Chicago vs Fort Worth
A side-by-side comparison of Chicago, Illinois and Fort Worth, Texas — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place |  ChicagoIllinois, United States |  Fort WorthTexas, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | Illinois | Texas |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 41.837, -87.685 | 32.782, -97.349 |
| Elevation | 178 m | 216 m |
| Founded | — | 1849 |
| Nickname | — | Panther city |
| Size | ||
| Population | 2,721,326 | 1,014,376 |
| Land area | 227.7 mi² | 350.3 mi² |
| Water area | 6.8 mi² | 8.3 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 11,949 | 2,896 |
| Housing units | 1,282,248 | 397,627 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 35.9 | 33.6 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 36.5% | 43.6% |
| Black or African American | 26.3% | 19.1% |
| Asian | 7.8% | 5.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.2% | 35.2% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $80,613 | $82,503 |
| Median home value | $341,200 | $330,500 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 46.4% | 33.5% |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 13.1% |
| Unemployment | 7.3% | 4.5% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 59°F | 78°F |
| Avg low temp | 45°F | 60°F |
| Annual precipitation | 45.7 in | 42.5 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 55.0% | 69.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 1,403 | 1,766 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 111 | 55 |
| Air quality category | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 29.1 | 11.7 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 29.5 | 14.4 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 126.0 | 91.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 4.7 | 1.5 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 2,972,891 | 633,307 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | 6 | 125 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | 3.8 | 4.0 |
| Active weather alerts | 1 | 1 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 32.9% | 34.6% |
| Diabetes | 12.4% | 12.6% |
| Smoking | 12.1% | 13.8% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | 711 | 290 |
| Elementary schools | 487 | 162 |
| Middle schools | 35 | 53 |
| High schools | 166 | 57 |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Mayor / leader | — | Mattie Parker |
| Official website | — | https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/ |
| Sister cities | — | 11 |
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 16 | 16 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 8 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 7,967 | 34,250 |
| Overview | ||
| Summary | Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States and the fifth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has approximately 9.62 million residents according to the 2020 census and is the third-largest metropolitan statistical area in the country and part of the fourth-largest combined statistical area in the United States, spanning 19 counties in three states and with a population of nearly 10 million. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S. Wikipedia | Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly 350 square miles (910 km2) and extending into Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise counties. Fort Worth's population was estimated to be 1,028,117 in 2025, making it the 10th-most populous city in the United States. Fort Worth is the second-largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the fourth-most populous in Texas. The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex is the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S., with 8.5 million residents. Wikipedia |
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