City comparison
Durham, NC vs Fort Collins, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 3.6% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $103,600 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Durham, NC and $1,537 in Fort Collins, CO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,692 in CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Durham, NC to Fort Collins, CO ($111,147 → $118,675), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- 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
| Durham, NC | Fort Collins, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 101.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,644 in Fort Collins | $96,484 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,537/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 120.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 101.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
58 Fair offer
Fort Collins, CO → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Fort Collins, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Fort Collins, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Fort Collins, CO | Real change, Durham → Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,819 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $83,265 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $99,800 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $118,675 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $140,239 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Fort Collins, CO | Fort Collins pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $62,930 | $60,717 (+18.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $133,990 | $129,278 (−4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $89,340 | $86,199 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $97,600 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.