Invest In Apartment Buildings In Larimer County, CO

Who Rents In Larimer County

Rental demand in Larimer County comes from 55,495 renter households, which is 36% of occupied housing (ACS 2020–2024). Renter households rose 15.8% over five years while population grew 6.5%. More of Larimer County's residents are renting than before.

The typical Larimer County household earns $93,765 a year, 30.4% more than in the 2015–2019 survey. The number of employed residents rose 7.5% over the same period, and unemployment stood at 4.8%. Rent and income have moved at a similar pace (32.3% and 30.4%), so affordability hasn't shifted much.

Larimer County has a sizable renter base without being a renter-majority market. Location inside the county matters a lot, since demand tends to cluster near jobs, transit and schools.

Rents, Vacancy And Supply In Larimer County

Median gross rent in Larimer County, CO is $1,716 a month, up 32.3% from $1,297 in the 2015–2019 survey (U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024). That pace was well above long-run norms. We treat it as history, not as a forecast, when we underwrite a building.

The rental vacancy rate is just 3.3%, a tight market by most standards. 55.4% of renters spend 30% or more of their income on housing. That limits how hard rents can be pushed, so renewals and retention matter more than big increases.

About 18.7% of homes in Larimer County are in buildings with 5 or more units, roughly 30,747 homes. That count rose 20.8% over five years, a sign of meaningful new apartment construction that newer buildings will compete with. The median home was built in 1993, so the housing stock is relatively new. Value-add plans here lean more on management and amenities than on heavy renovation. For comparison, HUD's fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA is $1,759 a month.

Larimer County By The Numbers

Among the 8 Colorado counties we track, Larimer County ranks 6th for median gross rent, 2nd for renter share and 5th for five-year rent growth. Its rents fall in the middle of the pack. Compared with the 2015–2019 survey, Larimer County now has about 22,582 more residents, 7,572 more renter households and 5,294 more homes in buildings with 5 or more units. Growth in renter households and new apartment homes has been roughly in balance.

Cities In Larimer County At A Glance

We follow 3 cities in Larimer County. The largest is Fort Collins, with a median gross rent of $1,690 a month.

Larimer County Compared With Colorado

Larimer County's median gross rent of $1,716 is below the Colorado median of $1,761.

Larimer County Rent Affordability In Dollars

At $1,716 a month, the median Larimer County rent adds up to $20,592 a year, or roughly 22% of what the median household earns. Under the common 30% guideline, a household needs about $68,600 a year to cover that rent comfortably. That's close to the Colorado figure of 22.1%. Renters usually earn less than the all-household median, so the real burden for tenants is higher than this simple ratio shows.

In dollars, Larimer County rent climbed $419 a month over five years and household income climbed $21,859 a year. The two have moved together, so affordability today looks much like it did five years ago. HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit, $1,759, is 2.5% above the median gross rent for all unit sizes. That gap matters for buildings that accept Housing Choice Vouchers, since local housing authorities base voucher payment standards on it.

Larimer County Apartment Market Key Facts

If you only read one part of this page, read this list. Every figure is from the Census Bureau's ACS 5-year estimates.

• Larimer County, CO has 367,368 residents, up 6.5% from the 2015–2019 survey (U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024).
• Median household income in Larimer County, CO is $93,765, up 30.4% over five years (U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024).
• Median gross rent in Larimer County, CO is $1,716 a month, up 32.3% over five years (U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024).
• 36% of households in Larimer County, CO rent, about 55,495 renter households (U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024).
• 18.7% of homes in Larimer County, CO are in buildings with 5 or more units (U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024).
• The rental vacancy rate in Larimer County, CO is 3.3%, and 55.4% of renters spend 30% or more of income on rent (U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024).
• The median home in Larimer County, CO was built in 1993 (U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024).

What We Look For In Larimer County

Our buy box in Larimer County is the same one we use nationwide: 5+ unit apartment buildings, stabilized or in need of work, priced on today's rents. Then we test the property against the local data on this page and a full inspection of its major systems.

Property taxes are a big line item for any Colorado apartment building. We underwrite the tax bill after purchase, not the seller's current bill, since a sale often resets the assessment. Colorado has no statewide rent control law, though local rules on notices, fees and deposits still apply. Insurance quotes in Colorado reflect wildfire risk and hail and wind damage, so we get a quote before we make an offer.

After a stretch of fast rent growth, we keep rent assumptions modest and leave room for concessions if new supply opens nearby.

Evaluating Apartment Syndications In Larimer County

Before you invest in an apartment syndication in Larimer County, with us or anyone else, the local data points to a few questions worth asking.

• What vacancy does the plan assume? Rental vacancy in Larimer County is 3.3%. A plan that assumes much lower vacancy than the market should explain why.
• What rent growth is underwritten? Rents here rose 32.3% over five years. Ask whether the plan assumes that pace continues, and what happens to the deal if rents stay flat.
• How was the property tax bill estimated? A sale often triggers a reassessment, so the bill after purchase can be well above what the seller pays today.
• How big is the repair reserve? The median home in Larimer County was built in 1993, and even newer buildings need money set aside for roofs, HVAC and appliances.
• How will the building compete with new supply? Homes in 5+ unit buildings in Larimer County rose 20.8% over five years, so newer properties are part of the competition.
• How and when does capital come back? Ask what the plan is for a refinance or sale, and what happens if that takes longer than expected.

How Passive Investing In A Larimer County Apartment Syndication Works

Here's the short version. The general partner, in this case Skyline, finds an apartment building in Larimer County, buys it with a loan and investor capital, and runs it. Limited partners supply part of that capital and hold an ownership share, without landlord duties or personal liability for the loan.

Expect your money to be tied up for years, with no easy way to sell your share early, and remember that any investment can lose money. Most deals are open only to accredited investors under Rule 506(b) or 506(c). See investing with Skyline Capital for how we work with limited partners.

Getting Started

Join the investor network using the form at the top of this page. You'll get our market updates, and when an opportunity fits, we contact eligible members one to one. There's no cost and no obligation.