$100k salary, packing up from Hagerstown
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
the monthly cost of moving past Hagerstown
Almost a wash on cost. The case for Fort Collins is about what you'd do there, not what you'd save.
a quick ledger.
$1,971/mo
24% more expensive than Hagerstown(vs $1,587/mo)
4.4%
$317/mo less in state tax than Hagerstown
vs 8.2% in Hagerstown
$5,996/mo
$67 less than Hagerstown
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$572k
78% more expensive than Hagerstown
vs $321k in Hagerstown
371k
vs 305k in Hagerstown
field notes, weather & such.
177
pleasant days a year, in fort collins.
Hagerstown barely cracks 160 pleasant ones. A real winter, not a brutal one: 44 days under 20°, vs 24 in Hagerstown.
Noticeably quieter than Hagerstown. About 94% fewer events on a typical month.
69/100
23% higher than Hagerstown
vs 56/100 in Hagerstown
Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 31.3 mi.
86/100
2% lower than Hagerstown
vs 88/100 in Hagerstown
169
8350% more than Hagerstown
vs 2 nonstops in Hagerstown
if fort collins appeals, also worth a look:
