City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 7.7% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $107,700 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 $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Tallahassee, FL ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,871 in Tallahassee | $107,676 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
93 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Fort Collins → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $55,020 | $59,243 (−5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $121,800 | $131,149 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $61,840 | $66,587 (−25.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $79,430 | $85,527 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.