City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 9.7% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $109,700 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Memphis, TN ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,151 in Memphis | $109,708 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
99 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Memphis, TN | Real change, Fort Collins → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $61,510 | $67,482 (+7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $125,580 | $137,772 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $76,960 | $84,431 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $81,500 | $89,412 (−8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.