Your guide to Fort Worth: Things to do, landmarks, history and more

From the historic Stockyards to its world-class Cultural District, Fort Worth has lots to offer on the western side of the D-FW area.

A city with many names, Fort Worth is variously known as the city “where the West begins,” “Cowtown” and “Panther City.” It is also one of the fastest-growing big cities in the United States and recently reached a population of 1 million people.

Here’s your guide to Fort Worth:

Population: 1,014,376

Median age: 33.6

Median income: $82,503

Unemployment rate: 4.5%

• One race, white: 43.6%
• One race, Black or African American: 19.1%
• One race, American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.7%
• One race, Asian: 5.3%
• One race, Native Hawaiian: 0%
• One race, some other race: 8.1%
• Two or more races: 23.1%
• Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race): 35.2%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 35.7%

For ages 18-24 (roughly 10.1% of the population)

• Less than high school degree or equivalent: 15.5%
• High school graduates (or equivalent): 38.4%
• Some college or associate’s: 32.8%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.3%

For ages 25+ (roughly 64%)

• High school graduates (or equivalent): 24.85%
• Bachelor’s degree: 21.7%
• Graduate or professional degree: 11.8%

397,627 units; 362,403 occupied (91.1%)

• 210,450 owner occupied
• 151,953 renter occupied

Unit types

• 259,508 1-unit detached
• 12,573 1-unit attached
• 118,962 multi-unit
• 6,069 mobile homes
• 515 RVs, boats, vans, etc.

Median home value: $330,500
Median rent: $1,630

Compiled by staff researcher Rachel Friend. Data from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Tables S0601, S1501, S1903, S2301, DP04.

Before it was a town, Fort Worth was a U.S. Army fort built to defend the western frontier along the borders established by the Treaty of Bird’s Fort that Texan settlers signed with local Native American tribes in 1843.

A small civilian community grew near the fort in the 1850s and the fort was vacated in 1853, according to the city’s website. It narrowly won an election to become the Tarrant County seat in 1856, wresting the designation away from Birdville. In 1860, it won another election that reaffirmed its position as the county seat, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

The city was incorporated by the state Legislature in 1873 with a population of around 4,000, according to TSHA. Around that time, the arrival of cattle drives and railroads paved the way for modern Fort Worth.

The cattle drives along the Chisholm Trail saw herds of longhorns move through the city from South Texas to the railheads in Kansas. The drives also brought business to the city as it sought to cater to the cowboys making their journey north, according to the city. These drives gave the city its Cowtown nickname.

The first railroad arrived in Fort Worth by 1876 and was soon followed by numerous other lines. That also brought with it some key advancements like waterworks, a streetcar line and eventually electric lights and a telephone exchange by the 1880s.

A significant meatpacking industry developed in Fort Worth early in the 20th century, helping grow the city to more than 70,000 residents by 1910. The discovery of oil deposits in several towns just west of the city brought another industrial boom for Fort Worth, which soon became central as a refinery and pipeline center, according to the city.

Fort Worth Water Gardens: This public water feature was designed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee in downtown Fort Worth and opened in 1974. It is on the former site of the notorious Hell’s Half Acre district that was a hub of gambling, prostitution and other illegal activities in the late 19th century.

Fort Worth Stockyards: Dating back to the days of cattle drives through Fort Worth, the Stockyards are now a lively entertainment district just north of downtown. The area still hosts twice-daily cattle drives on most days.

• 61 Osteria
• Birrieria y Taquería Cortez
• Cattlemen’s Steak House
• Don Artemio
• Ellerbe Fine Foods
• Goldee’s Barbecue
• Joe T. Garcia’s
• Kincaid’s Hamburgers
• Lonesome Dove
• Panther City BBQ
• Reata

Fort Worth has more than 300 city parks totaling more than 13,000 acres, according to the city’s website. Here are a few standouts: 

• Arcadia Trail Park
• Dream Park
• Forest Park
• Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
• Gateway Park
• Numerous parks sit along the shores of Lake Worth, including Mosque Point Park, Arrow S. Park and Camp Joy Park
• Rosemont Park
• Trinity Park
• Trinity Trails

Find more here.

• Hulen Mall
• The Shops at Clearfork

• Amon Carter Museum of American Art
• Kimbell Art Museum
• Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
• Stockyards Museum
• Texas Cowboy Hall Of Fame

• Amon G. Carter Stadium
• Bass Performance Hall
• Colonial Country Club
• Dickies Arena
• Schollmaier Arena
• Texas Motor Speedway
• Will Rogers Memorial Center

The Fort Worth Zoo is the oldest continuous zoo site in Texas and dates back to 1909, according to its website. Today, the zoo hosts more than 500 species of animals and receives about 1 million visitors a year.