Fort Collins Home Prices: $569K, Down 1.1% — 5 ZIPs Analyzed (2026)
$569,073. That’s what a typical home costs in Fort Collins right now. Prices are sliding — down 1.1% from a year ago — and the trend has held steady for months. If you’ve been watching this market, the correction is real but modest.
Quick answer: The average home price in Fort Collins, CO is $569,073 as of February 2026, down 1.1% year over year according to Zillow.
Current Home Prices in Fort Collins
Here’s where the Fort Collins market stands as of February 2026:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $569,073 |
| Year-over-Year Change | -1.1% |
| Lowest ZIP Median | $517,883 |
| Highest ZIP Median | $646,322 |
| ZIP Codes Tracked | 5 |
The -1.1% annual decline puts Fort Collins in a mild correction. This isn’t a crash. The city’s median peaked around $575,352 in March 2025 and has drifted lower in nearly every month since. By February 2026, prices had shed roughly $6,300 from that peak.
The spread between the cheapest and priciest ZIP codes is about $128,000. That gap tells you Fort Collins still has meaningfully different price tiers depending on where you buy.
For a buyer putting 20% down on a $569K home, you’re looking at a $455K mortgage. At a 6.5% rate, that’s roughly $2,880 per month in principal and interest alone — before property taxes, insurance, and HOA fees.
Fort Collins Home Prices by Neighborhood
All five tracked ZIP codes in Fort Collins, ranked from most to least expensive:
| ZIP Code | Median Home Value | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|
| 80528 | $646,322 | $2,058/mo |
| 80524 | $581,901 | $2,122/mo |
| 80525 | $566,715 | $1,744/mo |
| 80526 | $532,544 | $1,981/mo |
| 80521 | $517,883 | $2,319/mo |
Most Expensive
80528 leads at $646,322 — that’s 13.6% above the city median. This southeast area commands a premium while keeping rents at a moderate $2,058/month.
80524 comes in at $581,901, roughly $13K above the city average. Rents here run $2,122/month, among the higher in the city.
80525 sits just below the median at $566,715 but pairs that with the lowest rent in Fort Collins at $1,744/month — a notable gap.
Most Affordable
80521 is the entry point at $517,883, about $51K cheaper than the city median. Interestingly, it has the highest rents at $2,319/month, which suggests strong rental demand relative to home values.
80526 offers the second-most affordable option at $532,544. Rents run $1,981/month here.
One quirk in the data: the cheapest ZIP to buy (80521) has the highest rents. That mismatch could signal either an undervalued purchase market or an area with a heavy renter population pushing lease prices up.
Rent vs Buy in Fort Collins
Renting is cheaper on a monthly basis. Here’s the math.
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| City-Wide Median Rent | ~$2,045/mo |
| Estimated Mortgage (20% down, 6.5%) | ~$2,880/mo |
| Monthly Difference | ~$835/mo |
The average rent across Fort Collins’ five ZIP codes works out to approximately $2,045 per month. A mortgage on the median-priced home — assuming 20% down and a 6.5% interest rate — runs about $2,880 per month in principal and interest.
That’s an $835 monthly gap before you factor in property taxes, insurance, and maintenance. Add those in and the true cost of ownership exceeds $3,400/month in most cases.
Rents vary significantly by ZIP. In 80525, you’d pay $1,744/month. In 80521, it’s $2,319. The cheapest place to rent is not the cheapest place to buy.
For someone deciding between renting and buying in Fort Collins right now, the numbers favor renting unless you plan to stay at least 5-7 years and believe prices will stabilize or recover.
Population Growth and Migration
Fort Collins is growing, but barely.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 169,990 |
| 2021 | 169,302 |
| 2022 | 170,318 |
| 2023 | 170,730 |
| 2024 | 170,924 |
The city added just 934 residents over four years — a 0.5% growth rate from 2020 to 2024. Population actually dipped in 2021 before slowly recovering.
Compare that to other Colorado cities:
| City | 2024 Population | 4-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Greeley | 114,363 | 4.6% |
| Aurora | 403,130 | 4.2% |
| Thornton | 146,689 | 3.2% |
| Colorado Springs | 493,554 | 2.5% |
| Denver | 729,019 | 1.6% |
| Fort Collins | 170,924 | 0.5% |
Fort Collins trails every comparable Colorado city in population growth. Greeley is growing nine times faster. Even Denver, a mature metro, added residents at three times Fort Collins’ rate.
Slow population growth reduces one source of upward pressure on housing prices. Fewer new residents means less competition for existing homes.
