Fort Collins, Colorado is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, on the Cache la Poudre River, in Larimer County. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, the city has a pleasant climate, with an average high of 85 degrees in the summer and 42 degrees in the winter. The town benefits from having a dynamic work force and a number of corporate employers. This stability has lent itself to making Fort Collins a regional employment center for Northern Colorado, Southern Wyoming and Western Nebraska. The city has received national accolades for its quality of life. In October of 2003, Organic Style Magazine ranked it in their Top 15 Healthy Cities List. Money Magazine called Fort Collins the "Best Small Town in the West".

The population of Fort Collins is just under 125,000, including the approximately 22,000 students enrolled at Colorado State University. The average age of residents here is 28, with an annual household income above the national average at $46,000. The median home value in Fort Collins is $240,000. The population has experienced a steady growth over the past ten years, adding about 3% to its population each year. The main employment sectors here are manufacturing and retail, followed by professional services.

The area's steady employment base is due to several prominent employers in the area, many of whom are on the Fortune 500 list. The Colorado State University system and local Poudre Schools District are major employers. Hewlett-Packard, Eastman Kodak, and Anheuser Busch all have a corporate presence in Fort Collins. Agilent Technologies, Advanced Energy Industries and LSI Logic have offices in the city. And both the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County are also major employers who lend support to the economic base.

The housing market in Fort Collins has also remained strong, yet affordable. With an average annual appreciation of 8% for the past five years, it has been ranked as the 16th hottest housing market in the United States. Residential property taxes here are some of the lowest in the nation. And, with new folks choosing to relocate to Fort Collins each year, the rental market has kept pace. Over 600 new units were built last year alone. This ensures that rental housing keeps pace with growth, keeping rentals an affordable option for residents as well.

Outdoor activities are extremely popular in the region, and Fort Collins obliges with its nationally recognized park system. They are full of trails that offer scening viewpoints of both the Poudre River and the Rocky Mountains. There are seven public courses sprinkled throughout the town. The Parks Department organizes men's and ladies' tournaments throughout the year, as well as special activities for junior golfers aged 17 and under. In the summer, the youth golf program "Fore Kids", offers Fort Collins' youth an opportunity to spend day camp sessions with local pro golfers.

Spectator sports are also popular, and Colorado State University fans converge for home games. Their Ram football, basketball and volleyball are great for die-hard fans and families alike. And for professional sports, fans take a drive to nearby Denver to see the Denver Broncos, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rockies, or Denver Nuggets.

Fort Collins' downtown area is the place where locals gather for community events. Over a half million people pass through downtown each year to shop and dine. In the summer, this is the site of the local farmer's market, which often includes live music in the evenings. The New West Fest has become a popular tradition. This weekend event features over 300 arts and crafts booths, a Kids' World, carnival, two beer gardens, and three stages of continuous music by local artists. Other much loved events downtown include the Holiday Lights and Santa's House, St. Patrick's Day Parade, the Noontime Notes concert series, Downtown Live and the Tiny Tot Halloween Parade.

Fort Collins is simply a great place to live. It offers a very stable employment base and housing market, and benefits from its magnificent location at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Its residents are active and friendly and the town works to present a number of year round events to entertain its locals, many offered free of charge.


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