Fort Collins-Loveland → Cape Coral-Fort Myers
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
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.
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cape Coral-Fort Myers more expensive than Fort Collins-Loveland?
What are salaries like in Cape Coral-Fort Myers compared to Fort Collins-Loveland?
Is Cape Coral-Fort Myers safer than Fort Collins-Loveland?
How much would I need to earn in Cape Coral-Fort Myers to match my Fort Collins-Loveland salary?
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
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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)
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.