same $100k income, fresh start from Grand Rapids
changea dispatch from
fort collins
CO
40.59°N
105.08°W
Fort Collins is the home of New Belgium Brewing (Fat Tire's origin) and a thriving craft beer scene with more breweries than Boulder. Old Town's brick streets and historic storefronts are charming enough that they're said to have influenced Disney's Main Street USA designers. CSU keeps the energy young. The foothills rise right outside town, and Rocky Mountain National Park is an hour away. Quieter than Boulder, less expensive.
the verdict
more expensive each month than Grand Rapids
Fort Collins costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
a quick ledger.
$1,971/mo
22% more expensive than Grand Rapids(vs $1,620/mo)
4.4%
$12/mo more in state tax than Grand Rapids
vs 4.25% in Grand Rapids
$5,996/mo
$363 less than Grand Rapids
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$572k
62% more expensive than Grand Rapids
vs $353k in Grand Rapids
371k
vs 1.2M in Grand Rapids
field notes, weather & such.
177
pleasant days a year, in fort collins.
Grand Rapids keeps to 151 pleasant days a year.
Lighter on events: Grand Rapids packs 69.0× more into a month.
69/100
23% higher than Grand Rapids
vs 56/100 in Grand Rapids
Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 31.3 mi.
86/100
11% lower than Grand Rapids
vs 97/100 in Grand Rapids
169
745% more than Grand Rapids
vs 20 nonstops in Grand Rapids
in the same ballpark as fort collins:
