HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 02/25/2025 - Memorandum from Ryan Mounce re 2025 Fort Collins Population Estimate
Planning, Development & Transportation
Community Development & Neighborhood Services
281 N. College Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.416.2350
970.224.6134 FAX
www.fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 20, 2025
TO: Mayor Arndt and City Councilmembers
THRU: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Caryn Champine, Planning, Development & Transportation Director
FROM: Ryan Mounce, City Planner
RE: 2025 Fort Collins Population Estimate
The purpose of this memo is to provide City Council the annual City of Fort Collins population
estimate.
Background
City Planning staff monitor development and demographic trends in order to provide annual
population estimates for the community. This preliminary estimate is prepared at the beginning
of each calendar year and is used until a final population estimate from the State Demography
Office (SDO) becomes available. Final SDO estimates are typically available a year and a half
after the City publishes its preliminary estimate.
2025 Population Estimate
The City’s preliminary population estimate for 2025 is 177,267. This represents an increase of
2,201 persons over the prior City estimate for 2024. This estimate is based primarily on a net
increase of 680 dwelling units from the preceding year as well as a small decrease in the
housing vacancy rate. At the beginning of 2025 the community contained 75,632 existing or
permitted dwelling units.
Trends
Following the pandemic, population growth slowed dramatically in Fort Collins, mirroring state
and national trends. As data following the pandemic years normalizes, there may be jumps in
dwelling unit and population totals. The past several years has seen an increase in new dwelling
unit permits compared to the pandemic years when construction activity was muted. Both City
staff and State Demography Office projections continue to anticipate gradually slowing housing
and population growth in Fort Collins due to long term demographic trends and the decreasing
supply of vacant land in the community.
Docusign Envelope ID: CBB3CDED-4AF1-4CAD-BD6F-F9418B709D0E
Fort Collins Preliminary Population Estimates
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Metric 2020 Census 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Housing Units 71,918 72,546 73,317 73,966 74,952 75,632
New Dwelling Units*628 827 649 986 680 Not Available
Dwelling Unit Vacancy Rate**5.70%5.70%5.70%6.09%5.98%5.98%
Vacant Dwelling Units 4,128 4,135 4,179 4,505 4,482 4,523
Occupied Dwelling Units 67,790 68,411 69,138 69,461 70,470 71,109
Persons Per Household**2.36 2.36 2.33 2.33 2.33 2.34
Household Population 159,984 161,450 161,146 161,845 164,195 166,396
Group Quarter Population**10,392 10,392 10,702 10,702 10,871 10,871
Preliminary Fort Collins Population Estimate*170,376 171,842 173,682 172,547 175,066 177,267
Final State Population Estimate**169,968 170,755 171,848 171,343 Not Available Not Available
U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimate 169,810 168,538 170,114 170,376 Not Available Not Available
* Provided by City of Fort Collins
** Provided by Colorado State Demography Office
State Demography Office estimates becomes available August of the subsequent year
(e.g., final 2024 numbers will be available August 2025)
CC: Lori Schwarz, Community Development & Neighborhood Services Director
Clay Frickey, Planning Manager
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