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Gas Cost Calculator for Fort Collins, CO

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Written by Jere Salmisto·Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial·Methodology
TL;DR

Housing: $552,908 median home, $1,971/mo/mo median rent, PITI ~$3,374/mo (13% down, 6.30% PMMS). Income: $91,364 median household; rent burden 25.9% (within 30% guideline). Taxes: 0.55% effective property tax rate → ~$3,041 annual bill. Cost of living: BEA RPP index 111 (national baseline = 100); estimated annual commute cost ~$3,832. Context: unemployment 2.8%; job market led by Colorado state industries.

Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI · Census ACS · Tax Foundation, 2025–2026

📍 Customized for Fort Collins, Colorado

Gas prices in Fort Collins, CO average roughly $3.89/gallon, adjusted for the local cost of living index of 111. Calculate your monthly and annual fuel costs based on your commute in Fort Collins.

Median Home
$553k
Median Rent
$1,971/mo
Median Income
$91k/yr
Property Tax
0.55%
Cost of Living
111 / 100 avg

Data as of Apr 2026 · Sources: Zillow, Census ACS, Tax Foundation, Freddie Mac

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Colorado Financial Snapshot (2026) — Gas Cost Calculator

Cost-of-living index scales typical utility spend for the gas cost calculator in Colorado.

MetricColoradoSource
Median household income$91,364/yr[1][1]
Median home value (ZHVI)$560,000[2][2]
Cost-of-living index (BEA RPP)101.9 (US = 100)[3][3]

How the Gas Cost Calculator Math Works Under Colorado Law

The Gas Cost Calculator runs a well-known formula (principal × rate, discounted cash flow, amortization, or equivalent) client-side and layers on Colorado's tax and cost-of-living inputs. State-specific numbers — brackets, exemptions, and averages — come from public federal / state datasets cited in the sources section.

Local context: Fort Collins, CO

Housing economics in Fort Collins, CO. The median home value runs 54.4% above the U.S. baseline for Fort Collins, CO is $552,908 per Zillow's home-value index. Median rent runs $1,971 a month per Zillow ZORI, a premium over the national $1,850 baseline. Effective property tax sits at 0.55% of assessed value, below the 0.99% national average tracked by the Tax Foundation.

Income and tax climate. Colorado's top marginal state income tax bracket lands at 4.63% — compared to the volume-weighted national average around 4-5%. BEA's Regional Price Parity scores Fort Collins, CO at 111.0 (national = 100), meaning a dollar in Fort Collins, CO buys 90¢ of national purchasing power.

Local context as of 2026-04-19.

Fort Collins versus the U.S. baseline

MetricFort Collins, COU.S. baselineDifference
Median home value[zillow]$552,908$358,00054.4%
Median monthly rent[zillow]$1,971$1,8506.5%
Property tax (effective)[tax-foundation]0.55%0.99%-44.4%
State top marginal income tax[tax-foundation]4.63%~4.08% (volume-weighted)0.5 pp
State cost-of-living index[bea-rpp]111.0100.011.0 pts

How to use the Gas Cost Calculator

Walk through using the Gas Cost Calculator with Fort Collins, CO-specific defaults pre-loaded from primary sources.

  1. Enter your Fort Collins numbersFill in the gas cost inputs. Defaults reflect Fort Collins, CO 2026: median home $552,908, median rent $1,971/mo, 0.55% effective property tax.
  2. Apply the local 2026 inputsThe median home value in Fort Collins is $552,908 (Zillow ZHVI), with median monthly rent running $1,971/mo.
  3. Compare against Fort Collins contextMonthly PITI on the $552,908 median home in Fort Collins is ~$3,374/mo — vs a $1,971/mo median rent.

How Colorado Compares to Neighboring States

StateMedian homeTop inc taxProp tax rateRPP (US=100)
Colorado (this page)$560,0004.40%0.51%101.9
Arizona equivalent$430,0002.50%0.66%100.7
check Kansas$225,0005.58%1.41%89.9
check Nebraska$265,0005.20%1.73%90.3
New Mexico$305,0005.90%0.80%91.0

Sources: Zillow ZHVI[1], state Departments of Revenue / Tax Foundation[2], Tax Foundation property taxes[3], BEA Regional Price Parities[4].

What Changes Your Result in Colorado

  • Colorado cost-of-living drag:Line-item costs in Colorado deviate from the US mean by whatever the BEA all-items RPP deviates from 100. Weight your budget toward the state average rather than the national average.

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  • Colorado EV vs Gas Calculator — gas cost is one input to EV vs gas.

How Fort Collins Compares to the National Average

Understanding how Fort Collins stacks up helps you calibrate your financial planning.

MetricFort Collins, COUS AverageDifference
Median Home Price$552,908$420,800+31.4%
Median Monthly Rent$1,971$1,713+15.1%
Median Household Income$91,364$74,580+22.5%
Property Tax Rate0.55%1.10%-50.0%
Cost of Living Index111100+11.0%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, NAR (2024–2025). Green = favorable for residents; red = less favorable.

