Fort Collins, Colorado

Fort Collins continues to receive national recognition for its quality of life!

Best Place to Live!

• The "#1 Best Place to Live in America", Money Magazine August 2006
• Best BoomerTown
• The "#2 Best Place to Live in America", CNN Money Magazine August 2008
• The #4 of the '50 Best Places to Live in the US', Men's Journal May 2003
• 'One of the 50 Best Places to Live in North America'
• Best SMall Town in the West - Money Magazine
• American Dream Town-one of the Best Towns in the US - Outside Magazine 2005
• #4 'Best Places to Live in the US' - Men's Journal 2005

Best For Retirement

• The 'Top 5 Places to Retire', MSN July 2003
• #5 Best Places to Retire-Money Magazine 2000
• Nationally accredited Senior Center
• Best Place to Retire-Retirement Places Rated 1999
• 'Fort Collins Reaches the Summit of Retirement Spots' USA Today
• #1 Place in the Country to retire for it's history, continuing education opportunities, active lifestyle, friendly community and picturesque surroundings-Where to Retire 2005
• 'A' rating as an ideal place to retire in "The New Retirement" 2005
• The 'Top Retirement Spot' by Where to Retire magazine 2005

Best Place for Business and Employment

• #16 on the list of US Metro Areas for Business and Careers
- Forbes
• One of the ten best investment towns
- CNN Money
• Fort Collins leads US in 20 year income growth 1982 - 2002 -Amercian City Business Journals
• One of the 30 Fastest Cities in the World
- Fast Company
• #16 on Forbes list of best places for business and careers in America's small cities
• 17th Best Place to Live & Work in America-Employment Review 2002
• 'A Pocket of Prosperity' Wall Street Journal 2001
• 'The Best Places to Start and Grow a Small Business' - Inc Magazine
• #4 for Business Potential -Business Opportunity Index
• City of Fort Collins 'Best of the Web' #1 U.S. City Web Site -Center for Digital Government
• 5th Best Economy in the Nation -Policom Corp 1999
• Fort Collins led the entire nation in 'entrepreneurship and innovation' and these two forces are the key drivers of economic health, according to a recent national study by the Small Business Administration

Best for Family, Health and Education

• Larimer County received and A+, one of just four counties in the eight state (280 counties) Rocky Mountain Region -State of the Rockies Report Card, Colorado College
• #6 Best Place to Raise ad Family -Frommer's Travel Guide
• #8 Best Midsized Metro Area for relocating families -Worldwide ERC
• Colorado State University's veterinary medicine program ranked #2-U.S. News and World Reports
• Colorado State University ranked 52nd out of 361 as one of the top schools in the nation-Princeton Review
• One of the ten best places to raise a family-Best Places to Raise a Family
• 3rd Best Place to Raise a Family -Readers Digest 1997
• #1 Best Place to Reinvent Your Life, AARP May 2003
• America's Best Drivers - 2nd best in the nation according to Allstate Insurance Company
• One of America's Promise 100 Best Communities for Young People
• #8 College Town by ePodunk-the power of place.
• Poudre School District named a 'Blue Ribbon District'. Must rank in the upper third of all school districts nationally, with judging in areas of graduation rates, a community's financial commitment to education and the community's adult education and income levels
• 'Directors Certificate of Recognition' water quality award from the Partnership for Safe Water, awarded to the Fort Collins Water Treatment Facility-the first in Colorado and just one of 51 in the country
• The Fort Collins Housing Authority recognized by HUD as a 'High Performer'

Best for Everything

• 10th Best City to Have it All - A&E Network 1999
• #2 Digital City in the Nation by the Center for Digital Government

Best for Outdoor Adventure

• One of the most 'Nature-Friendly areas in the US -Nature Friendly Communities
• One of the Best Running Cities in America for its "awe-inspiring routes, passionate runners and great races" - Runners World 2005
• 9th Best for Affordable and Accessible Golf -Golf Digest 1999
• ICLEI 5-Star Award for efforts to reduce global warming and pollution -2002
• Silver Award for being a "place where citizens feel safe and comfortable riding their bikes for fun, fitness and transportation" - The League of American Bicyclists-2005