 96 gallons, billed on your water bill. The monthly rates were $13.75, $19.50 and $25.75 in early 2026, and they rose by $2.75, $3.90 and $5.15 on October 1, 2026.
Bulk pickup is monthly, one pile per home up to 10 cubic yards; out-of-cycle piles cost $123.52 for the first 5 cubic yards. Recycling is single-stream, and bagged items aren’t accepted in bulk piles.
Four free drop-off stations serve residents with an active account: 2400 Brennan Ave., 5150 Martin Luther King Jr. Fwy., 6260 Old Hemphill Rd. and 301 Hillshire Dr. Bring a water bill or license with a Fort Worth address.
Sprinklers and irrigation systems are limited to two assigned days a week year-round, and never between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Addresses ending in an even number water on Wednesday and Saturday; odd numbers on Thursday and Sunday.
Apartments, businesses, parks and common areas water on Tuesday and Friday, and no one waters on Monday. Hand-held hoses are allowed any time, but watering during rain, runoff and broken heads count as water waste.
Under the Tarrant Regional Water District’s drought plan, Stage 2 would cut sprinklers to one day a week and Stage 3 would ban them. Check the city’s water page for the current stage, and sign up for TRWD’s weekly watering advice.
Fort Worth Development Services is at City Hall, 100 Fort Worth Trail, 817-392-2222. Applications, plan review and inspection scheduling run through the Accela Citizen Access portal, which shares a login with the city’s CFW Permit Assist tool.
In-person appointments are booked online through the city’s queue system. Some older guides list 200 Texas St., the former address.
Fence, pool, roof and addition rules vary by project and zoning, so check the permits page before you start. Properties in historic districts and design overlays need extra review, and an HOA approval is separate from the city permit.
Inside city limits, dial 311 for the City Call Center, launched May 1, 2024. It takes code complaints such as high grass, junk vehicles and substandard structures, plus missed trash, potholes, streetlights and animal issues.
From outside the city, or if 311 doesn’t connect, call 817-392-1234, the city’s main number. Save it, since 311 works only from phones inside Fort Worth.
The MyFW app for Apple and Google devices lets you submit and track requests with photos and locations, and the city’s Code Violation Map shows open cases.
Call 911 for emergencies. For police non-emergencies, Fort Worth lists 817-392-4222, which also works from outside the area. The police main line is 817-392-4200, and headquarters is the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex, 505 W. Felix St.
For fire non-emergencies, the city’s customer care page lists 817-392-3000, and the ambulance line is 817-927-9620.
For gas well concerns, call Gas Well Inspection at 817-392-1427, or 817-392-2884 after hours. For general city help, use 311 or 817-392-1234. Program these numbers into your phone when you move in, since 311 dialing works only inside city limits.
The Tarrant Appraisal District is at 2500 Handley-Ederville Road, Fort Worth, 817-284-0024, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Protest by May 15 or within 30 days after your notice was delivered, whichever is later.
If you never received a notice you should have, you may have until the day before taxes become delinquent, usually February 1, or 125 days after your tax bill. File the homestead exemption with TAD to qualify for the city’s 20 percent and, if eligible, its $80,000 senior or disability exemption.
With values frozen at 2024 levels through 2026, watch closely for the 2027 reappraisal notice.
The Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector’s main office is at 100 E. Weatherford St., Fort Worth, 817-884-1100, open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a 24-hour drop box outside.
The office collects property taxes for the city, the county and many school districts, and handles vehicle title transfers and registration renewals. Mail payments to P.O. Box 961018, Fort Worth, TX 76161-0018.
Branch locations include the Arlington subcourthouse at 700 E. Abram St. and the Northeast Courthouse at 645 Grapevine Hwy. in Hurst; check branch hours before you go. Fort Worth homes in Denton or Parker County pay those counties’ tax offices instead.
Early voting runs October 19 through 30, 2026. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 19–23, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 25, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. October 26–30.
Tarrant County uses countywide vote centers, so registered voters can use any of 47 early-voting sites or 224 Election Day sites. Election Day polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The main early-voting site is the Tarrant County Elections Center, 2700 Premier St. The registration deadline was October 5. Fort Worth voters in Denton or Parker County vote under those counties’ schedules.
Five major hospitals sit in or near the Near Southside Medical District: JPS Health Network’s John Peter Smith Hospital, 1500 S. Main St.; Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave.; and Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center, 1400 Eighth Ave.
Also nearby are Medical City Fort Worth, 900 Eighth Ave., and Cook Children’s Medical Center, 801 Seventh Ave.
A new TEXRail station near the Medical District breaks ground October 29, 2026. Call 911 in an emergency, and confirm which hospitals your insurance covers before you need them.
