Fort Collins, CO
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
expensive
Price to income
5.83×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Colorado
- 4.95×
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
22.7%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Colorado
- 23.9%-1.1
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-0.5
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
tight
Cap rate proxy
2.54%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Colorado
- 2.79%
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.18%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Colorado
- 0.21%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.15
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
strong
Permit pipeline
6.51
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Colorado
- 5.40+1.11
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+2.99
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.4%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Colorado
- 3.6%-0.2
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-0.5
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+40.6%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+1.8%
Median home value
$532,200
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $1,537 | $18,444 | 20.2% |
| 2 BR | $1,732 | $20,784 | 22.7% |
| 3 BR | $2,385 | $28,620 | 31.3% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.4%
Median household income
$91,364
What's being built
Total TTM
2,339
+58.9% YoY
Single-family
943
2–4 unit
80
5+ unit
1,316
All 1 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larimer County | 359,363 | $532,200 | $91,364 | 2,339 | +58.9% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Fort Collins | 359,363 | $91,364 | 5.83× | 2.54% | +40.6% | 6.51 | 3.4% |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 370,231 | $87,156 | — | — | +43.5% | — | 3.7% |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | 380,221 | $86,173 | — | — | +64.1% | — | 4.6% |
| Greeley, CO | 331,466 | $93,287 | — | — | +36.9% | — | 4.0% |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 383,732 | $96,333 | — | — | +69.2% | — | 4.5% |
| Anchorage, AK | 399,335 | $95,918 | — | — | +41.1% | — | 4.3% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+656
+0.18% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Weld County, CO | 2,039 |
| Boulder County, CO | 1,117 |
| Denver County, CO | 666 |
| Jefferson County, CO | 580 |
| Adams County, CO | 534 |
| Arapahoe County, CO | 435 |
Who lives in Fort Collins
- Median age
- 37
- Bachelor's+
- 51.7%
- Owner-occupancy
- 64.3%
- Vacancy rate
- 6.4%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 51.6%
- Median household income
- $91,364
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.