Greeley expected to pass Fort Collins’ population by 2026, making it Colorado’s fourth biggest city
Nov 24, 2025, 5:21 PM | Updated: 5:29 pm
I grew up in Greeley, Colorado thinking it was a small farming and ranching town… Well, it isn’t so small anymore!
A new report predicts Greeley will overtake Fort Collins in population by 2026.
The Common Sense Institute’s analysis of the Fort Collins Metropolitan Statistical Area shows net migration dropped 26% below pre-pandemic averages. At the same time, Greeley is seeing its population boom. Analysts further predict Greeley will outpace Fort Collins by 100,000 people 25 years from now.
Experts believe the affordability of Greeley versus how expensive Fort Collins has gotten is the reason for the shift.
Other exciting things happening in Greeley could help the city see a boost like a $1.1 billion entertainment district that includes a hotel, housing and a new hockey arena for the Colorado Eagles. Plus Greeley officials are also in talks with the Federal Aviation Administration to explore the possibility of offering commercial flights in and out of the Greeley-Weld County Airport.
According to the most recent Census data from 2024, Fort Collins was Colorado’s fourth most populous city with 170,924 people. Greeley was ninth with 114,363.
