Rents are 7% 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 $1,943 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: August 17, 2026
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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 25.8% since 2021, going from about $1,544 per month to roughly $1,943 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 9.2 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
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Can you afford rent in Fort Collins on your salary?
At $1,943/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: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Fort Collins is $1,943/mo as of August 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 27% of local median household income ($85,070/yr), Fort Collins ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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What percentage of Fort Collins residents rent vs. own?
How does Fort Collins rent compare to the national average?
At $1,943/mo, rent takes ~27% of Fort Collins's median household income ($85,070/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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