Real Estate Investing in Fort Collins, Colorado (80525)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Larimer County • Population: 55,541 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 80525 (Fort Collins, CO)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (50/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 25.9 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Fort Collins, CO (80525)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $576,525
Avg Monthly Rent $1,857
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $88,788
% Renters 40.7%

Market Analysis: 80525 Fort Collins

ZIP 80525 in Fort Collins, CO carries a resilient set of headwinds. Home values near $577K and rents of $1,857/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

If the plan assumes clean turnover, on-time rent, and low maintenance on a $577K asset, 80525 is the wrong submarket. If the plan prices in friction, the yield can still work.

Nearby ZIPs in Fort Collins have seen price recovery that 80525 has not matched. Larimer County data supports the view that the spread is structural rather than temporary.

Who lives in 80525 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

The right play in 80525 usually involves deep tenant screening, aggressive delinquency response, and a conservative capex buffer. Anything less, and the discount can turn into a trap.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Fort Collins:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 62/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
14/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6.5× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+3.0%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,857/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Fort Collins, CO Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
58 days
Average time to sell
Average
10.9%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Fort Collins, CO metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 80525

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
4.8% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+5.5% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$150,600/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $253,053 $1,690 4.8% +4.6% $253,053
2BR $349,851 $1,900 3.9% +4.2% $174,925
3BR $536,523 $2,620 3.5% +5.1% $178,841
4BR $640,938 $2,790 3.1% +5.4% $160,234
5BR $752,998 +5.5% $150,600

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$610K$531K$451K$371K$292K$212KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,911$1,757$1,603$1,449$1,294$1,140Jan 2017Oct 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 80525 Compare?

Metric 80525 Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO Colorado
Home Value $576,525 $577,037 N/A $535,778
5-Year CAGR 3.4% 3.0% N/A 4.9%
Avg Rent $1,857 $1,995 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.5% 2.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 80525? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 41% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 80525 (Fort Collins, CO). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Larimer County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Armadillo Properties offers property management, rental listings, and sales services in Copperas Cove, Killeen, Harker Heights, and Kempner. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Dimensions Realty and Management is a full-service real estate company providing property management and brokerage services in Northern Colorado, including Fort Collins. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Faith Pro LLC is a Northern Colorado Property Management Company. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.5%
Low
5yr Growth
+3.4%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Fort Collins, CO metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
47%
Days Pending
1/2
58 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $576,525
Monthly Rent $1,857
Price-to-Rent 25.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.9%
Cap Rate 2.5%
5-Year IRR 5.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +3.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.4% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +2.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.1% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.5%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
2.8%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.4%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 80525

Population: 55,541

💰 Median Household Income
$88,788
This area
$88,788
State
$79,719
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
40.7%
This area
40.7%
State
26.4%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.2%
This area
3.2%
State
-25.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
57.8%
This area
57.8%
State
5.8%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
36.5 years
This area
36.5 years
State
-0.1 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
2.8%
This area
2.8%
State
18.7%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 83.9%
Other/Mixed 12.3%
Hispanic/Latino 7.1%
Asian 2.6%
Black/African American 1.2%
👶 Under 18
17.1%
This area
17.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
14.9%
This area
14.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
3.7%
This area
3.7%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 80525

B+ Avg School Grade
17 Schools
15.3:1 Avg Class Size
$16,700 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Linton Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
307 Students
👨‍🏫
10.4:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Boltz Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
564 Students
👨‍🏫
14.5:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
A+ Excellent

O'Dea Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
432 Students
👨‍🏫
14.1:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Shepardson Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
424 Students
👨‍🏫
14.6:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Werner Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
350 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
A Very Good

Compass Community Collaborative School

📚 06 – 12 High School Charter
👥
163 Students
👨‍🏫
11.8:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
A Very Good

Cottonwood Plains Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
345 Students
👨‍🏫
13.7:1 Class Size
💰
$16,792 Per Student
A Very Good

Kruse Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
457 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
A Very Good

Riffenburgh Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
451 Students
👨‍🏫
15.8:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
A Very Good

Mountain Sage Community School

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
285 Students
👨‍🏫
14.4:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Ridgeview Classical Schools

📚 K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
730 Students
👨‍🏫
16.2:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Coyote Ridge Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
264 Students
👨‍🏫
15.4:1 Class Size
💰
$16,792 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Fort Collins High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,902 Students
👨‍🏫
16.9:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
B Good

Ascent Classical Academy of Northern Colorado

📚 K – 11 High School Charter
👥
613 Students
👨‍🏫
17.3:1 Class Size
💰
$12,972 Per Student
B Good

Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary Charter
👥
195 Students
👨‍🏫
14.4:1 Class Size
💰
$12,972 Per Student
B Good

Liberty Common Charter School

📚 K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
1,475 Students
👨‍🏫
19.8:1 Class Size
💰
$17,617 Per Student
C+ Average

Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins

📚 06 – 12 High School Charter
👥
967 Students
👨‍🏫
21.0:1 Class Size
💰
$12,972 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

4 Nearby 770 Off-Campus Students
C
IBMC College
306 students · 2.0 mi
C
Tuana European Beauty Academy
39 students · 3.8 mi
B
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
33,500 students · 3.8 mi
C
Cheeks Beauty Academy
40 students · 6.0 mi

Investor Insight: With 770 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average home sale price in Fort Collins, CO?

Fort Collins, CO home values average about $577K. That price point suits investors targeting rentals with $1,857/mo in monthly income.

Does Fort Collins, CO favor landlords or tenants?

For rental operators, Fort Collins, CO rates as landlord-friendly. The regulatory environment standard buy-and-hold operations.

What is the typical renter like in Fort Collins, CO?

The renter base in Fort Collins, CO is reasonable for the $1,857/mo price point. Screening well and pricing to market typically yields measured tenants.

How viable is house hacking in Fort Collins, CO?

Fort Collins, CO is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $577K price point reasonable to enter.

How do experienced investors play Fort Collins, CO?

Fort Collins, CO investors pursuing careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The underlying economics ($577K prices, $1,857/mo rents) make it a reasonable choice.

You know 80525 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 80525 ranks in Fort Collins, CO

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