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Fort Collins, CO vs Sterling, CO Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Fort Collins crime rate · Sterling crime rate

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Is Fort Collins, CO or Sterling, CO Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Fort Collins, CO is safer than Sterling, CO (Safety Score 30/100 vs 15/100), with a total crime rate of 2,429 per 100,000 versus 3,319 for Sterling, CO — 27% lower. Fort Collins has lower rates in 5 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Sterling has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Fort Collins is 13.3x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Fort Collins, CO?

Fort Collins — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Flat Property Flat Total

Sterling — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Fort Collins, CO

Fort Collins, CO
Safety Score 30/100
Coverage 170,509
Total Crime Rate 2,429.2
Category Wins 5/7

Sterling, CO

Sterling, CO
Safety Score 15/100
Coverage 12,806
Total Crime Rate 3,318.8
Category Wins 2/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Fort Collins Sterling Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,429.2 3,318.8 -889.6
Violent Crime Rate 273.9 398.3 -124.4
Murder Rate 1.8 0.0 +1.8
Rape Rate 22.9 31.2 -8.4
Robbery Rate 24.6 7.8 +16.8
Aggravated Assault Rate 223.5 359.2 -135.8
Property Crime Rate 2,155.3 2,920.5 -765.2
Burglary Rate 228.7 413.9 -185.1
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,742.4 2,311.4 -569.0
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 184.2 195.2 -11.1

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Fort Collins, CO to Sterling, CO?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fort Collins or Sterling safer?

Fort Collins, CO is safer with a total crime rate of 2,429 per 100K vs 3,319 for Sterling, CO — a 27% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Fort Collins has a violent crime rate of 273.9 per 100K while Sterling has 398.3. Fort Collins has lower violent crime.

About Fort Collins, CO

Fort Collins, home to Colorado State University, is a vibrant city nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Its economy benefits from a strong craft brewing industry and a young, educated population. With a safety score of 30/100 and a population coverage of 170,509, Fort Collins has a total crime rate of 2,429.2 per 100,000 residents.

About Sterling, CO

Sterling, Colorado, a plains town and the county seat of Logan County, was founded in 1881 as a stop on the Union Pacific Railroad. It is home to Northeastern Junior College, serving a rural population in northeastern Colorado. With a safety score of 15/100 and a population coverage of 12,806, Sterling has a total crime rate of 3,318.8 per 100,000 residents.

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