Fort Collins Financial Snapshot

Population (Metro)
365,000
Unemployment
2.8%
Avg Commute
22 min
Median Age
30.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.4x
Annual Property Tax
$3,041
← Gas Cost Calculator (all states)← Gas Cost Calculator for Colorado

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Frequently Asked Questions — Fort Collins

Can median-income households afford the median home in Fort Collins?
With a ~$3,374 monthly PITI and $91,364 median income, housing would consume ~44.3% of gross annual income. Qualifying under the 28% DTI rule requires ~$144,600 in annual income. Educational reference only.
Is it better to rent or buy in Fort Collins?
Fort Collins's price-to-rent ratio (23.4x) tilts toward renting — above 20x, buying is generally expensive relative to renting.
What is the annual property tax bill on the median home in Fort Collins?
Approximately $3,041/yr at the 0.55% effective rate on the $552,908 median home. The national average effective rate is 1.07%.
What share of median income goes to rent in Fort Collins?
The $1,971/mo median rent represents 25.9% of the $91,364 median household income. The recommended housing cost threshold is 30%; Fort Collins falls within that guideline. Educational reference only.
How much does commuting cost in Fort Collins?
Average commute time in Fort Collins is 22 minutes per ACS. Estimated annual commute cost runs about $3,832. Educational reference only.
How does the cost of living in Fort Collins compare to the national average?
Fort Collins's BEA RPP index is 111, 11% above the national baseline of 100. For a household earning the national median income of $77,540, this translates to ~$8,529/yr in purchasing power difference. Educational reference only.
What is the median home price in Fort Collins, CO?
The median home price in Fort Collins is $552,908 as of 2025–2026.
What is the average rent in Fort Collins?
The median monthly rent in Fort Collins, CO is $1,971.
Does the gas cost replace professional advice?
No. This calculator gives educational estimates using public Fort Collins data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for decisions with material consequences.
How we compute this — methodology

The Fort Collins page uses local median home price ($552,908), median rent ($1,971/mo), and property tax rate (0.55%) alongside the calculator's client-side formula. Calculations run in your browser — no inputs are sent to a server.

Known limits: ZIP-level variance within Fort Collins can be substantial — the figures shown are city-wide medians. For a precise property tax quote, consult your county assessor.

Sources

  1. Zillow Research — ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) + ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index), city-level. zillow.com/research/data. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for median household income and population. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.
  3. CalcFi state financial context — tips + first-time homebuyer programs compiled from each state's Housing Finance Authority (HFA) public pages. See src/data/state-financial-context.ts.
  4. Tax Foundation — state property tax effective rates and state/local sales tax rates. taxfoundation.org.
  5. Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rate averages used by mortgage-related calculators. freddiemac.com/pmms.
  6. U.S. Energy Information Administration — residential electricity / natural gas / gasoline — www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  7. FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) — real median household income, unemployment, HPI, LFPR per state — fred.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  8. Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rates — www.freddiemac.com/pmms. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  9. NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owners, and Homeowners Tenants Insurance Report — content.naic.org/article/homeowners-insurance-report. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  10. State Departments of Revenue — official bracket + deduction publications (one primary URL per state; linked in the brackets table below) — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  11. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by State — www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  12. U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws — www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  13. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — state-level occupational wages — www.bls.gov/oes. Retrieved 2026-04-19.

Spot an error? Email [email protected] with the URL and the correct figure.

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HomePersonal FinanceGas Cost Calculator — Trip Fuel Estimator

Gas Cost Calculator — Trip Fuel Estimator

Calculate the fuel cost for any trip based on distance, fuel efficiency, and current gas prices.

Verified August 17, 2026 · Checked against IRS, Fed & Treasury sources

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Gas Cost Calculator — Trip Fuel Estimator

Enter your numbers below

miles
MPG
$

Assumptions

  • ·Total fuel cost = (miles ÷ MPG) × price per gallon
  • ·Round-trip and one-way options; annual projection at entered frequency
  • ·Compares two vehicles side-by-side at same route and fuel price
When this is wrong
  • ·EV charging cost equivalent — use a dedicated EV cost-per-mile calc
  • ·Fuel price volatility: pump price swings ±$1/gal seasonally and with crude market
  • ·Hybrid real-world MPG varies 10–20% from EPA estimate in city driving
  • ·Tolls, parking, and depreciation cost per mile not included
Assumptions▾
  • ·Total fuel cost = (miles ÷ MPG) × price per gallon
  • ·Round-trip and one-way options; annual projection at entered frequency
  • ·Compares two vehicles side-by-side at same route and fuel price
When this is wrong
  • ·EV charging cost equivalent — use a dedicated EV cost-per-mile calc
  • ·Fuel price volatility: pump price swings ±$1/gal seasonally and with crude market
  • ·Hybrid real-world MPG varies 10–20% from EPA estimate in city driving
  • ·Tolls, parking, and depreciation cost per mile not included

Related calculators

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Your Results

Based on your inputs

Demo numbers · replace inputs to see yours
Gallons Needed
20.00 gal
Total Fuel Cost
$70positivenegative trend
Cost per Mile
$0
Trip Distance500 miles
Vehicle Fuel Efficiency25 MPG
Gas Price per Gallon$4
Gallons Needed20.00 gal
Total Fuel Cost$70
Cost per Mile$0

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Published byJere Salmisto· Founder, CalcFiReviewed byCalcFi EditorialEditorial standardsMethodologyLast verified April 21, 2026

Primary sources & authoritative references

Every formula on this page traces to a federal agency, central bank, or peer-reviewed institution. We cite the rule-makers, not secondhand blogs.

  • DOE Energy Saver — Fuel efficiency and gas cost calculation — U.S. Department of EnergyMPG standards and fuel economy data used in gas cost formula. (opens in new tab)
  • BLS CPI — Motor fuel price measurement methodology — U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsNational average gasoline price series used as default input. (opens in new tab)
  • EPA — Fuel Economy Guide for vehicles — U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOfficial MPG ratings from EPA window sticker data. (opens in new tab)

Found an error in a formula or source? Report it →

Calculations are for educational purposes only. Consult a qualified financial advisor for personalized advice.