The City of Fort Collins asks Fort Collins’ residents to weigh in on what’s working well in our community and where we need to improve. The 2025 Community Survey is now in, and it paints a clear picture: people love living here, but concerns around affordability and growth are louder than ever.
Quality of Life: Still Strong, But Not Without Challenges
Overall, 87% of residents rated Fort Collins’ quality of life as “good” or “very good” . That’s a bump upward after years of gradual decline, and it puts us on par with both national and Front Range benchmarks.
Other quality-of-life measures also came back positive:
- 9 in 10 residents said Fort Collins is a great place to live and to attend college .
- 8 in 10 rated the city highly as a place to raise children.
- 7 in 10 gave strong marks for our public schools, sense of community openness, and as a place to retire .
But affordability continues to drag these numbers down. Just 10% of residents rated housing affordability positively, and fewer than 20% approved of childcare affordability . These two issues stood out as the biggest pain points in an otherwise positive report.
Safety: Improving Confidence
Public safety is a big concern in any growing city. Encouragingly, residents reported that feelings of safety have improved since 2024, particularly at night and when using Transfort buses .
- About 9 in 10 residents said they feel safe in their neighborhoods during the day, downtown during the day, and while using recreation facilities .
- Between 80–90% also feel safe in parks and other public spaces at night.
This year’s results put Fort Collins on par with national averages and similar cities along the Front Range .
Social Health: Some Progress, More Work Ahead
When asked about how the city promotes social health—things like affordable housing, homelessness, equity, and inclusion—about 4 in 10 residents gave positive ratings. While that number seems low, it’s actually a notable improvement compared to 2023 and 2024 .
It’s clear residents are noticing progress, but the data suggests there’s still significant ground to cover in making Fort Collins a place where everyone feels supported and included.
Economic Health: Strong Amenities, Weaker Job Ratings
Survey results show mixed reviews on economic vitality:
- Two-thirds of residents praised healthcare, dining, and entertainment options.
- 6 in 10 gave positive marks to local shopping.
- But only one-third rated job opportunities positively, suggesting our employment market isn’t keeping up.
Support for local businesses also scored modestly, with just over half of residents giving positive feedback .
Top Priorities for Residents
When asked what Fort Collins should focus on in the coming years, residents sent a clear message: housing affordability leads the list. About a quarter of all respondents named it as their top issue .
Other priorities included:
- Transportation improvements, mobility, paths, and trails (13%)
- Traffic, roads, and parking (8%)
- Safety, crime, and policing (6%)
- Managing growth and development (6%)
These priorities align closely with the affordability concerns that ran throughout the survey.
Looking Ahead
Despite frustrations over housing costs and affordability, residents remain deeply tied to Fort Collins. More than 90% said they’re likely to stay here over the next five years and would recommend living in the city to others .
That loyalty speaks volumes. People are proud to call Fort Collins home, even as they push for improvements that will make the city more livable for all.
If you want to dive deeper into the numbers, you can view the full survey results at fcgov.com/communitysurvey.