Greeley CO rent increase 2026 Greeley, Colorado has no local rent control in 2026. Greeley IS the Weld County seat — the courthouse (Weld County Courts, 901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631) is located within Greeley itself. Greeley landlords file evictions in their own city, while Evans, Windsor, Firestone, and other Weld County communities must travel to Greeley. As a municipality, Greeley could enact rent control under Colorado HB 21-1117 (2021) but has not done so. Population ~108,000 — one of Colorado’s larger cities. University of Northern Colorado (UNC; 501 20th St; ~12,000 students; 3rd-largest Colorado university system; nationally ranked teacher education). JBS USA (1770 Business Center Dr; one of the world’s largest single-site beef plants; ~5,000–6,500 employees). Banner Health / North Colorado Medical Center (1801 16th St; Level II Trauma; ~2,200 employees). Weld County: Colorado’s #1 oil and gas producing county (~90% of Colorado’s oil). 10-day pay-or-quit (HB 21-1121). 60-day deposit return; 3× willful penalty.

Colorado HB 21-1117 and Greeley: no rent control, but authority exists

Colorado HB 21-1117 (signed April 2021) repealed the 1994 statewide rent control preemption, restoring authority to enact rent stabilization to Colorado municipalities. Greeley is an incorporated statutory city under Colorado law, with a City Council authorized to enact local ordinances.

This means Greeley is legally capable of enacting rent control — it simply has not done so. The Greeley City Council has not introduced any rent stabilization or rent control ordinance as of 2026. Greeley’s economic profile — heavily tied to energy, agriculture processing, and a state university — and its historically moderate-to-conservative political culture make rent control unlikely in the near term, but the legal authority exists.

The bottom line: Greeley landlords operate under Colorado state law only — no cap, no formula, no notice requirement for the amount of increase (only for the timing of notice when terminating a tenancy). Any percentage increase is permitted at lease expiration.

Landlords owning properties in Greeley should also note that HB 21-1117 applies only to municipalities. Evans (immediately adjacent to Greeley’s east side) is a separate incorporated municipality with its own council; see the Evans CO rent increase 2026 page for that jurisdiction’s specific status.

Greeley is the Weld County seat: a key courthouse advantage

For landlords in Greeley specifically, the county-seat location provides a meaningful practical advantage: the Weld County Courts (901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631) are within Greeley’s own city limits.

Weld County is one of Colorado’s largest counties by area and encompasses a substantial range of communities whose landlords must all travel to Greeley to file eviction cases:

• Evans: approximately 3–5 miles east of Greeley (separate municipality adjacent to Greeley; landlords file in Greeley).
• Windsor: approximately 14 miles north of Greeley via US-34/CO-392; fast-growing Weld County city.
• Johnstown: approximately 15–18 miles southwest via CO-60; growing suburb.
• Firestone: approximately 25 miles south via I-25; fast-growing bedroom community.
• Milliken: approximately 16 miles southwest; agricultural/industrial community.
• Dacono, Frederick, Mead: 20–30 miles southwest; all file at Greeley courthouse.

Every Weld County FED (eviction) case is filed at Greeley’s courthouse. Greeley landlords are the only Weld County landlords who can walk to the courthouse from their own community.

Colorado security deposit rules for Greeley landlords

• No deposit cap. Colorado law imposes no maximum. Greeley market practice varies significantly by submarket: near-UNC studios often take $550–$900 deposits; west Greeley SFR typically requires 1–2 months’ rent.
• Return deadline: 60 days (or 30 days with written demand) after tenancy ends (CRS §38-12-103(1)). Adopt 30 days as your operating standard regardless of whether the tenant sends a written demand.
• Itemized statement required for any partial return; each deduction listed by item and dollar amount (CRS §38-12-103(2)). Near-UNC landlords who routinely deduct for cleaning and minor repairs should maintain a standard itemization template.
• Willful wrongful withholding: 3× penalty + attorney’s fees (CRS §38-12-103(3)). On a $1,500 deposit for a central Greeley 2BR: wrongful withholding penalty = $4,500 + attorney fees.

