Fort Garland, CO vs Howard, CO

Fort Garland, CO and Howard, CO have a very similar cost of living, with only a 0.5% difference in their overall index. Fort Garland scores 82 while Howard scores 82 on the cost of living index, where 100 represents the national average. The day-to-day expenses for residents in both cities are comparable, though differences emerge when looking at specific categories.

On the housing front, median rent in Fort Garland is $871/month compared to $488/month in Howard — a 79% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Howard has cheaper rent, Fort Garland actually has lower median home values ($239,600 vs $386,500).

Median household income in Fort Garland is $29,750 compared to $57,664 in Howard (-48.4%). While Howard is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Fort Garland spend roughly 35.1% of their income on rent, more than the 10.2% in Howard. The Howard ratio exceeds the commonly recommended 30% threshold, which can put pressure on household budgets.