Rents are 5% below what Fort Collins's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,959 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Fort Collins usually run 1.8% below trend in December and 1.4% above it in June, about $63 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Fort Collins is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2016.
Rent in Fort Collins changed +1.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 60 Colorado cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Fort Collins rose 31.2% while median household income rose 29.2% ($65,866 to $85,070). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Fort Collins is 34% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($85,070) is $2,127 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,710); a 3-bedroom is $2,396.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Fort Collins, 80528 ($2,146/mo), costs 16% more than the cheapest, 80525 ($1,853/mo).
Greeley, 20 miles away, rents for 26% less ($1,454/mo), about $6,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Fort Collins. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Fort Collins, CO is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 60.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fort Collins, CO has changed in 5 years
Rent in Fort Collins, CO has climbed 28.5% since 2021, going from about $1,525 per month to roughly $1,959 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in Fort Collins, CO now reports about $85,070, up from $72,932 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 11.9 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 166,788 to 170,229 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.1% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 56.6% to 60.7%. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Fort Collins, CO reflects that arc in its own way.
Discussions about Fort Collins
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Fort Collins on your salary?
At $1,959/mo, how Fort Collins rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fort Collins rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fort Collins. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fort Collins
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Fort Collins is $1,959/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,448/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,710/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,456/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,396/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($85,070/yr), Fort Collins ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do you need to rent in Fort Collins?
Is rent going up or down in Fort Collins?
When is the cheapest time to rent in Fort Collins?
Has rent outpaced income in Fort Collins?
Which Fort Collins neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Fort Collins rent compare to other cities in Colorado?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Fort Collins?
At $1,959/mo, rent takes ~28% of Fort Collins's median household income ($85,070/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Fort Collins.
No discussions yet.