City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 4.2% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $104,200 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,537 in Fort Collins, CO. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Fort Collins, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Portland, OR ($118,675 → $114,684), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.3% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,245 in Portland | $95,928 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
51 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Portland, OR | Real change, Fort Collins → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $66,505 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $80,465 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $96,443 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $114,684 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $135,522 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $82,330 | $78,977 (+25.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $156,000 | $149,647 (+11.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $92,200 | $88,445 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $130,310 | $125,003 (+28.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.