City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 1.4% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $101,400 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $622 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Philadelphia, PA ($118,675 → $117,284), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,410 in Philadelphia | $98,610 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$622/yr.
64 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$622/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Fort Collins → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,013 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $82,289 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $98,630 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $117,284 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $138,595 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $78,570 | $77,477 (+23.1%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $133,040 | $131,190 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $85,990 | $84,794 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $101,180 | $99,773 (+2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.