Fort Collins Ranked One of Worst College Towns in America – Here’s Why

Although Fort Collins is one of the fastest-growing cities with a ton to offer, there are some growing pains as Colorado continues to grow.

I have heard many people complain about how expensive it is, how hard getting a job can be, and how they wish Fort Collins would return to the way it was.

I live in Fort Collins and I love it. I am proud to call Fort Collins home and love the people here.

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This is why I am surprised to see that Fort Collins was ranked extremely poorly on WalletHub's Best College Towns in America for 2024.

WalletHub dug into data and looked at the best opportunities for students. Primarily, they looked at crime rate, cost of living and the education that these students would receive.

Where Fort Collins Ranked

Fort Collins, home of Colorado State University, was ranked the 155th-best college town in the nation. Fort Collins was the second highest-rated city in Colorado behind Denver.

Fort Collins ranked fairly well in the social environment category. Fort Collins is a fun and vibrant place to live. There are plenty of things to do and things to see.

Although Fort Collins is fun, we all know that Choice City is expensive. Fort Collins ranked poorly when it comes to wallet friendliness. This will age me quite a bit, although I was in college just a decade ago, my first apartment in college cost only $450.00 a month.

The average rent in Fort Collins is currently $1,925. How do college kids do it?

The CSU and CU Rivalry

University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University's rivalry runs deep. As a Rams fan, it makes me happy to see this. Even though Fort Collins ranked low. Boulder ranked even lower.

Boulder is the 230th-best college town in America.