What BestPlaces Users Say about Fort Collins
Fort Collins, Colorado is a city that consistently ranks high on lists of the best places to live in the United States. It is known for its thriving economy, outdoor recreation opportunities, and overall quality of life. However, like any place, it has its pros and cons. Here, we will take a look at what real users have to say about living in Fort Collins based on their personal experiences.
According to user "Jen" on BestPlaces.net, "Fort Collins is an amazing place to live. The people are friendly, the city is clean, and there is always something to do." She goes on to praise the city's bike-friendly culture and the abundance of local breweries.
In contrast, "John" shares a different perspective, stating, "The cost of living in Fort Collins is high, and it's not as affordable as it used to be. Traffic has also become a major issue." He also mentions the increasing number of chain businesses and the loss of locally-owned shops.
Meanwhile, "Samantha" describes Fort Collins as a "perfect mix of small-town charm and big-city amenities." She appreciates the abundance of parks and outdoor spaces, as well as the variety of restaurants and entertainment options.
Another user, "Mark," expresses his frustrations with the local government, saying, "Fort Collins has a tendency to over-regulate and make it difficult for small businesses to thrive. It can also be difficult to find affordable housing, especially for young professionals."
Overall, it seems that the majority of users enjoy living in Fort Collins, citing its friendly community, outdoor activities, and overall quality of life. However, there are also concerns about the rising cost of living, traffic, and the impact of the city's growth on local businesses.
based on 71 ReviewsGet to know Fort Collins with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Fort Collins
Commuting to Broomfield - 5/25/2007
These comments are very helpful, I must say.
My family lives in Austin, Tx. and we are probably going to relocate to Colorado soon.
My husband's company was bought out by Level 3, in Broomfield. He has an offer there and we are considering living in Fort Collins even though it would mean a commute for him. Can anyone tell me if this is insane? We have 2 young children, and Fort Collins seems like a much better place to raise them than Denver or surrounding areas. We can't afford Boulder, or a really nice neighborhood in Denver.
What do you all
Read More
Start Your Review of Fort Collins
FOCO not as bad as boulder with "outsiders" - 5/10/2007
I read a lot of other posters saying that the natives are "proud" and not going to lie, we are. but not as bad as boulderites, no matter if they are "outsiders or natives" they have ran faster, biked further, seen more, and done more, and most definetly make more money than you. In fort collins you will see "no vacancy or native"bumper stickers on 1/5 of all the cars. we are a bunch of wannabee hippies, but on the truthful side, it is a VERY hippie town.... new belgium brewery.. CSU has great GREEN degrees, and a excellent variety of health food/organic grocery stores. near the college/old town part of town. people are friendly, politically educated, somewhat hippie, liberal minded- yet conservative voting ( due to the high income) people. the farther away from old town you get the more close minded you get also. and as long as you avoid the wal-marts you will avoid seeing the
Read More
not the best place in colorado, but close! - 5/10/2007
I was born and raised... (4th generation)in fort collins, and I still love it, and have never missed it. Breathing in that mountain fresh air, and having the beautiful view of the mountains never got old. and CSU is a great college, with great "green degrees" like organic farming! There's definetly something for everyone
Read More
It's a mixed bag in Fort Collins - 1/9/2007
I moved to Fort Collins about 7 years ago from San Jose California where the high home prices drove me out. There is not much cultural diversity here or acceptance and tolerance of others that do not fit into this homogenous community. I would have thought that people here would be friendlier here than in San Jose but I certainly have not found that to be the case. I feel that people here do not like outsiders or people moving here, especially people from California. My husband went to a job interview when we first moved here and the interviewers advice was to get rid of our California license plates quickly. The job market here is competitive with the population being higher educated that the national average and the availability of jobs somewhat bleak. On the positive side, people of Fort Collins seem to be into the outdoors, health food and active and healthy lifestyles. There are a lot of rentals and homes available but the prices seem higher than they should be. I find it
Read More
Nice place to live.....but not forever - 12/22/2006
I have lived in Fort Collins for two years as both a student and non-student. In general it is a very nice place to live. The air and water are good, the landscape is nice, outdoor rec. abounds. However....
There are some not so nice things about the Fort. It is a relatively expensive place to live. I'm not sure how the cost of living estimates are arrived at but all the ones I have seen are greatly skewed. I can only guess that there are a small number of people with LARGE incomes. For the most part, it is difficult to find work that pays more than 10 or 11 dollars an hour. This makes things difficult with an overvalued housing market. (I paid about the same to live near downtown Chicago.
There is also the issue of natives not being so nice to outsiders. Someone once told me, 'they all think they own something.' That kinda sums it up. After you see enough 'Natve' and 'No Vacancy' stickers you'll understand. It's difficult to understand because you are hard
Read More
Fort Collins from a Colorado Native - 11/20/2006
I moved to Fort Collins two years ago to attend Colorado State University. Here's a brief list of pros and cons from my experiences.
Pros: tons of restaurants-always good food, close proximity to a variety of recreational activities-hiking, skiing, boating, hunting, professional & collegiate sports, etc., in touch with nature-trees lining every street, good weather most days, bike lanes on most streets, high education level
Cons: economy is reliant on the University-population changes when school is in session, town is growing too fast for the infrastrusture to keep up (read-rush hour is from 7am-7pm and trains come through town at random times throughout day), in general Nortern Colorado is a staunch Republican area, can be very windy in the winter, and most bikers don't know the rules of the
Read More
Question for current Fort Collins Residents: Conve - 10/1/2006
Hi. I am 27 years old, single and professional. I am considering moving from Boston MA to Fort Collins and was wondering if anyone could give me some idea as to what the social/dating scene is like in Fort Collins? Is it easy to make friends? The overall General population--- families? Married couples? 20's and 30's? Coming from a very busy and yet somewhat "empty" city I have found people to be closed and hard to meet the right group of friends. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks, Elizabeth
Read More
Is this a typical party town? - 9/28/2006
Is FC nothing but a college town? I am looking to relocate but am a little hesitant when I hear so much about it being a "college town" sometimes that has its
Read More
Reality check - Overrated and unfriendly - 9/6/2006
Here is a little reality for those who might be think Fort Collins is the promised land, and no doubt this will ruffle feathers. We tried out Fort Collins for two months. Coming from California, we wanted a more affordable, more natural and more laid-back place. Everything we read made Fort Collins glow, so we drove out and rented a furnished apartment for two months. The first advice I got when arriving (from a non-native who'd been there for years) was, "Change your license plates as soon as possible. They don't give Californians a break." I applied for about 20 jobs in and around Fort Collins, many of which were right up my alley, and heard from only one person. (When we returned to California I got a job in a week.)
We soon discovered that Fort Collins natives are not friendly at all. They are distinctly withdrawn, almost grumpy, yet I detected in them a sort of smug pride in their "culture" which is obviously changing before their eyes. It could be that this is the
Read More
Great place to live - 8/16/2006
I lived in Fort Collins for seven years and recently moved back to Illinois. The quality of life in Fort Collins surpasses any town in the midwest, with its small town charm and magnificent views of the mountains. For those that like the outdoors, there is plenty to do since the high country is a short distance away. For those that like to shop the extraordinary, the boutiques down College in Old Town the area offer you many unique selections. The Front Range offers some buffering from the cold and for the most part the winters are very mild. If you have the opportunity to move to Colorado, you will enjoy the diverse lifestyle it has to offer.
I now live in Illinois and wish we never left. I am flatlining in the flatlands. Dee
Read More