City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 4.2% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $104,200 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.7% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Rochester, NY ($118,675 → $107,182), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.9% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,953 in Rochester | $104,218 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
82 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Rochester, NY | Real change, Fort Collins → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,155 | −5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,202 | −5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,135 | −5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $107,182 | −5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,657 | −5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $62,840 | $65,491 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $122,770 | $127,949 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $80,890 | $84,302 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $86,570 | $90,222 (−7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.