Fort Collins Housing Market Trends
Here’s how the median home value moved month by month:
| Month | Median Value | Min ZIP | Max ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | $575,352 | $521,706 | $655,369 |
| Apr 2025 | $573,220 | $519,455 | $653,677 |
| May 2025 | $570,990 | $517,463 | $651,430 |
| Jun 2025 | $569,258 | $516,161 | $649,638 |
| Jul 2025 | $567,918 | $515,179 | $647,988 |
| Aug 2025 | $567,477 | $514,973 | $647,130 |
| Sep 2025 | $567,588 | $514,889 | $646,892 |
| Oct 2025 | $567,964 | $515,094 | $646,889 |
| Nov 2025 | $568,559 | $515,812 | $647,218 |
| Dec 2025 | $569,270 | $516,927 | $647,645 |
| Jan 2026 | $569,639 | $518,003 | $647,451 |
| Feb 2026 | $569,073 | $517,883 | $646,322 |
The pattern is clear. Prices dropped from March through August 2025 — a $7,875 decline over five months. Then they flattened. From September 2025 through January 2026, the market barely moved, hovering between $567K and $570K.
February’s small dip broke a gentle upward drift. Whether that’s seasonal noise or the start of another leg down isn’t clear from one month.
The most expensive ZIP topped out at $655,369 in March 2025 and has since fallen to $646,322 — a $9,047 drop.
Is Fort Collins a Good Place to Buy in 2026?
The data points to a buyer’s market, though a tepid one.
Prices are falling, but slowly. A 1.1% annual decline won’t scare sellers into fire sales. There’s no panic here. What there is: more negotiating room than you’d have had in 2024.
The flat population growth matters. Fort Collins isn’t getting a wave of new residents bidding up prices. Demand is stable, not surging.
If you’re buying to live in the home for 7+ years, today’s prices are reasonable relative to the past 12 months. You’re buying near the bottom of a small dip rather than near a peak. The entry-level ZIP (80521 at $518K) is where first-time buyers should focus.
If you’re an investor, the rent-to-price ratios are weak. A $518K home renting for $2,319/month yields roughly 5.4% gross — before vacancies, maintenance, and management eat into that.
Fort Collins Housing Market Outlook for 2026-2027
The 12-month trend suggests prices will stay flat through mid-2026. The steep decline from spring 2025 has already played out. What replaced it is a sideways market oscillating in a narrow $2,000 band.
If the current pace continues, expect the median to hover between $565K and $572K through summer 2026. The August-to-January pattern showed prices trying to creep higher but failing to gain real momentum.
The wild card is mortgage rates. If rates drop below 6%, pent-up demand could push prices up modestly. If rates hold above 6.5%, the flat trend likely continues.
Fort Collins’ slow population growth limits any sharp rebound. Without a meaningful influx of new residents, the supply-demand balance stays roughly even.
Similar Markets in CO
If you’re shopping in Fort Collins, these Colorado markets are worth comparing:
- Denver — The state’s largest market with a 1.6% population growth rate, offering more inventory and neighborhood variety.
- Colorado Springs — Growing at 2.5% and typically priced below Fort Collins, a strong option for buyers wanting more space for less.
- Aurora — One of Colorado’s fastest-growing cities at 4.2%, worth watching for appreciation potential.
- Longmont — A smaller Front Range city between Fort Collins and Denver, often with comparable pricing.
- Thornton — Growing at 3.2% with metro Denver access, an alternative for commuters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average home price in Fort Collins?
The average home price in Fort Collins is $569,073 as of February 2026. That figure represents the citywide median across all five tracked ZIP codes. Prices range from $517,883 in ZIP 80521 to $646,322 in ZIP 80528.
Are home prices going up or down in Fort Collins?
Prices are down 1.1% compared to a year ago. The median fell from $575,352 in March 2025 to $569,073 in February 2026, though most of that decline happened between March and August 2025. Since then, prices have been essentially flat.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Collins?
Renting is cheaper on a monthly basis. The average rent across Fort Collins is approximately $2,045/month. A mortgage on the median home with 20% down at 6.5% runs about $2,880/month — and that’s before taxes and insurance. You’d save roughly $835+ per month by renting.
What is the most affordable neighborhood in Fort Collins?
ZIP code 80521 has the lowest median home value at $517,883 — about $51,000 below the city average. Despite having the cheapest homes, it carries the highest rents at $2,319/month, suggesting strong demand from renters in the area.
Methodology
Home values are based on the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), a smoothed measure of typical home values in the 35th to 65th percentile range. Rent estimates use the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Population figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (2020-2024 vintage). All datasets are publicly available. Housing data updated 2026-02-28.