City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 5.7% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $105,700 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $771 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.5% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Indianapolis, IN ($118,675 → $107,428), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,629 in Indianapolis | $105,676 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$771/yr.
86 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$771/yr.
52 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Fort Collins → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,297 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,374 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,341 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $107,428 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,947 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $133,850 | $98,060 | $103,626 (−22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $106,870 | $112,936 (−15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $79,290 | $83,791 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $84,230 | $89,011 (−8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.