Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fort Collins, Colorado
A $548,000 home here costs
$4,039per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.32% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $173,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,012. The real number is $1,027 higher every month, 34% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Larimer County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Fort Collins against Larimer County and Colorado
| Measure | Fort Collins | Larimer County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $548,400 | $532,200 |
| Median property tax | $2,734 | $2,662 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.499% | 0.500% |
| Median gross rent | $1,661 | $1,677 |
| Population | 169,705 | 363,561 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fort Collins sits in Larimer County, which averages a high of 74.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.0°F in its coldest, with 20.57" of precipitation a year and 35% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 6 cooling and 10,054 heating degree days, which is what sets the $116 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Larimer County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Larimer County
Full Larimer County cost breakdown · Every county in Colorado
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Fort Collins averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Fort Collins every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Fort Collins I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fort Collins?
A $548,000 home in Fort Collins, Colorado costs approximately $4,039 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $3,012 principal and interest, $228 property tax, $159 homeowners insurance, $184 utilities and $457 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fort Collins?
Fort Collins has an effective property tax rate of 0.499%, based on a median home value of $548,400 and median real estate taxes of $2,734. That is in line with the Larimer County average of 0.500%.
What is the average home price in Fort Collins?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fort Collins, Colorado is $548,400, against $532,200 across Larimer County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Collins?
Median gross rent in Fort Collins is $1,661 a month, against $4,039 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Fort Collins?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Fort Collins, Colorado at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $173,000 a year. That covers the full $4,039 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fort Collins, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Colorado.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.