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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Fort Collins, CO

Population: 168,758 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
44/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$4.4B
Per Capita
$26,163
Total Revenue
$2.2B
Total Debt
$53.6M

Spending Breakdown

Other
22.3%$986.0M
Utilities
21.5%$951.3M
Interest on Debt
12.0%$528.0M
Housing & Community Development
11.9%$523.7M
Highways & Roads
9.2%$406.8M
Parks & Recreation
9.0%$397.5M
Public Welfare
8.8%$386.8M
Hospitals
3.9%$172.4M
Fire Protection
1.2%$54.5M
Education
0.2%$8.2M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
4.7%$104.7M
Sales Tax
4.7%$104.3M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$2.2B
Charges & Fees
16.5%$369.1M
Other
25.4%$566.7M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$323/person
Highways & Roads$2,411/person
Parks & Recreation$2,355/person
Education$49/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)0/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)25/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$53.6M
Long-Term Debt$0
Debt Per Capita$318
Cash & Securities$342K

Compare Cities

See how Fort Collins stacks up against another city.

vs Denver, COvs Colorado Springs, COvs Aurora, CO
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Colorado

Denver, CO

Pop. 711K

C
Total Spending
$23.9B
Per Capita
$33,582

Colorado Springs, CO

Pop. 480K

C
Total Spending
$6.3B
Per Capita
$13,222

Aurora, CO

Pop. 387K

B
Total Spending
$6.7B
Per Capita
$17,400

Lakewood, CO

Pop. 156K

C
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$10,295

Compare Fort Collins With

Denver, CO

Spending: $33,582/person · Grade: C

Colorado Springs, CO

Spending: $13,222/person · Grade: C

Aurora, CO

Spending: $17,400/person · Grade: B

Lakewood, CO

Spending: $10,295/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Collins, CO spends $26,163 per resident, based on total expenditures of $4.4B for a population of 168,758. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (44/100).

Fort Collins, CO has total expenditures of $4.4B and total revenue of $2.2B. The city carries $53.6M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Fort Collins, CO employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Fort Collins, CO has a Fiscal Health Score of D (44/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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