ZIP 80521
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
September. Asking rents in ZIP 80521 usually run 1.8% below trend in September and 1.4% above it in April, about $60 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 80521 is 1.8% below its high of $1,898 in March 2026, at $1,863 as of September 2026.
Rent in ZIP 80521 changed -0.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 155 Colorado ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.3%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 80521 rose 35.1% while median household income rose 19.9% ($48,446 to $58,082). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 80521 is 38.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 5 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($58,082) is $1,452 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,400); a 2-bedroom is $1,580.
2nd cheapest of 5 ZIP codes in Fort Collins.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 80521. 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.
Who lives here
ZIP 80521 (Fort Collins, CO) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 64% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 80521 in Fort Collins, CO has changed in 5 years
Rent in ZIP 80521 in Fort Collins, CO has increased 29.9% since 2021, going from about $1,434 per month to roughly $1,863 today. On the earnings side, the typical household in ZIP 80521 in Fort Collins, CO now reports about $58,082, up from $50,712 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 15.4 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 37,867 to 38,776 between 2021 and 2024, a 2.4% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 60.4% to 64%. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and ZIP 80521 in Fort Collins, CO reflects that arc in its own way.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 80521
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 80521 covers Fort Collins, CO. The median rent here is $1,863/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,400/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,580/mo.
At 38% of local median household income ($58,082/yr), ZIP 80521 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 80521 compare to the rest of Fort Collins?
At $1,863/mo, rent takes ~38% of ZIP 80521's median household income ($58,082/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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