Living on Fort Worth's Northside & Stockyards: Homes, Prices & What to Know
By Brent Reiter, REALTOR® · Last updated November 4, 2026
The Northside is the part of Fort Worth just north of downtown and the Trinity River, home to the Stockyards National Historic District and older neighborhoods like Rosen Heights and Diamond Hill. It's one of the most affordable places to buy close to downtown: three in four homes sold here over the past year went for under $300,000. Here's what homes cost, how the Stockyards rules work and what to check before you buy.
At a Glance
- Median sale price (12 months)
- $235,500 (146 sales)
- Middle half of sales
- $179,250 to $299,000
- Median price per sq ft
- $182
- Typical home
- 3 bedrooms, about 1,390 sq ft, built in the 1950s
- Zip codes
- 76106 and 76164
- Location
- About 2 to 4 miles north of downtown Fort Worth
- School district
- Mostly Fort Worth ISD; part of 76106 is Lake Worth ISD
Prices: my analysis of NTREIS closed single-family sales in ZIP codes 76106 and 76164, Nov. 4, 2025 to Nov. 4, 2026. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Where the Northside Is
The Northside sits across the Trinity River from downtown, roughly between the river on the south, Loop 820 to the north, I-35W on the east and the Lake Worth area on the west. Its two ZIP codes are 76164, the older blocks around North Main Street and the Stockyards, and 76106, the larger area to the north and west, including Rosen Heights and Diamond Hill.
- About 5 to 10 minutes to downtown Fort Worth
- About 20 minutes to Alliance and the I-35W job corridor
- About 30 to 40 minutes to DFW Airport
- Trinity Trails run along the river at the south edge of the Northside
The Neighborhoods
Around the Stockyards (76164)
The oldest part of the Northside, much of it laid out when North Fort Worth was its own town in the early 1900s. Small frame houses and bungalows, many from the 1910s and 1920s, a few blocks from Exchange Avenue.
Rosen Heights
One of the Northside's largest neighborhoods, west of North Main, with homes from the 1920s through the 1950s. Homes in the Rosen Heights Second Filing sold for a median of about $188,000 this year.
Diamond Hill
East of the Stockyards toward I-35W, with older homes and some newer infill. Served by Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School.
Infill new construction
Builders are putting new homes on older lots across both ZIP codes. Homes built since 2020 sold for a median of $372,000, about twice the price of the smaller, older homes around them.
What Homes Cost on the Northside
| Last 12 months | Both ZIPs | 76164 (Stockyards area) | 76106 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes sold | 146 | 49 | 97 |
| Median sale price | $235,500 | $266,900 | $234,000 |
| Middle half of sales | $179,250 to $299,000 | $174,900 to $325,000 | $180,000 to $290,000 |
| Median price per sq ft | $182 | $189 | $179 |
| Median size | About 1,390 sq ft | About 1,390 sq ft | About 1,390 sq ft |
| Typical year built | 1953 | 1926 | 1958 |
| Median days on market | 39 | 44 | 38 |
| Price range | Sales (12 mo.) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $200,000 | 53 | 36% |
| $200,000 to $249,999 | 29 | 20% |
| $250,000 to $299,999 | 28 | 19% |
| $300,000 to $399,999 | 30 | 21% |
| $400,000 and up | 6 | 4% |
| Built | Sales | Median price | Median size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 1930 | 39 | $190,000 | 1,220 sq ft |
| 1930 to 1949 | 21 | $195,000 | 1,070 sq ft |
| 1950 to 1969 | 30 | $185,600 | 1,050 sq ft |
| 2000 to 2019 | 15 | $262,500 | 1,480 sq ft |
| 2020 and newer | 37 | $372,000 | 1,760 sq ft |
- Under $300,000: 110 homes, three in four sales. Most are older homes on lots of about a sixth of an acre.
- New construction: about one in four homes sold was built in 2020 or later, nearly all infill on older lots.
- HOAs and pools are rare: only 5 homes sold had a mandatory HOA and 2 had a pool.
- Room to negotiate: homes sold for a median of about 96% of their original asking price, and 2 in 5 took 60 days or more.
Living Near the Stockyards
The Fort Worth Stockyards opened in 1890 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Today it's one of Fort Worth's busiest visitor areas: the Fort Worth Herd cattle drive runs down Exchange Avenue every day at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., the Stockyards Championship Rodeo runs most weekends at Cowtown Coliseum, and Billy Bob's Texas, Mule Alley and Hotel Drover draw crowds year-round.
What you get
Restaurants, live music and events within walking or biking distance, and a neighborhood with real history.
What comes with it
Weekend traffic and parking pressure on streets nearest Exchange Avenue and North Main, and noise on event nights. Visit on a Friday or Saturday night before you buy.
Stockyards Zoning Rules
In 2017, Fort Worth adopted the Stockyards Form-Based Code, covering almost 300 acres: the historic Stockyards, the Marine Creek area, the former Swift and Armour packing plant sites, the North Main and 28th Street corridors, and parts of the Northside and Diamond Hill-Jarvis neighborhoods. It splits the area into Historic, Edge and Transition districts, each with its own design standards.
If a home is inside the form-based code area, exterior changes, additions and new construction must meet the district's design standards and may need a Certificate of Appropriateness. Ask the city's Historic Preservation office which district an address is in before you plan exterior work.
No short-term rentals in residential zoning. Fort Worth doesn't allow Airbnb-style rentals in single-family or other residential districts. They're only allowed in mixed-use, form-based, commercial and industrial zones, with city registration and the 9% hotel tax. Most of the Northside's single-family streets are residential zoning. A property inside the Stockyards form-based code area may be zoned differently, so check the zoning for the specific address if you're thinking about a short-term rental.
