Fort Collins-Loveland Cape Coral-Fort Myers

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 101.1 → 102.3
Rent Delta: +$229/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $229/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $9K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Fort Collins-Loveland to Cape Coral-Fort Myers shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 101.1 to 102.3 (100 = US average), so a Fort Collins-Loveland salary needs to be multiplied by 1.01 to hold the same purchasing power in Cape Coral-Fort Myers. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,732/month in Fort Collins-Loveland to $1,961/month in Cape Coral-Fort Myers - a higher monthly bill of $229, or $2,748/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $73,292 in Fort Collins-Loveland versus $64,691 in Cape Coral-Fort Myers - a raw gap of $8,601 lower. The Cape Coral-Fort Myers labor market has 293,750 tracked jobs against 149,520 in Fort Collins-Loveland, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Fort Collins-Loveland and Cape Coral-Fort Myers are 481 and 210 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 16.6:1 at origin versus 17.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $12,821/year in Fort Collins-Loveland versus $10,505/year in Cape Coral-Fort Myers. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Fort Collins-Loveland
Cape Coral-Fort Myers
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 101.1
RPP 102.3
Fort Collins-Loveland
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,732/mo
$1,961/mo
Fort Collins-Loveland
💼 Wages
$73,292
$64,691
Fort Collins-Loveland
🔒 Crime
481 per 100K
210 per 100K
Cape Coral-Fort Myers
🎓 Schools
16.6:1
17.8:1
Fort Collins-Loveland
👶 Childcare
$12,821/yr
$10,505/yr
Cape Coral-Fort Myers
🌿 Environment
5332 violations
2676 violations
Cape Coral-Fort Myers

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Fort Collins-Loveland to see what you'd need to earn in Cape Coral-Fort Myers to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cape Coral-Fort Myers more expensive than Fort Collins-Loveland?
Cape Coral-Fort Myers has an RPP of 102.3 compared to Fort Collins-Loveland's 101.1 (100 = national average). Cape Coral-Fort Myers is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Cape Coral-Fort Myers is $1,961/mo vs $1,732/mo in Fort Collins-Loveland.
What are salaries like in Cape Coral-Fort Myers compared to Fort Collins-Loveland?
The median salary in Cape Coral-Fort Myers is $64,691 compared to $73,292 in Fort Collins-Loveland. That's a -$8,601 difference.
Is Cape Coral-Fort Myers safer than Fort Collins-Loveland?
The violent crime rate near Cape Coral-Fort Myers is 210 per 100K vs 481 per 100K near Fort Collins-Loveland (state-level data). Cape Coral-Fort Myers has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Cape Coral-Fort Myers to match my Fort Collins-Loveland salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Fort Collins-Loveland salary by 1.01. For example, a $75,000 salary in Fort Collins-Loveland would need to be $75,906 in Cape Coral-Fort Myers. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)