City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Las Vegas, NV
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 Las Vegas, NV (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 Las Vegas, NV.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,478 in Las Vegas, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.4% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Las Vegas, NV ($118,675 → $108,719), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.6% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Las Vegas, NV: 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 | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,097 in Las Vegas | $100,911 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Las Vegas, NV
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
72 Strong offer
Las Vegas, NV → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Fort Collins → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $63,046 | −7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $76,280 | −7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $91,427 | −7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $108,719 | −7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $128,473 | −7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $65,040 | $65,633 (+4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $129,940 | $131,124 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $80,530 | $81,264 (−9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $103,940 | $104,887 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.