Fort Collins vs Greeley
Compare Fort Collins, CO and Greeley, CO on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Greeley is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,351/mo versus $1,584/mo in Fort Collins — a gap of about $233/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,533/mo against $1,646/mo. Across the four public-data screens Fort Collins comes out ahead (242 vs 227 summed points), though Greeley still wins specific categories below.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 86°F and 85°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Greeley; if walkable daily life matters more, Fort Collins screens stronger on the walkability proxy (12 vs 4). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Greeley leads 60 to 54 on the cost and climate screen.
Fort Collins leads 74 to 70 on the work screen.
Fort Collins leads 63 to 43 on the daily life screen.
Greeley leads 54 to 51 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Fort Collins is roughly $85,000 in Greeley using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Fort Collins | Greeley | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,584/mo | $1,351/mo | Greeley |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,646/mo | $1,533/mo | Greeley |
| Median home value | $488,000 | $412,000 | Greeley |
| State income tax | 4.4% | 4.4% | Tie |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 30.6 min | Fort Collins |
| Safety score | 38/100 | 38/100 | Tie |
| School score | 8/10 | 6/10 | Fort Collins |
| Walkability estimate | 12/100 | 4/100 | Fort Collins |
| Outdoor score | 9/10 | 9/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 208.4 | 134.9 | Fort Collins |
| Mountain distance | 14 mi | 19 mi | Fort Collins |
| Coast distance | 787 mi | 791 mi | Fort Collins |
| Climate-risk composite (FEMA NRI) | 56/100 | 65/100 | Greeley |
| Ice storm risk percentile (NRI) | 26th | 54th | Fort Collins |
| Wildfire risk percentile (NRI) | 93th | 67th | Greeley |
| Winter weather risk percentile (NRI) | 95th | 76th | Greeley |
What stands out
Fort Collins stronger signals
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Strong outdoor access
- Trail access within 13 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
Fort Collins tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
- Cold winters
Greeley stronger signals
- Strong outdoor access
- Trail access within 24 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 47 miles
Greeley tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
- Cold winters
Common questions
Is Fort Collins cheaper than Greeley?
On public benchmarks Greeley is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,584/mo in Fort Collins vs $1,351/mo in Greeley; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,646/mo vs $1,533/mo; state income tax is 4.4% vs 4.4%.
Is Fort Collins or Greeley safer?
Fort Collins screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 38/100 for Fort Collins and 38/100 for Greeley (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Fort Collins or Greeley?
School screens show 8/10 for Fort Collins vs 6/10 for Greeley, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Fort Collins and Greeley?
Fort Collins: summer highs near 86°F, winter lows near 12°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Greeley: 85°F / 13°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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