City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Fort Collins, CO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Fort Collins - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

169,705
Residents
$83,598
Median income
$548,400
Median home
$1,732
Median rent (state)

Fort Collins - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Fort Collins places in the 65th percentile for household income and the 23rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

65th
percentile, household income
87th
percentile, home value
70th
percentile, median rent
23rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Fort Collins, CO

Fort Collins is a mid-sized U.S. city in Colorado, home to 169,705 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Fort Collins brings in $83,598 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.6%. Fort Collins's housing stock carries a median value of $548,400, and the median resident age is 30.6 years. 59.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 66.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 685 residential building permits were authorized in Fort Collins (Construction Slowdown), down 28% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2428.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Colorado scores 103.1 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,732 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $202 across Colorado, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 90.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

169,705 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$83,598 /yr

Poverty 5.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Fort Collins compare to other US cities?

Fort Collins measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 65% higher than other cities
Home value 87% pricier than other cities
Median rent 70% pricier than other cities
Safety 23% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Colorado and the picture shifts: Fort Collins ranks #75 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Fort Collins's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Colorado, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

65thIncome percentile
23rdSafety percentile

65th percentile nationally for median household income · 23rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fort Collins's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fort Collins's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 37 Avg. percentile National median
Fort Collins's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Fort Collins's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$548,400 13th percentile more affordable than 13% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Fort Collins $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Fort Collins, CO Fort Collins, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fort Collins, CO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Fort Collins, CO median $83,598/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Fort Collins, CO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Fort Collins, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 59.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
169,705
Median Income
$83,598
Median Home Value
$548,400
Median Age
30.6
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Labor force participation
66.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
59.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2428.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
272.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2155.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
47
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
169,000 residents170,000 residents171,000 residents172,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 169,954 residents 171,500 residents ▲ +0.9%
Fort Collins's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
685
housing units authorized
Single-Family
371
detached homes
Multifamily
314
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 948
2020 627
2021 839
2022 802
2023 1,003
2024 685

Permit volume decreased 28% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.3%
Carpool
5.6%
Public Transit
1.5%
Walk
4.2%
Work from Home
20.2%
Other
5.2%

Based on 95,688 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Colorado - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$202
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Colorado state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Colorado state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Fort Collins sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,732/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Lakewood
156,309 people
Thornton
142,878 people
Arvada
122,835 people
Westminster
115,546 people
Pueblo
111,514 people
Greeley
109,421 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fort Collins's 169,705 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Springfield, MO
169,432 people
Lancaster, CA
170,013 people
Pembroke Pines, FL
170,557 people
Garden Grove, CA
170,603 people
Clarksville, TN
171,897 people
Bayamón zona urbana, PR
167,312 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fort Collins's $83,598 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Warsaw, VA
$83,594 median income
St. Leo, FL
$83,603 median income
Stallion Springs, CA
$83,590 median income
Coaling, AL
$83,587 median income
Malta, IL
$83,611 median income
Cedar Hill, NM
$83,611 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fort Collins, CO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Fort Collins, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 81.7% 10.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.3% White 81.7% Black or African American 1.4% Asian 3.4% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.2% Two or more races 10.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Fort Collins compares to nearby Colorado cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Fort Collins (this city) 169,705 $83,598
Lakewood 156,309 $85,789
Thornton 142,878 $100,985
Arvada 122,835 $113,396
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fort Collins, CO?

What is the population of Fort Collins, CO? +

Fort Collins, CO counts 169,705 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fort Collins, CO? +

Fort Collins households earn a median of $83,598 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fort Collins? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fort Collins; the closest available measure is the Colorado state average, a cost of living index of 103.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Colorado vary by metro area.

Is Fort Collins, CO safe? +

Fort Collins has a total crime rate of 2428.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Fort Collins, CO? +

The median home value in Fort Collins is $548,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.