City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 3.3% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $103,300 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,244 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Richmond, VA ($118,675 → $111,183), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,766 in Richmond | $103,342 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,244/yr.
79 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,244/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Richmond, VA | Real change, Fort Collins → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,475 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $78,009 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,499 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,183 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,385 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $61,290 | $63,338 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $132,120 | $136,535 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $84,220 | $87,034 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $93,580 | $96,707 (−0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.