Fort Worth is a city located in Denton County, Parker County, Tarrant County, and Wise County Texas. Fort Worth has a 2023 population of 961,885. It is also the county seat of Tarrant County.Fort Worth is currently growing at a rate of 1.4% annually and its population has increased by 4.26% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 922,592 in 2020.
The average household income in Fort Worth is $90,141 with a poverty rate of 13.38%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Fort Worth is 33 years, 32.8 years for males, and 33.3 years for females.
Fort Worth proper has a population density of 2,166 people per square mile (835/square kilometer). The metro area is much larger, however, with 6.81 million residents, which makes it the 4th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Fort Worth is the second-largest city in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA, following Dallas with 1.23 million people. Other major cities in the MSA include Arlington (pop: 375,000), Plano (270,000), Garland (233,000), Irving (225,000), Grand Prairie (182,000), McKinney (143,000), and Mesquite (143,000).
The Dallas-Fort Worth area has remained one of the country's fastest-growing metropolitan areas for several years in a row. In 2014, census figures found that Fort Worth had the highest population growth rate in the United States with growth of more than 42% between 2000 and 2013.
There is one reason above all others that draws in new residents: the region's strong economy and jobs market. Despite its economy, many experts warn that Fort Worth isn't ready for the growth, just as city leaders agree that it wasn't prepared for the rapid population boom almost 15 years ago. The growing population has led to some of the worst traffic problems in the state, long police response times, and a lack of funding and community services.
Fort Worth's growth rate shows no signs of slowing. By 2040, the population is expected to skyrocket from 793,000 today to almost 1.2 million.
The Treaty of Bird's Fort between many Indian tribes and the Republic of Texas in 1843 led to the establishment of Fort Worth as an Army outpost in 1849. Seven posts were created during this time following the Mexican-American War to protect Texan settlers in the region. While attacks from Native Americans were still a genuine threat at the time, settlers began to move to the fort.
The first resident of Fort Worth was E.S. Terrell. Seemingly overnight, the small outpost of Fort Worth became a busy town once it became a stop along the Chisholm Trail, on which millions of head of cattle were passed to market. Fort Worth soon grew with a thriving ranching industry and cattle center, which earned it the nickname "Cowtown."
Fort Worth went through very hard times during the Civil War and the Reconstruction that followed, with a population that reached just 175 for some time due to food and supply shortages. After more than a decade, the town once more began to grow. By 1876, the Texas and Pacific Railway reached the town and caused a significant boom. The population soon swelled, and it became a major point on the railroad system. After a long period of rampant crime and vice, Fort Worth's economy eventually turned to oil and natural gas. These industries are still a part of Fort Worth's economy and have helped to make it one of America's fastest-growing cities.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Fort Worth was:
3.46
Average Family Size
2.81
Average Household Size
56.7%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
67.86% of Fort Worth residents speak only English, while 32.14% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 25.4% of the population.
13.38%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.86%
Male Poverty Rate
14.83%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Fort Worth is Black, with 26.48% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Fort Worth is Islander, with 7.89% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.75%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.78%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.68%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
46.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
49.2%
Male Marriage Rate
44.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
6.68%
Veteran Poverty Rate
26.38%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
68.6%
Labor Force Participation
64.6%
Employment Rate
5.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
54.92%
Born in Fort Worth
80.91%
Native Born
16.2%
Foreign Born
10.17%
Non Citizen
6.03%
Naturalized
80.91% of Fort Worth residents were born in the United States, with 54.92% having been born in Texas. 10.17% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.