City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 1.3% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $101,300 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 $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.9% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Visalia, CA ($118,675 → $106,973), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.7% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (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 | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,712 in Visalia | $101,305 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Visalia, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
73 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Visalia, CA | Real change, Fort Collins → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,033 | −8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,055 | −8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,959 | −8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,973 | −8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,410 | −8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $98,430 | $99,715 (+58.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $126,170 | $127,817 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $79,400 | $80,436 (−10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $125,180 | $126,814 (+29.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.