with $100k coming in, swapping out of Wichita
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
pricier each month than Wichita
Fort Collins costs more than Wichita, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
a quick ledger.
$1,971/mo
68% more expensive than Wichita(vs $1,173/mo)
4.4%
$108/mo less in state tax than Wichita
vs 5.7% in Wichita
$5,996/mo
$689 less than Wichita
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$572k
159% more expensive than Wichita
vs $221k in Wichita
371k
vs 653k in Wichita
field notes, weather & such.
177
pleasant days a year, in fort collins.
Wichita only logs 164 pleasant days. A real winter, not a brutal one: 44 days under 20°, vs 20 in Wichita.
But the calendar thins out: Wichita stays 18.0× busier.
69/100
33% higher than Wichita
vs 52/100 in Wichita
Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 31.3 mi.
86/100
25% higher than Wichita
vs 69/100 in Wichita
169
1436% more than Wichita
vs 11 nonstops in Wichita
if fort collins appeals, also worth a look:
