ZIP Code 80521

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Source:

Fort Collins · Larimer County · Colorado

Population
33,409

909/sq mi

Median income
$58,082

▼ 24% vs US

higher than 26% of US ZIPs

Median home value
$564,900

▲ 103% vs US

higher than 89% of US ZIPs

Bachelor's or higher
64.0%

Median age 22.9

Land area
36.8 sq mi

Denver

ZIP code 80521 in Fort Collins, Colorado has a population of 33,409. The median household income is $58,082, which is 24% below the national average. Median home value is $564,900, 103% above the US average. 64.0% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

ZIP code 80521 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 36.8 square miles in Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado. The area is home to 33,409 residents, producing a population density of 909 people per square mile, and falls within the Denver time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 80521 against Colorado and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 80521 sits at $58,082 (35% below the Colorado average), while per-capita income is $33,574. The poverty rate stands at 32.6% and the unemployment rate at 9.4%. On housing, the median home value is $564,900 (17% above the state average) with median rent at $1,444 per month, and 36.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 80521 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 64.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 22.9, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Larimer County, so you can benchmark 80521 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 80521

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 80521.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 80521, Fort Collins, CO · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

33,409

Population

36.8

Area (sq mi)

909

People / sq mi

Denver

Time Zone

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ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 80521?

22.9

Median Age

49.4%

Male

50.6%

Female

4.8%

Foreign-Born

White 82.7%
African American 1.9%
Asian 3.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$58,082

Median Household Income

-35% vs state

$33,574

Per Capita Income

32.6%

Poverty Rate

9.4%

Unemployment Rate

19.0 min

Mean Commute Time

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 78.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 64.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

15,000

Total Housing Units

14,260

Occupied Units

740

Vacant Units

2.20

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 36.8%
Renter 63.2%

$564,900

Median Home Value

+17% vs state

$1,444

Median Rent

1978

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+2.1%

YoY Change (2024)

330

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+230%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 80521 have increased 2.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +230% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.2% 240
2021 +11.2% 266
2022 +15.0% 306
2023 +5.4% 323
2024 +2.1% 330

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 653 business establishments in ZIP 80521, employing approximately 5,997 people with a combined annual payroll of $359,481,000.

653

Businesses

5,997

Employees

$359.5M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 136 20.8%
Accommodation and food services 82 12.6%
Health care and social assistance 70 10.7%
Other services (except public administration) 67 10.3%
Construction 63 9.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 60 9.2%
Retail trade 36 5.5%
Finance and insurance 33 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 25 3.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 21 3.2%
Information 11 1.7%
Wholesale trade 10 1.5%
Manufacturing 9 1.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 9 1.4%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 8 1.2%
Educational services 7 1.1%
Transportation and warehousing 3 0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 80521 vs 80526 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
80526 Fort Collins, CO 44,183 4.8 mi
80525 Fort Collins, CO 48,419 6.5 mi
80538 Loveland, CO 43,930 8.3 mi
80524 Fort Collins, CO 31,668 6.7 mi
80535 Laporte, CO 2,636 10.1 mi
80528 Fort Collins, CO 17,946 9.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Larimer County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 80521 in?
ZIP code 80521 (Fort Collins) is located in Larimer County, Colorado. Larimer County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/larimer-co.
What is the population of ZIP code 80521?
ZIP code 80521 in Fort Collins, CO has a population of 33,409 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 80521?
The median household income in ZIP 80521 is $58,082, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 80521?
The median home value in ZIP 80521 is $564,900, which is 103% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 80521?
The largest racial group in ZIP 80521 is White at 82.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 80521?
ZIP code 80521 has 653 business establishments employing approximately 5,997 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 80521?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 80521 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (136), Accommodation and food services (82), Health care and social assistance (70). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 80521?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 80521 increased by 2.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 230%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 80521?
In ZIP code 80521, 78.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 64.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 80521?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 80521 is 19.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 80521?
In ZIP code 80521, approximately 36.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 63.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 80521?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 80521 is 32.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Fort Collins, CO

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023). Business data: Source: Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023. Home value trends: Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI), Five-Digit ZIP Codes.

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