What we build

Budget Calculator — Enter your monthly take-home pay and we break down what you can realistically afford in any of Colorado's 20 largest cities. We show fixed costs (housing, groceries, insurance, utilities, transportation), savings targets, investment targets, and guilt-free spending — with a plain-language verdict on whether your income covers Colorado's cost of living in that city.

Wildfire Insurance Estimator — Colorado's insurance market has been under severe stress since the Marshall Fire (2021) and other recent events. This tool estimates your annual homeowners insurance premium range based on your city, property type, roof material, and whether you've completed defensible space work. Results are ranges, not quotes — but they reflect real 2024–2025 market conditions.

Risk Zone Checker — Answer a few questions about your location, terrain, and surrounding vegetation to get an estimated wildfire risk level. The tool explains what that tier means for your insurance availability and what mitigation steps would have the greatest impact on your premium and your safety.

How we make money

PeakCalc is free to use. The site is supported by two revenue sources:

• Google AdSense display ads — standard contextual advertising. Ads are clearly labeled "Advertisement" and never interrupt the calculator experience.
• Affiliate referral links — where relevant to your results, we may include links to insurance comparison partners (such as LendingTree or Gabi Insurance). If you click and purchase through one of these links, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are always labeled "Sponsored" or "Ad" per FTC guidelines. We only surface them in context — for example, a mortgage link after a home affordability result, never inside a shortfall warning.

We don't sell personal data, run pop-ups, or use dark patterns. The calculators work identically whether or not you interact with any ad or affiliate link.

Data sources

• Wildfire risk and fire history — Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC); National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
• Insurance market conditions — Colorado Division of Insurance; HB25-1182 (2025 Colorado wildfire insurance legislation); FAIR Plan documentation
• Rent and cost of living — Local market data aggregated from public listings, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI regional data. Updated April 2026.
• City demographics and geography — U.S. Census Bureau; Colorado State Demography Office

All figures are estimates intended to inform planning decisions. Verify with local sources before making financial commitments.

Contact

Questions, data corrections, or partnership inquiries: peakcalc@gmail.com

You can also use our contact form.