Fort Collins has a well balanced economy. Fort Collins also has a well educated workforce. Fort Collins has been ranked #1 in Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live" list. The manufacturing base includes companies such as Hewlett Packard, Woodward, In-Situ, Water Pik, and Anheuser-Busch. The resources and research facilities at Colorado State University have helped to attract a variety of hi-tech firms. Fort Collins includes offices for AMD, Intel, National Semi-Conductor, Avago, Pelco and LSI. Bioscience, clean energy and agri-tech industries are also part of the local economy.
Companies in Fort Collins produce numerous goods including scientific instruments, aircraft and parts, industrial chemicals, measuring and controlling instruments, communications equipment, solar technology, Smart Grid technology, bio fuels, turbines and communications equipment.
The major non-agricultural sectors for employment in Fort Collins are:
- Government
- Trade, transportation and utilities
- Leisure and hospitality
- Manufacturing
- Professional and business services
- Education
- Healthcare
Some of the occupations more prevalent in Fort Collins when compared to most cities are umpires, referees and other sports officials; forest and conservation technicians, boilermakers, insulation workers, biological technicians, biological scientists, veterinary technologists and technicians, natural science managers and veterinarians.
A list of the largest employers in the Fort Collins area is shown below:
- Colorado State University
- Poudre School District
- Hewlett Packard
- Agilent Technologies
- Poudre Valley Health System
- Thompson School District
- Larimer County
- City of Fort Collins
- McKee Medical Center
- Advanced Energy
- Eastman Kodak
- Water Pik Technologies
- LSI Logic
- Anheuser-Bush
- Woodward Governor
The Fort Collins Technology Incubator program includes a collection of programs which focus on assisting new companies. The Northern Economic Development Corporation, in partnership with Colorado State University, helps businesses expand and encourages technology transfer to help new companies. The Colorado FIRST customized job training program helps companies with the training of current and new employees for permanent jobs and offers custom designed job specific training programs.
Noteworthy information regarding Fort Collins: On a yearly basis, the number of patents produced in Fort Collins is close to four times the Nation's city average. About 48% of the population over the age of 25 hold a bachelor's degree or higher. In 2008 the cost of living index was at 91.6. The nation's average is 100. The estimated median household income in Fort Collins in 2007 was $47,000.
Fort Collins companies have access to business organizations such as:
- Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce
- Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation
- Rocky Mountain Innovation Initiative
- Larimer County Small Business Development Center
The Coloradoan.com offers up-to-date information regarding the business activities in Fort Collins.