on $100k a year, leaving Lakeland
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 premium over Lakeland
You'd pay for Fort Collins. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
a quick ledger.
$1,971/mo
7% more expensive than Lakeland(vs $1,834/mo)
4.4%
$367/mo more in state tax than Lakeland
vs 0% in Lakeland
$5,996/mo
$503 less than Lakeland
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$572k
90% more expensive than Lakeland
vs $301k in Lakeland
371k
vs 818k in Lakeland
field notes, weather & such.
177
pleasant days a year, in fort collins.
Lakeland actually gets more: 206 pleasant days a year. The trade is winter: 44 days below 20°, vs 0 in Lakeland.
But the calendar thins out: Lakeland stays 12.0× busier.
69/100
44% higher than Lakeland
vs 48/100 in Lakeland
Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 31.3 mi.
86/100
30% higher than Lakeland
vs 66/100 in Lakeland
169
149% more than Lakeland
vs 68 nonstops in Lakeland
neighbors of fort collins on the map of tradeoffs:
