Rent vs buy in Fort Collins, CO
In Fort Collins, Colorado, the typical rent is $1,959 /mo and the typical home value is $554,735.
Renting comes out ahead by $41k over 7 years.
Using Fort Collins's typical rent, its typical home value, 20% down and today's mortgage rate. The costs balance in year 12.
An opinion with clear labels and the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Change one number, and the stamp changes with it.
- Lead for renting:
- $41k after 7 years
- Balancing point
- year 12 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of ownership
- $4,627 each month year 1, against $1,959 rent
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Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Collins?
Over 7 years, renting saves $40,890 after counting the money returned when you sell. For the first 11 years, renting costs less. By year 12, owning catches up.
The rental option. Home ownership. Net cost by year so far.
Fort Collins average rent compared with mortgage payments
In year 1, every monthly cost appears here at Fort Collins's typical price. Rent and mortgage aren't the whole story.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,959 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $3,024 | $2,666 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $231 | 0.5% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $135 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $462 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $3,853 | $359 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $902 | At 8.3% a year, that's what the cash would earn. |
| Buying costs, spread out | $231 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $4,627 | Cash paid, minus equity, then add both entries above. |
Fort Collins verdict explained by its numbers
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $554,735
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,959 /mo
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model
- 20%
- Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Home price growthFHFA house price index, Colorado, 1995 to 2025
- 5.2% a year
- Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% a year
- Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% a year
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Fort Collins
- 0.5% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Fort Collins
- $135 /mo
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%
- 1% of value a year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of price
- Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of price
What would reverse the result in Fort Collins?
Each line shows where the 7-year Fort Collins verdict changes, while all other factors stay the same.
When renting comes out ahead
- Home prices growing by less than 6.0% a year meets the condition. This estimate uses 5.2%, Colorado's long-run rate.
- A mortgage rate above 5.93% stays in place.
- A home like this has monthly rent below $2,400. The typical rent here is $1,959.
- Your move happens before year 12.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home prices increase by more than 6.0% each year.
- Your mortgage rate is locked below 5.93%. Today's rate is 7.24%.
- You would pay more than $2,400 a month to rent the same home.
- You remain at least 12 years.
How Fort Collins compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Fort Collins | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $554,735 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,959 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 23.6 (#185 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.6% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 3.9% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.50% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 48% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Other Colorado cities
- Renting wins by $37k in Denver, CO.
- Renting wins by $17k in Colorado Springs, CO.
- Renting wins by $22k in Aurora, CO.
- Renting wins by $54k in Lakewood, CO.
- Renting wins by $26k in Thornton, CO.
- Renting wins by $47k in Arvada, CO.
- Renting wins by $34k in Westminster, CO.
- Renting wins by $33k in Greeley, CO.
- Buying wins by $5k in Pueblo, CO.
- Renting wins by $53k in Centennial, CO.
- Renting wins by $147k in Boulder, CO.
- Renting wins by $45k in Longmont, CO.