Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Collins, CO
VS
Norman, OK
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Fort Collins
Colorado
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6
Median Household Income
$78,977 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
168,758 ✓ Larger
Norman
Oklahoma
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,849
Violent Crime Index
68 ✓ Safer
Population
127,701
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Collins, CO
Pros
Households earn $16,128 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.3%)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $497,400
Higher rents — median is $1,576/mo
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Norman
Norman, OK
Pros
Homes cost $273k less ($224,900 vs $497,400)
Rent averages $572/mo less ($1,004 vs $1,576)
Violent crime is well below the national average (260.2 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Collins
Cons
Median income trails Fort Collins by $16,128/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Collins
Median Income
$16,128
$78,977 vs $62,849/yr
Fort Collins
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Norman
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 96.6 (100 = US avg)
Norman
Violent Crime
5% lower
260.2 vs 272.7 per 100k
Norman
Median Home Value
$273k less
$224,900 vs $497,400
Norman
Summer Heat
5.1°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 87.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Collins, CO | Norman, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $497,400⚠ High | $224,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,576⚠ High | $1,004 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,977 ✓ Higher | $62,849 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.3 min ✓ Shorter | 22.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 | 84 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 | 68 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 103⚠ High ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 45.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.1% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Poudre School District R-1 | NORMAN |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 45.0°F | 49.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.4°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.4" ✓ Drier | 37.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.3" | 4.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 168,758 ✓ Larger | 127,701 |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 31.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 52.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 18.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Collins's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Norman's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Norman is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Fort Collins wins 11 and Norman wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Fort Collins to Norman or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($497,400 vs $224,900 median home), income ($78,977 vs $62,849), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Collins, CO and Norman, OK are about 558 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.