Fort Collins, COBest Places To Live in the U.S. in 2023
Located in the foothills of the Rockies, Fort Collins captivates with its natural beauty and strong spirit. With a flourishing craft beer scene, thriving arts and culture, and an abundance of things to do, the city offers affordability without skimping on amenities.
Fort Collins, CO, Is One of the Best Cities To Live in America
Mickey Mouse and crew would feel right at home in Fort Collins, CO — because Historic Old Town Fort Collins actually inspired Disneyland’s Main Street USA. This Northern Colorado city is one of the best places to live in the U.S. and is known for being a cute college town, a craft beer capital, and a paradise for outdoors lovers who live for weekends spent exploring trails, white water rafting and camping under dark, star-studded skies.
Fort Collins gets extra credit for being a smarty-pants kind of city. In addition to superb K-12 schools, Colorado State University is located here. The university receives accolades for many of its programs, including its College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, which graduates students who go on to take care of pets around the world. CSU is also honored for being a top school for military veterans, producing a high volume of civic-minded Peace Corps and being a leader in sustainability. For example, some of the green initiatives on campus include reusable to-go containers in the dining halls, which means fewer takeout containers end up in a landfill.
For those looking to launch or grow their careers, Fort Collins’ resilient economy is supported by a number of industries — with some of the area’s largest employers building your dependable phone cases (OtterBox) and helping keep your pearly whites clean (Waterpik). Other major employers include Noosa Yogurts, Hewlett Packard Enterprises and tech-driven startups. The city is also a leader in up-and-coming sectors like bioscience and clean energy.
Oh, and a favorite way to get around town is on two wheels: This bike-friendly city has a Spin e-bike and e-scooter share program.
Fort Collins is also the largest craft beer producer in Colorado, with more than 70% of it made here, a fun piece of trivia considering the city was dry until 1969. (Psst, dial up those not-so-long-ago speakeasy vibes at Social Fort Collins, a subterranean cocktail bar). Residents who are thirsty after all their adventure-packed days can find plenty of spots to grab a cold pint and enjoy some live music, from the big names like O’Dell Brewing Co and New Belgium to the smaller breweries making tasty beers. Snowbank Brewing is known to get creative with small-batch brews like the “Bagy-ale” everything bagel-inspired beer and cherry-chocolate stouts.
Fort Collins, CO Quality of Life LivScore
Fort Collins, CO Top Categories
Transportation
Education
Environment
Fort Collins ranks highest for transportation, education and environment.
Weather and Outdoor Activities in Fort Collins, CO
Fort Collins residents enjoy the best of all four seasons. The average highs and lows are 84°F and 55°F (summer) and 44°F and 18°F (winter).
The average annual snowfall in Fort Collins is around 48 inches. The months with the highest snowfall averages are December, January and February.
The average annual rainfall in Fort Collins is relatively low, at just around 20 inches. The wettest months tend to be in the spring and summer.
Fort Collins averages 300 sunny days a year.
Horsetooth Reservoir is a favorite spot for everything from camping to stand-up paddleboarding and rock climbing.
Fort Collins Weather
300 days
Average Annual Sun
20 inches
Average Annual Rain
48 inches
Average Annual Snow
Things To Do in Fort Collins, CO
Fort Collins is music to our ears. Thanks to the Pianos About Town project, you can find beautifully painted pianos throughout Fort Collins. You may just stumble upon an impromptu performance by a pianist.
Take a tour of New Belgium’s Fort Collins brewery (and get a free beer sample)!
Explore the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, which has a “Tot Spot,” Music and Sound Lab filled with instruments and an exploration zone with hands-on experiments.
Catch a double feature at the Holiday Twin Drive-In movie theater.
The Local and State Economy in Fort Collins, CO
Advanced manufacturing, education, and state and federal government are among the largest industries in Fort Collins. New Belgium Brewing Company, one of the largest craft breweries in the country, is headquartered in Fort Collins — other significant employers include Colorado State University, OtterBox and Advanced Energy.
In 2023, the sales tax rate in Fort Collins is 7.55%. Colorado has one of the country’s lowest overall state sales tax rates.
Yes, Colorado has a state income tax.
UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital and Banner Fort Collins Medical Center are among the top hospitals in Fort Collins. Other providers include Columbine Health Systems, a group of health care facilities providing medical care and senior living services, and Salud Family Health Centers, a network of community health clinics providing medical care to underserved populations.
There are several colleges and universities in Fort Collins, CO, but the most notable is Colorado State University.
Quick Facts About Fort Collins, CO
- Median Household Income
- $74,942
- Median Home Value
- $490,263
- Average State Property Tax
- $2,017
- Total Population
- 172,676
- Median Rent/Mo.
- $1,358
- Average Commute
- 17.15 minutes
Fort Collins is one the best places to live in the U.S. thanks to great schools, a resilient economy and sustainability efforts. Learn more about living in Fort Collins, and discover why it’s one of the best places to live out West. Another good resource as you consider a move: The Ultimate Guide To Finding Your Best Place To Live.
