City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Raleigh, NC
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 3.0% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $103,000 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,596 in Raleigh, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Raleigh, NC ($118,675 → $111,147), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,062 in Raleigh | $103,027 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
78 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
60 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Fort Collins → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,453 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,983 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,468 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,147 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,342 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $133,850 | $143,640 | $147,988 (+10.6%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $132,770 | $136,789 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $81,950 | $84,430 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $84,830 | $87,398 (−10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.