Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Collins, CO
VS
Spokane Valley, WA
🏆 Fort Collins leads 15 of 23 categories
Fort Collins
Colorado
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,977 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
168,758 ✓ Larger
Spokane Valley
Washington
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,483
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
103,761
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Collins, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $12,494 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.3%)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 38°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Spokane Valley
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $497,400
Higher rents — median is $1,576/mo
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Spokane Valley, WA
Pros
Homes cost $190k less ($307,700 vs $497,400)
Rent averages $401/mo less ($1,175 vs $1,576)
11% less violent crime than Fort Collins
Violent crime is well below the national average (242.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Fort Collins by $12,494/yr
Property crime (3515.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Fort Collins
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Collins
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 101.0 (100 = US avg)
Fort Collins
Median Income
$12,494
$78,977 vs $66,483/yr
Fort Collins
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.3% vs 5.8% unemployment
Spokane Valley
Violent Crime
11% lower
242.1 vs 272.7 per 100k
Spokane Valley
Median Home Value
$190k less
$307,700 vs $497,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Collins, CO | Spokane Valley, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper | 101.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $497,400⚠ High | $307,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,576⚠ High | $1,175 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,977 ✓ Higher | $66,483 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.3 min ✓ Shorter | 20.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 | 64 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 103⚠ High ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 25.3% |
| High School or Higher | 97.1% ✓ Higher | 94.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Poudre School District R-1 | East Valley School District (Spokane) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 45.0°F ✓ Warmer | 37.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer | 87.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.4" ✓ Drier | 17.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.3" | 45.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 168,758 ✓ Larger | 103,761 |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 57.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 21.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Collins's cost of living index is 96.6 vs Spokane Valley's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Fort Collins is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fort Collins leads 15 of 23 categories. Fort Collins wins 15 and Spokane Valley wins 8. 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 Spokane Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($497,400 vs $307,700 median home), income ($78,977 vs $66,483), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Collins, CO and Spokane Valley, WA are about 777 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.