City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 2.5% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $102,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Salem, OR ($118,675 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,493 in Salem | $97,568 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
61 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Salem, OR | Real change, Fort Collins → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $66,505 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $80,465 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $96,443 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $114,684 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $135,522 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $74,810 | $72,990 (+16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $131,620 | $128,419 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $87,480 | $85,352 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $131,750 | $128,546 (+31.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.