Is Fort Collins cheaper than Madison?

Madison is cheaper: its overall cost of living runs about 4% below Fort Collins's (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Which has higher household income, Fort Collins or Madison?

Fort Collins has the higher median household income — $93,276 versus $89,714 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS), about 4% more.

Does a paycheck go further in Fort Collins or Madison?

It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($92,236 versus $92,216).

Which has cheaper rent, Fort Collins or Madison?

Madison has cheaper rent — a median of $1,437/mo versus $1,751/mo (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).

Fort Collins vs Madison

Metro-area medians — Fort Collins-Loveland, CO Metro Area vs Madison, WI Metro Area — not the cities proper.

Madison comes out ahead, winning 7 of the 9 clearly-decided measures.

Madison is about 4% cheaper to live in, while Fort Collins households earn about 4% more. Adjusted for local prices, a typical paycheck stretches about as far in either.

Their widest everyday difference: Madison has the tighter job market — 2.2% unemployment versus 4.2%.

For your salary & household

Enter your pay and household size to see what it's really worth here — the numbers update live and the link stays shareable.

Annual salary (gross)

Household size

Fort Collins, CO

$58,707

take-home / yr · 22% to tax

$58,052

real value after local prices

Madison, WI

$58,454

take-home / yr · 22% to tax

$60,084

real value after local prices

On $75,000 for just you, Madison leaves you about $2,032/yr better off after tax and local prices.

Take-home estimates a single filer taking the standard deduction (2025 federal brackets, FICA, and state income tax) and isn't tax advice. “Real value” rebases take-home to average U.S. prices using the BEA cost-of-living index; the per-person figure uses the OECD square-root equivalence scale.

Measure

Fort Collins

Madison

Livability (CityLedger)

75/100

82/100

Cost of living (price level, US = 100)

101.1

97.3

Cost-adjusted income (pay's real value)

$92,236

$92,216

Median household income

$93,276

$89,714

Median rent

$1,751/mo

$1,437/mo

Median home value

$610,000

$415,500

Unemployment

4.2%

2.2%

Bachelor's degree or higher

55.5%

52.2%

Average commute

23.9 min

21.9 min

Air quality (median AQI)

Avg temperature

47°F

Choose Fort Collins for

+ Median household income
+ Bachelor's degree or higher

Full Fort Collins profile →

Choose Madison for

+ Livability (CityLedger)
+ Cost of living (price level, US = 100)
+ Median rent
+ Median home value
+ Unemployment
+ Average commute
+ Air quality (median AQI)

Full Madison profile →

More comparisons

Metros closest to Fort Collins and Madison on cost, income, size, and education.

Fort Collins vs Ann Arbor→Fort Collins vs Charlottesville→Fort Collins vs Durham→Madison vs Durham→Madison vs Albany→Madison vs Huntsville→

Fort Collins vs Madison — frequently asked

Is Fort Collins cheaper than Madison?: Madison is cheaper: its overall cost of living runs about 4% below Fort Collins's (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Which has higher household income, Fort Collins or Madison?: Fort Collins has the higher median household income — $93,276 versus $89,714 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS), about 4% more.
Does a paycheck go further in Fort Collins or Madison?: It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($92,236 versus $92,216).
Which has cheaper rent, Fort Collins or Madison?: Madison has cheaper rent — a median of $1,437/mo versus $1,751/mo (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).