TEXRail runs 27 miles from downtown Fort Worth to DFW Airport Terminal B and connects to DART’s Silver Line. It passed 1 million rides in 2026, its first year above that mark.
Trinity Metro’s fare table lists a $2.00 local one-way fare and a $4.00 day pass, with reduced fares at half price, but some pages still show $2.50 and $5.00, so fares appear to be changing. Regional passes covering the Trinity Railway Express into Dallas run $12 a day.
Confirm current fares at ridetrinitymetro.org before you ride. A 2.1-mile extension to the Medical District breaks ground October 29, 2026.
Yes. Land inside city limits gets city services and pays city tax. The extraterritorial jurisdiction is unincorporated land where Fort Worth applies limited rules, mainly platting, and many developments there get water and sewer through MUDs.
Under SB 2038, effective September 1, 2023, owners can petition to leave a city’s ETJ. Fort Worth released about 3,000 acres in the first year, leaving about 169,300 acres. A 2025 law, HB 2512, excludes land under development agreements and small lots unless combined with other land.
Check any address on the city’s zoning and annexation map, because city limits change the tax bill, utilities and services.
Yes. Properties in local historic districts or with landmark designation are reviewed under the city’s Historic Preservation program in Development Services.
Exterior changes generally need a Certificate of Appropriateness, issued by staff or by the Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission depending on scope. Typical triggers include windows, siding, porches, additions, demolition and fences. Urban design districts and overlays have their own standards.
Districts include Fairmount/Southside, Mistletoe Heights and Elizabeth Boulevard in Ryan Place. Call Development Services at 817-392-2222 before buying or starting work, since unapproved changes can require correction.
Fort Worth sits on the Barnett Shale and permits urban drilling under its gas well ordinance. A city inspector cited more than 600 drilling sites and 1,900 gas wells in 2022; a current count wasn’t found. Gas Well Inspection: 817-392-1427.
For flood risk, use FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center and the city’s stormwater resources. The city is updating its floodplain management plan in 2026, and new stormwater rules took effect February 1, 2026.
Ask for the seller’s flood disclosure, and price flood insurance even outside mapped zones.
Answers were verified as of October 7, 2026, from the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Water, the Tarrant Appraisal District, the Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector, Tarrant County Elections, Trinity Metro, the Tarrant Regional Water District, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Fort Worth Report, Community Impact and NBC DFW. Rates, fees, providers and hours change; verify anything you intend to rely on. Tax figures use 2026 rates on an illustrative $300,000 homestead with the city’s 20 percent, the county’s and JPS’s 20 percent, the college’s 1 percent and the $140,000 school exemptions; the Northwest ISD figure uses its proposed rate. They are illustrations, not quotes. 2027 stormwater tiers, transit fares, the current drought stage and the current gas well count weren’t confirmed, and hospital phone numbers aren’t listed. Drive times are estimates. This is general information, not legal, tax, lending, insurance, environmental or engineering advice. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Verified numbers and links for Fort Worth. Three things to check on every address: whether it’s inside city limits and which county it’s in, which school district serves it and whether a PID applies. Start with the green first-week cards; county offices are in blue, health care in red and regional links in purple.
One water account also carries trash, stormwater and environmental fees: a $20 activation fee, with deposits from $50.
817-392-4477 100 Fort Worth Trail Do this firstHomestead exemptions, values and protests. Values are frozen at 2024 levels through 2026; exemptions line 817-284-4063.
817-284-0024 2500 Handley-Ederville Rd. Do this firstProperty tax payments and vehicle registration, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a 24-hour drop box.
817-884-1100 100 E. Weatherford St. Do this firstThe city’s emergency alert system for texts, calls and emails, with sign-up through Smart911. Emergency Management: 817-392-6170.
fortworthtexas.gov Do this firstReport code issues, missed trash, potholes and animal problems; from outside city limits, use the main number.
817-392-1234 Dial 311 inside the city Do this firstMost Fort Worth addresses choose a retail electric provider; Oncor delivers power and handles outages. Confirm the provider by address.
Oncor outages 888-313-4747 PermitsPermits, inspections and plan review through the Accela Citizen Access portal; book in-person visits online.
817-392-2222 100 Fort Worth Trail HistoricExterior work in historic districts generally needs a Certificate of Appropriateness; check before you buy or build.
817-392-2222 TrashFree for residents at 2400 Brennan Ave., 5150 MLK Fwy., 6260 Old Hemphill Rd. and 301 Hillshire Dr.; Tuesday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday to noon.
817-392-1234 PoliceNon-emergency reports and information. Call 911 for emergencies. Main line: 817-392-4200.
817-392-4222 505 W. Felix St. FireFire non-emergency line; the department has held an ISO Class 1 rating since 2017. Ambulance non-emergency: 817-927-9620.
817-392-3000 AnimalsAdoptions, strays and intake, open noon to 6 p.m. every day except Tuesday; intake 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
817-392-1234 4900 Martin St. LibraryBranch hours vary. The former Central Library closed in 2023; a new downtown site was approved in June 2026.
817-392-7128 100 Fort Worth Trail, 7th floor NatureAbout 3,621 acres and 20-plus miles of trails; $6 adults, $3 seniors, $2 ages 3 to 12.
817-392-7410 9601 Fossil Ridge Rd. BuyingUp to $25,000 for income-eligible first-time buyers in city limits, at or below 80 percent of area median income, with a residency period.
fortworthtexas.gov Gas wellsQuestions or concerns about urban gas wells near a property; after hours, call 817-392-2884.
817-392-1427 ElectionsVoter registration and elections; early voting for November 3, 2026, runs October 19 to 30 at any county vote center.
817-831-8683 2700 Premier St. Tax officeSouthwest branch, 6551 Granbury Rd., 817-370-4535; Northwest branch, 6713 Telephone Rd., Lake Worth, 817-238-4435.
817-370-4535 LicenseDriver licenses by appointment; it doesn’t handle vehicle registration. Confirm hours on the DPS site.
817-285-1900 8301 Brentwood Stair Rd. GasA natural gas provider for much of the city; confirm by address. For a suspected leak, leave first, then call.
888-286-6700 InternetCheck which internet providers serve a specific address before you buy.
broadbandmap.fcc.gov TransitBuses, TEXRail to DFW Airport and the Trinity Railway Express to Dallas; confirm current fares online.
817-215-8600 801 Grove St. SchoolsThe largest district in the city. Use the district’s School Finder to confirm campuses by address.
817-814-2000 7060 Camp Bowie Blvd. SchoolsServes parts of north Fort Worth, including Heritage; confirm by address.
817-744-1000 350 Keller Pkwy., Keller SchoolsServes much of the Alliance area; confirm by address.
817-215-0000 2001 Texan Dr., Justin SchoolsServes parts of northwest Fort Worth; its administration building has moved.
817-232-0880 1600 Mustang Rock Rd. SchoolsServes parts of south and southwest Fort Worth; confirm by address.
817-297-5800 1900 Crowley Pride Dr. SchoolsServes Walsh and other far-west areas in Parker County.
817-441-8327 1008 Bailey Ranch Rd., Aledo HospitalTarrant County’s public hospital in the Medical District.
817-702-3431 1500 S. Main St. HospitalA full-service hospital with an emergency room in the Medical District.
817-250-2000 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. HospitalA full-service hospital with an emergency room in the Medical District.
817-336-2100 900 Eighth Ave. HospitalA pediatric hospital in the Medical District, answering 24 hours.
682-885-4000 801 Seventh Ave. Help linesPoison Control 1-800-222-1222; 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; 211 for Texas health and social services.
1-800-222-1222 TollsA TollTag works on NTTA roads and the TEXpress lanes on I-35W and North Tarrant Express; TollTags are free.
972-818-6882 Before you buyCheck the exact parcel, especially near the Trinity and its creeks, and ask for the seller’s flood disclosure.
msc.fema.gov HOAsAssociations must file with TREC, listing transfer fees and contacts; ask for the resale certificate early.
trec.texas.govLinks, phone numbers and addresses verified October 2026 against the City of Fort Worth (water, development services, historic preservation, drop-off stations, police, fire, animal care, library, ReadyFW, homebuyer assistance and gas well pages), the Fort Worth Nature Center, the Tarrant Appraisal District, the Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector, Tarrant County Elections, Trinity Metro, school district and hospital websites, and subject to change; if something has moved, tell me and I will correct it. A Fort Worth mailing address can sit outside city limits, and city limits reach into Denton, Parker, Wise and Johnson counties, where county offices, schools and tax bills differ; check the appraisal record before you buy. The Central Library at 500 W. Third St. closed in 2023; library administration is listed instead, and the branch count varies by source. ReadyFW replaced the city’s earlier alert names. The Hillshire drop-off station carries a Haslet mailing address. DPS hours and phone are from third-party listings, and all services require appointments. Electric and gas providers vary by address. Baylor Scott & White All Saints isn’t listed because its phone numbers conflict. Homebuyer assistance terms are from the city’s program page and can change. Listings are provided for general reference and are not endorsements; I receive no compensation from any organization named. Bobby Franklin, REALTOR®, TREC #0805459, Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team.
Fort Worth counted 918,915 residents at the 2020 census and about 1,028,117 by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, now the nation’s 10th-largest city. It began as Camp Worth in 1849, incorporated in 1873 and has held its Stock Show since 1896. Today one mailing city spans five counties, more than a dozen school districts and a frozen appraisal roll. I sort out the details that matter here, and the awkward parts are named.
City limits reach into Denton, Parker, Wise and Johnson counties, and a Fort Worth mailing address can sit in Haslet, Benbrook or Westover Hills. Each one changes the tax bill, school district and city services. I check the appraisal record on every address.
The Tarrant Appraisal District held most home values at 2024 levels for 2025 and 2026, while prices have softened. Reports estimate about 130,000 homes may be valued above today’s market. Protest rights still apply every year, and the 2027 reappraisal is coming. I help you plan for it.
On a $300,000 homestead at 2026 rates, a Fort Worth ISD address pays about $4,604 a year, Keller ISD about $4,694 and a Denton County home in Northwest ISD about $3,956. Owners 65 and older pay less. I model your real bill.
Growth areas carry public improvement districts: Walsh’s developer says its PID rate in newer sections rose from about $0.18 to $0.36 in 2026, and Heritage and the Stockyards have their own. I pull the PID notice with you before you sign.
TEXRail runs 27 miles from downtown to DFW Airport and passed 1 million rides in 2026, and TEXpress toll lanes price by traffic on I-35W and North Tarrant Express. I map your commute at rush hour before you choose an area.
Redfin’s Fort Worth-area median sale price was about $332,500 in August 2026, down 2.1 percent, with homes taking a median 48 days. 41 percent of listings cut their price, and Tarrant County held 3.4 months of supply. I price to recent comps and negotiate every concession.
Fort Worth has real trade-offs: a 2027 reappraisal, water and trash fees rising in 2026 and 2027, the largest school district under state management with closures scheduled, PIDs on many newer homes, and gas wells and floodplains near some lots. If any of that is a dealbreaker, you will hear it from me first.
Confirm city limits, the county, the school district and any PID on the appraisal record. Second, order the HOA resale certificate right away. Third, ask for recent water and trash bills, which carry several city fees. Fourth, check for nearby gas wells with the city’s gas well inspection office. Fifth, check the parcel on the FEMA flood map and read the seller’s flood disclosure. And sixth, map your commute to work and school before your option period ends.
Fort Worth-specific things to raise with all four. Freddie Mac’s 30-year average was 7.28 percent on October 1, 2026. With typical prices near $298,000 to $332,000, many buyers fit within the conforming limit, so compare conventional, FHA and down payment assistance options, including the city’s Homebuyer Assistance Program of up to $25,000 for eligible first-time buyers. Make sure the payment estimate uses the right taxing units, any PID, and a cushion for the 2027 reappraisal. I recommend these lenders based on their expertise and service. I do not receive compensation for referrals.
Either is fine. I answer my own phone, and you will never be routed to a call center or handed to a junior agent. Send me an address and I will tell you whether it’s inside city limits, which county it’s in, whether a PID applies, whether gas wells or a floodplain are nearby, what the HOA charges, which school district serves it, what the full tax bill looks like and what’s planned nearby.
Bobby Franklin, REALTOR® · Legacy Realty Group – Leslie Majors Team · 214-228-0003 · northtexasmarketinsider.com
Information on this page is provided for general reference and is not legal, tax, insurance, environmental, engineering or lending advice. Tax figures use 2026 rates on an illustrative $300,000 homestead: City of Fort Worth $0.70565 after its 20 percent exemption; Fort Worth ISD $1.029099 or Keller ISD $1.0852 after the $140,000 school exemption; Tarrant County $0.186 and JPS $0.159 after 20 percent exemptions; Tarrant County College $0.12; and the water district $0.0273. The Denton County example uses Denton County $0.183394 and Northwest ISD’s proposed $1.0702. Figures are illustrations, not quotes. The overvaluation estimate is from 2026 news reporting, not the appraisal district. Walsh’s PID figures are from the developer. Market figures are Redfin’s August 2026 figures for its Fort Worth area, which includes some addresses outside city limits, and NTREIS figures for Tarrant County. The mortgage rate is Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey for October 1, 2026. Homebuyer assistance terms are from the city’s program page. Population figures are the 2020 census and the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 estimate. Historical facts are from the Handbook of Texas. School campus assignment is determined by address. All real estate services are provided through Legacy Realty Group. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Realtor®
Serving DFW | Ellis County
16 Northgate Dr. Ste 100
Waxahachie, TX 75165
Market Insights | Strategic Planning
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