City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Fort Collins, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.0% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $104,000 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,537 in Fort Collins, CO. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, 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 Boulder, CO to Fort Collins, CO changes real buying power by +4.0%, purely from prices.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Fort Collins, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 101.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,127 in Fort Collins | $104,029 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/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 | 29% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 120.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 101.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
81 Strong offer
Fort Collins, CO → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 29% 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 Boulder, CO to Fort Collins, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Fort Collins, CO | Real change, Boulder → Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,819 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $83,265 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $99,800 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $118,675 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $140,239 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Fort Collins, CO | Fort Collins pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $62,930 | $65,465 (−18.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $133,990 | $139,388 (−15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $89,340 | $92,939 (−7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $97,600 | $101,532 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.