The Town FilesFort Collins, Colorado
City in Larimer County · population 169,810 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $577,900
- Household income
- $85,070
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 30.9
Fort Collins is a city of 169,810 people in Larimer County, Colorado. The median home is worth $577,900, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more of a college town than 94% of Colorado towns, better for cycling than 94% of Colorado towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Colorado towns.
How Fort Collins ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fort Collins is worth $577,900, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 6.8 times the median household income of $85,070, which is more affordable than 19% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,690 a month. 51.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Collins | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $577,900 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,690 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $85,070 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.8× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 51.6% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Fort Collins
| People | Fort Collins | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.7% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.8% | — |
| Work from home | 22.0% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.2% | 92.9% |
Weather in Fort Collins
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 18.3°F. About 15.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.3 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Collins since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 22, 2008 about 6.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 79 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 22, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 265 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 30, 1979.
Severe weather in Larimer County since 1996
Larimer County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2024 | Fire | FM-5524: Alexander Mountain Fire |
| July 31, 2024 | Fire | FM-5525: Stone Mountain Fire |
| January 15, 2021 | Fire | DR-4581: Wildfires |
| September 6, 2020 | Fire | FM-5349: Cameron Peak Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Larimer County
Larimer County had 175,265 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,912 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Fort Collins itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Fort Collins
47 public schools with 26,722 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain High School | 9-12 | 2,056 | 20.0 |
| Fossil Ridge High School | 9-12 | 1,968 | 19.5 |
| Fort Collins High School | 9-12 | 1,902 | 17.0 |
| Poudre High School | 9-12 | 1,572 | 17.3 |
| Liberty Common Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 1,475 | 19.9 |
| Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins (charter) | 6-12 | 967 | 21.0 |
| Lesher Middle School | 6-8 | 769 | 17.9 |
| Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School | 6-8 | 766 | 19.6 |
| Ridgeview Classical Schools (charter) | K-12 | 730 | 16.2 |
| Webber Middle School | 6-8 | 724 | 18.1 |
| Ascent Classical Academy of Northern Colorado (charter) | K-11 | 613 | 17.5 |
| Boltz Middle School | 6-8 | 564 | 14.8 |
Towns near Fort Collins
- Timnath, CO5.3 mi · 6,487 people · home $730,100
- Loveland, CO9.1 mi · 76,378 people · home $479,000
- Windsor, CO9.2 mi · 32,716 people · home $604,000
- Wellington, CO10.8 mi · 11,047 people · home $464,200
- Severance, CO11.0 mi · 7,683 people · home $528,500
- Greeley, CO18.0 mi · 108,795 people · home $402,500
- Johnstown, CO18.5 mi · 17,303 people · home $540,300
- Eaton, CO18.5 mi · 5,802 people · home $475,900
Fort Collins questions
Is Fort Collins, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Collins scores better for retirees than 24% of Colorado towns and quieter than 6%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).
How much does a house cost in Fort Collins?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Collins is valued at $577,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,070, so homes cost about 6.8 times income. Median rent is $1,690 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Collins?
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 18.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.9 inches of precipitation a year and 49.3 inches of snow.
Does Fort Collins get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Collins since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 22, 2008. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)