Major employers and rental demand drivers in Greeley CO

University of Northern Colorado (UNC)

The University of Northern Colorado (501 20th St, Greeley CO 80639) is Colorado’s third-largest university system by enrollment. Founded in 1889 as the Colorado State Normal School — established to train teachers for the rapidly growing Colorado Territory — UNC evolved into a comprehensive doctoral-granting university while retaining its nationally recognized College of Education and Behavioral Sciences.

UNC enrolls approximately 12,000 students: roughly 4,200 undergraduates and 7,800 graduate and professional students. The graduate-heavy enrollment profile means UNC’s housing demand is anchored more by adult graduate students, many with families, than by traditional undergraduates. The College of Natural and Health Sciences (nursing, dietetics, audiology), the Monfort College of Business, and the College of Performing and Visual Arts all draw students who are serious about their programs and prioritize stable, walkable housing near campus.

UNC also employs approximately 1,200+ faculty and professional staff. Faculty members in tenure-track and tenured positions ($65,000–$180,000 salary range) represent high-quality, stable long-term tenants for better-maintained units near campus.

The near-campus rental submarket (13th–20th Ave corridors, within 0.5 miles of campus) runs: studio $550–$900, 1BR $700–$1,100, shared house rooms $400–$650/person. Grad students prefer the 10th–18th St area for walkability to campus and downtown Greeley restaurants and coffee shops.

A critical operational consideration: near-campus Greeley landlords typically offer both 12-month and 9-month leases. The 9-month lease (August–May, academic calendar) creates annual summer vacancy exposure. Landlords who price 12-month leases competitively (even 3–5% above the 9-month annualized rate) save on turnover costs and vacancy loss.

JBS USA — one of the world’s largest beef processing plants

JBS USA (1770 Business Center Dr, Greeley CO 80631), formerly known as ConAgra Beef Company and Excel Beef, operates one of the largest single-site beef processing facilities in the world at its Greeley plant. The facility processes thousands of head of cattle daily and employs approximately 5,000–6,500 production workers — making JBS the single largest private employer in Greeley and one of the most significant workforce housing demand drivers in the entire Northern Colorado region.

The JBS workforce is diverse and reflects decades of immigration: Somali, Hispanic, and Vietnamese communities settled in Greeley during plant expansions in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. These communities have established deep roots in east Greeley, with community organizations, religious institutions, and cultural centers concentrated in the neighborhoods nearest to the plant along the US-34 and Business Center Dr corridors.

Production wages range from $18–$30/hour, which translates to annual gross income of approximately $37,000–$62,000 for a full-time worker. This income profile drives demand for 1BR units at $750–$1,050 and 2BR units at $950–$1,350 in east and northeast Greeley.

Banner Health / North Colorado Medical Center

North Colorado Medical Center (NCMC; 1801 16th St, Greeley CO 80631), operated by Banner Health, is the primary acute care hospital for Greeley and the regional trauma and tertiary referral center for Weld, Logan, Morgan, and northeastern Colorado counties. NCMC operates approximately 280 licensed beds and holds Level II Trauma Center designation, meaning it is equipped and staffed to handle the highest-complexity trauma cases short of Level I.

The NCMC campus employs approximately 2,200+ people across the full spectrum of healthcare roles: physicians ($150,000–$600,000+), advanced practice providers ($80,000–$140,000), registered nurses ($55,000–$100,000), allied health professionals ($40,000–$80,000), and administrative and support staff ($28,000–$55,000). Healthcare workers at NCMC represent one of the most stable and income-diverse tenant populations in Greeley, creating demand across the full rental spectrum from 1BR apartments to 3BR–4BR SFR.

Weld County oil and gas sector

Weld County is Colorado’s undisputed oil-and-gas production powerhouse, responsible for approximately 90% of Colorado’s total crude oil output. The DJ Basin (Denver-Julesburg Basin), which underlies Weld County and adjacent portions of Wyoming and Nebraska, hosts operations by some of the world’s largest energy companies.

