C
14%
Overall NAT. AVG.
5%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
48%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Fountain Colorado National
Cost of living114111100
Goods & Services105104100
Groceries103101100
Health care96106100
Housing148136100
Transportation9997100
Utilities7988100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Fountain, CO

Knowing the cost of living in Fountain allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Fountain stands at 114, marking it 14% higher than the national average.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Fountain, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 48.1% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Fountain?

When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 6 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Fountain. The results indicated that 33% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 67% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.

Is Fountain Affordable?

Wondering if Fountain is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Fountain, for example, the median home price is 44.1% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 57.4% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Fountain boasting a median household income of $99,641, which is 22.5% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Fountain?

Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.

Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Fountain, the groceries index is 3% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can undergo substantial fluctuations based on the city or state of residence. Elements such as the availability of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket costs for medical consultations, dental expenses, prescription medication charges and specialized medical care fees all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Fountain, healthcare costs are 3.9% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The cost of living data in Fountain displayed above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, which serves as a practical tool for comparing living expenses across urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, this index aggregates data from over 300 independent researchers, encompassing more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. The weightings assigned to cost differences rely on government survey data that tracks the spending habits of professional and executive households. It's worth noting that the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, while AreaVibes integrates tax rates into the overall cost of living evaluation for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Fountain is 3% higher than the Colorado average
  • The cost of living in Fountain is 14% higher than the national average
  • Fountain housing is 48% higher than the national average
  • Colorado general sales tax is 43% lower than the national average
  • Colorado state income tax is 69% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Fountain

See all the best places to live around Fountain

Compare Fountain, CO Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$110,896$9,241$2,587$3,327
      Renters$91,311$7,609$2,130$2,740
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Fountain, CO, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Fountain, the median monthly income is $110,896 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $2,587 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $91,311, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $2,130 on monthly rental expenses.

      Colorado Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Colorado 2.9% 10%

      Colorado Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Colorado 4.4% 4.4%

      Goods & Services

      Item Fountain National avg. Difference
      Haircut $34.76$27.6225.9%
      Beauty Salon $60.73$51.1118.8%
      Toothpaste $4.00$4.092.3%
      Shampoo $1.57$1.541.8%
      Movie $13.22$12.882.6%
      Yoga $21.14$19.667.5%

      Groceries

      Item Fountain National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $8.42$7.709.3%
      Fried Chicken $1.56$1.666.2%
      Milk $4.63$4.732.2%
      Potatoes $5.44$5.263.5%
      Pizza $13.38$12.764.8%
      Beer $10.95$10.553.8%

      Health Care

      Item Fountain National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $150.76$140.067.6%
      Doctor $145.73$153.825.3%
      Dentist $119.18$123.153.2%
      Ibuprofen $11.92$11.731.6%
      Lipitor $20.50$23.6113.2%

      Housing

      Item Fountain National avg. Difference
      Home Price $470,600.00$326,622.0044.1%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,463.00$2,480.250.7%
      Apartment Rent $2,273.00$1,444.0057.4%

      Transportation

      Item Fountain National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.95$3.063.5%
      Tire Balancing $69.30$65.216.3%

      Utilities

      Item Fountain National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $148.72$220.1232.4%
      Phone $193.32$195.711.2%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Stratmoor, CO6,1261022.1%
      Cimarron Hills, CO19,3841077.0%
      Security-Widefield, CO39,79611110.8%
      Colorado Springs, CO481,85511514.9%
      Fort Carson, CO16,84312323.5%
      Fountain, CO31,20511414.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Poughkeepsie, NY31,21311514.7%
      LaGrange, GA31,218954.9%
      Cibolo, TX31,23411111.0%
      Long Branch, NJ31,24414343.4%
      Atascadero, CA31,15615757.1%
      Fountain, CO31,20511414.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.