Fort Collins vs Longmont
Fort Collins, Colorado versus Longmont, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fort Collins edges out Longmont on overall objective livability (52 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fort Collins | Longmont |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $90k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $70k |
| Home Value | $497k | $488k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.53% | 0.53% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.29% | 9.86% |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 27°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 66°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.4 in | 16.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.3 in | 47.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 271 days | 210 days |
| Summer Humidity | 47°F | 49°F |
| Comfortable Days | 38 days | 25 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 34.0 | 26.9 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.1 | 45.3 |
| Violent Crime | 990/100k | 1331/100k |
| Property Crime | 2616/100k | 2867/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 168,758 | 98,282 |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 39.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+16 | D+28 |
| White (%) | 78.0% | 69.6% |
| Black (%) | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.4% | 22.6% |
| Asian (%) | 3.3% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 13.5/20 | 13.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 53 mi | 31 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.6% | 92.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 27.02 | 26.66 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fort Collins or Longmont more affordable?
- Fort Collins has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Fort Collins's $60k and Longmont's $70k. Median rent is $2k in Fort Collins versus $2k in Longmont.
- Is Fort Collins or Longmont safer?
- Fort Collins has the lower violent crime rate. Fort Collins reports 990/100k and Longmont reports 1331/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fort Collins or Longmont?
- The median home value is $497k in Fort Collins and $488k in Longmont, so homes are more affordable in Longmont.