Is Fort Collins cheaper than Dallas?

No. Dallas is cheaper: typical rent is $1,472 a month versus $1,690 in Fort Collins — 13% lower. Median household income is $85,070 in Fort Collins compared with $70,518 in Dallas, so Fort Collins has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Fort Collins or Dallas?

Fort Collins is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 109 in Dallas — 71% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Fort Collins or Dallas?

School composites are close: A- in Fort Collins and A- in Dallas. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Fort Collins, CO vs Dallas, TX

Fort Collins, CO versus Dallas, TX is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,690 a month in Fort Collins and $1,472 in Dallas, and median household income lands at $85,070 versus $70,518. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Fort Collins takes job market, safety, and weather, while Dallas takes affordability. The widest gap is typical weather, where Fort Collins leads by 77% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Fort Collins can feel further apart than Fort Collins and Dallas do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Fort Collins and Dallas reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Fort Collins report Full Dallas report

Fort Collins, CO

Rent: $1,690/mo
Median income: $85,070
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 76°F

Dallas, TX

Rent: $1,472/mo
Median income: $70,518
Crime index: 109
Schools: A-
Weather: 91°F

Rent

13% cheaper

Dallas rent is 13% cheaper than Fort Collins

Fort Collins

$1,690/mo

Dallas

Winner

$1,472/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,472 a month in Dallas versus $1,690 in Fort Collins, so Dallas is 13% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,616 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Dallas still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Fort Collins.

Median income

21% higher

Fort Collins's median income is 21% higher than Dallas

Fort Collins

Winner

$85,070

Dallas

$70,518

What this means for your life

Median household income is $85,070 in Fort Collins versus $70,518 in Dallas, so typical pay runs 21% higher in Fort Collins — about $14,552 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Fort Collins is the stronger labor market on paper. Dallas can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

71% lower crime

Fort Collins's crime index is 71% lower than Dallas

Fort Collins

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

Dallas

109 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Fort Collins's crime index is 32 versus 109 in Dallas (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 71% lower in Fort Collins. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Fort Collins is the easier city. Dallas can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Fort Collins and Dallas are about even on school scores.

Fort Collins

A- · 84/100

Dallas

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Fort Collins, A- in Dallas). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

77% more comfortable

Fort Collins weather is 77% more comfortable than Dallas

Fort Collins

Winner

76°F typical

Dallas

91°F typical

What this means for your life

Fort Collins scores 77% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 76°F in Fort Collins and 91°F in Dallas. Fort Collins reads as warm weather most of the year; Dallas reads as hot, long summers. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Fort Collins is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Dallas can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Fort Collins

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 21% higher ($85,070), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 76°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Fort Collins is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 71% lower than Dallas (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Fort Collins report →

Fit check

Who should choose Dallas

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Dallas

Dallas is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 13% cheaper here at about $1,472 a month. Choose Dallas if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Dallas report →

Bottom line

Fort Collins vs Dallas, called

If weather is your priority, Fort Collins is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Dallas pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Fort Collins offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Fort Collins vs Dallas FAQ

Is Fort Collins cheaper than Dallas?: No. Dallas is cheaper: typical rent is $1,472 a month versus $1,690 in Fort Collins — 13% lower. Median household income is $85,070 in Fort Collins compared with $70,518 in Dallas, so Fort Collins has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Fort Collins or Dallas?: Fort Collins is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 109 in Dallas — 71% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Fort Collins or Dallas?: School composites are close: A- in Fort Collins and A- in Dallas. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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