City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fort Collins, CO (101.1) and Greeley, CO (100.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO goes as far as $99,100 in Greeley, CO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,238 in Greeley, CO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 20% in Greeley, 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 Fort Collins, CO to Greeley, CO changes real buying power by +1.0%, purely from prices.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,059 in Greeley | $100,950 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,238/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 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Greeley, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
72 Strong offer
Greeley, CO → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 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 Fort Collins, CO to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Greeley, CO | Real change, Fort Collins → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,819 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $83,265 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $99,800 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $118,675 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $140,239 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $60,160 | $60,732 (−3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $129,480 | $130,710 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $87,240 | $88,069 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $96,300 | $97,215 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.