City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 3.7% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $103,700 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,585 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Minneapolis, MN ($118,675 → $116,038), while prices change by +3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,653 in Minneapolis | $96,476 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,585/yr.
58 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,585/yr.
80 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Fort Collins → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $67,290 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $81,415 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $97,582 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $116,038 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $137,123 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $133,850 | $130,710 | $126,104 (−5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $130,920 | $126,306 (−5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $86,500 | $83,452 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $103,040 | $99,409 (+1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.