Uprootmap
Rapid City vs Fort Collins
Rapid City and Fort Collins
Photo: Ken Lund / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Fort Collins are under the US rate in this release, 1.9 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Rapid City to Fort Collins
In 2022-2023, 32 households filed a move from Rapid City to Fort Collins (about 54 people, average adjusted gross income $66,375). Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,138 in Rapid City and $1,473 in Fort Collins. Rapid City has no state tax on wages. Fort Collins has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Fort Collins is 97% of the national level for the same work, against 88% in Rapid City.
Fort Collins averages 253 sunny days, with July highs around 81°F and January nights around 11°F. Rapid City is 237 sunny days, 86°F in July, 18°F in January. Commutes average 23 minutes in Fort Collins and 20 in Rapid City.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 32 households moved Rapid City → Fort Collins (about 54 people, average AGI $66,375). The reverse flow is too small for the IRS to publish.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Rapid City and Fort Collins changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 333 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,900–$3,550
- Container or pod
- $1,300–$2,450
- Rent a truck
- $550–$1,050
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Dig into Fort Collins
Questions
Is Fort Collins cheaper than Rapid City after tax and rent?
No. Fort Collins leaves about $672 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,138 in Rapid City and $1,473 in Fort Collins.
Does Fort Collins have state income tax?
Fort Collins is in Colorado, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Rapid City to Fort Collins?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.