Schools
Fort Worth ISD has been run by a state-appointed board of managers since March 2026, and it's consolidating schools through 2029. Zones below are from FWISD's 2026/27 school finder for sample addresses. Verify any specific address before you rely on it.
| High school zone | Sales (12 mo.) | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| Northside High School (Fort Worth ISD) | 87 | $237,000 |
| Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School (Fort Worth ISD) | 43 | $213,000 |
| Lake Worth High School (Lake Worth ISD) | 10 | $262,500 |
Not every Northside home is in Fort Worth ISD. Part of the 76106 ZIP code, toward Lake Worth, is in Lake Worth ISD. Confirm the district for the exact address on the Tarrant Appraisal District's property record. For campus ratings, use txschools.gov. See Homes in Fort Worth ISD for the district-wide numbers.
Northside Property Taxes (2026)
For a Northside home in Fort Worth ISD, the 2026 combined rate is about $2.23 per $100 of taxable value before exemptions: Fort Worth ISD ($1.029099), the city of Fort Worth ($0.70565), Tarrant County ($0.186), JPS Health Network ($0.159), Tarrant County College ($0.12) and the Tarrant Regional Water District ($0.0273).
Example: a $235,500 home owes about $5,240 a year before exemptions. The $140,000 school homestead exemption alone takes about $1,440 off that, a big share of the bill at this price, so file for it right after you close. My Fort Worth property tax guide walks through exemptions and protests.
Northside Property Tax Calculator
2026 rates. Pick the address, enter a price, and the estimate updates as you type.
| Taxing unit | Taxable value | Rate per $100 | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Worth ISD | $260,000 | 1.029099 | $2,676 |
| City of Fort Worth | $320,000 | 0.705650 | $2,258 |
| Tarrant County | $320,000 | 0.186000 | $595 |
| JPS Health Network | $320,000 | 0.159000 | $509 |
| Tarrant County College | $395,000 | 0.120000 | $474 |
| Tarrant Regional Water District | $400,000 | 0.027300 | $109 |
Without a homestead exemption, this home would owe about $8,908, so the exemption saves about $2,287 a year.
Estimate only. It includes the state school homestead exemption ($140,000, plus $60,000 for owners 65+ or disabled) and the city and county homestead exemptions published by the appraisal districts. Any local exemption not shown in the table's taxable values isn't included, so your bill may be a little lower. It doesn't include the over-65 school tax ceiling. Check your appraisal district record for your actual taxing units and exemptions.
Before You Buy on the Northside
- Add a sewer-line scope and a foundation evaluation to the standard inspection. Many homes here are on pier-and-beam foundations with original plumbing.
- Check flood risk by address on FEMA's map (msc.fema.gov) and the city's own map of flood-risk areas outside FEMA zones.
- Expect a lead-based paint disclosure on any home built before 1978. It's a federal requirement.
- Confirm school zoning by address with Fort Worth ISD's school finder. The district is closing and consolidating campuses through 2029.
- Get insurance quotes early. Roof age, wiring and plumbing on an older home can change the premium.
- Compare flipped and original-condition homes carefully. Ask what was updated, when and with permits. Many Northside homes have been renovated for resale.
- Visit on an event night if you're looking near the Stockyards.
Who the Northside Fits
- First-time buyers who want to own close to downtown for under $300,000
- Buyers who want an older home with character and are ready for some upkeep
- Buyers who'd enjoy being near the Stockyards' restaurants, music and events
- Not a fit for buyers who want a large lot, a pool or an HOA-run community
Thinking about buying or selling in Fort Worth? I was born and raised here, and I help buyers and sellers across DFW from my office in the Mid-Cities. Call or text anytime, no pressure.
Brent Reiter, REALTOR®
Brent Sells DFW · 817-874-1602
Local Resources & Citations
- City of Fort Worth: Historic Stockyards and form-based code ↗
- Visit Fort Worth: cattle drive times ↗
- Fort Worth Stockyards (National Register, 1976) ↗
- City of Fort Worth short-term rental rules ↗
- Fort Worth ISD school finder (2026/27 zones) ↗
- Texas Education Agency school ratings (txschools.gov) ↗
- Tarrant County 2026 tax rates (Truth in Taxation) ↗
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center ↗
- EPA lead-based paint disclosure rule ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do homes cost on Fort Worth's Northside?
Over the 12 months ending Nov. 4, 2026, the median single-family sale price in the 76106 and 76164 ZIP codes was $235,500 across 146 sales, with the middle half selling for $179,250 to $299,000 (NTREIS).
Can I buy a home near the Fort Worth Stockyards for under $300,000?
Yes. Three in four Northside homes sold over the past year (110 of 146) closed under $300,000. In 76164, the ZIP code around the Stockyards, the median was $266,900.
What school district is the Northside in?
Mostly Fort Worth ISD, zoned to Northside or Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School. Part of the 76106 ZIP code toward Lake Worth is in Lake Worth ISD, so confirm the district for the exact address.
When is the Stockyards cattle drive?
The Fort Worth Herd's cattle drive runs down Exchange Avenue daily at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., except on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it can be canceled for weather.
Can I use a Northside home as an Airbnb?
Usually not. Fort Worth doesn't allow short-term rentals in residential zoning, which covers most Northside streets. A property inside the Stockyards form-based code area may be zoned differently, so check the specific address.
What is the property tax rate on the Northside?
For a Fort Worth ISD address, the 2026 combined rate is about $2.23 per $100 of taxable value before exemptions. A $235,500 home owes about $5,240 a year before exemptions.