City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fort Collins, CO (101.1) and Reno, NV (101.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO goes as far as $99,900 in Reno, NV.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,489 in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.0% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Reno, NV ($118,675 → $106,855), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.9% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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 | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,887 in Reno | $100,113 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Reno, NV
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
69 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Reno, NV | Real change, Fort Collins → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,965 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,972 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,859 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,855 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,271 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $62,430 | $62,500 (−0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $125,710 | $125,852 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $82,370 | $82,463 (−7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $107,520 | $107,641 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.