City comparison
Denver, CO vs Fort Collins, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 4.6% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $104,600 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,537 in Fort Collins, CO. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 24% in Fort Collins, CO.
- Both are in CO, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,692 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Denver-Aurora, CO), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $118,675 in either. A transfer from Denver, CO to Fort Collins, CO changes real buying power by +4.6%, purely from prices.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Fort Collins, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 101.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,600 in Fort Collins | $104,602 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,537/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 120.6 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 101.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
83 Strong offer
Fort Collins, CO → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Denver-Aurora, CO locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Fort Collins, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Fort Collins, CO | Real change, Denver → Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,819 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $83,265 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $99,800 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $118,675 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $140,239 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Fort Collins, CO | Fort Collins pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $62,930 | $65,826 (−14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $133,990 | $140,156 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $89,340 | $93,452 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $97,600 | $102,092 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.