Key operators with significant Weld County field operations include Civitas Resources (formerly Bonanza Creek Energy; Denver headquarters but major Weld County production), OXY (Occidental Petroleum; substantial Weld County program), Chevron (following acquisition of PDC Energy and its Weld County assets), and SRC Energy (now merged into larger entities). The energy sector employs landmen, petroleum engineers, geologists, pipeline workers, and field operators at compensation levels of $60,000–$150,000+, generating significant demand for mid-range to upper-tier SFR rentals ($1,500–$2,200) in west Greeley and newer residential developments.

Weld County Government

As the Weld County seat, Greeley hosts the full apparatus of Weld County government: the Combined Court system (judges, clerks, public defenders), the Weld County Sheriff headquarters, Weld County Assessor, Clerk and Recorder, Treasurer, Weld County Public Health, and various human services departments. Weld County employs approximately 2,500+ people total, with the largest concentration of those positions in Greeley. County employees represent stable, mid-income renters who often prefer to live near government campuses in central and downtown Greeley.

Aims Community College

Aims Community College (5401 W 20th St, Greeley CO 80634) serves approximately 7,000 students across its Greeley and satellite campuses. A two-year institution focused on career and technical education, Aims feeds workers into manufacturing, welding, medical assisting, HVAC, and information technology programs that align directly with Greeley’s industrial and healthcare employers. Aims students represent a demand segment for affordable studios and 1BR units in west Greeley near the college campus, typically in the $650–$1,000 range.

Employer summary table

Greeley rental market: neighborhoods and 2026 rent ranges

Eviction process in Greeley CO: step-by-step

Step 1: Serve 10-Day Demand for Payment or Possession

CRS §13-40-104(d) (as amended by HB 21-1121, effective August 2021): for non-payment of rent, serve a written notice stating the exact amount of rent owed and demanding payment or possession within 10 days. If the tenant pays the full stated amount within 10 days, the landlord cannot file for eviction. Include only past-due base rent — not late fees, utility charges, or other items — because overstatement of the amount owed can void the notice and require re-service, restarting the 10-day period. For near-UNC properties with student tenants who may have cosigners (parents), ensure the notice is served on all parties named in the lease.

Step 2: File FED complaint at Weld County Courts

Weld County Courts, 901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631. Greeley is the Weld County seat: the courthouse is within Greeley’s city limits. No travel to a separate county seat required. Filing fee approximately $85–$175 depending on claim amount. Bring copies of: the lease agreement, the 10-day notice with proof of service, and any prior written communications with the tenant.

Step 3: Weld County Sheriff serves summons; hearing scheduled

The Weld County Sheriff serves the summons on the tenant. Hearing typically scheduled within 7–14 business days. For JBS workforce tenants with non-standard work schedules (overnight shifts, rotating shifts), ensure that service is accomplished during waking hours and document the date and time of service carefully.

Step 4: Writ of Restitution and lockout

Upon judgment for the landlord, the court issues a Writ of Restitution. The Weld County Sheriff posts the 24-hour notice and executes the lockout. Total uncontested timeline from 10-day notice service to lockout: approximately 4–6 weeks. Do not change locks, remove tenant belongings, or interfere with utilities before the Writ is executed — CRS §38-12-510 imposes up to $5,000 punitive damages plus actual damages and attorney fees for self-help eviction.

10 common Greeley landlord mistakes under Colorado CRS

1. Using the old 3-day eviction notice for non-payment. Colorado HB 21-1121 (effective August 2021) extended the non-payment notice from 3 days to 10 days. A 3-day Demand for Payment served in Greeley in 2026 is legally defective — the FED case will be dismissed. You must re-serve a proper 10-day notice and restart the full timeline, losing several weeks in the process. Update all template notices and property management software settings.
2. Including late fees or utilities in the 10-day notice amount. The 10-day Demand for Payment must state only past-due base rent. Overstatement — including late fees, utility charges, parking fees, or other ancillary charges — can void the notice. Near-UNC landlords who charge utilities separately should be especially careful: the notice must state base rent only, even if the tenant owes water and electric as well.
3. Using 9-month leases without understanding the summer vacancy risk. Near-campus Greeley landlords who offer 9-month academic leases face annual summer vacancy from June through August. A $900/month studio vacant for 3 months = $2,700 in lost gross income. Pricing 12-month leases only $50–$75/month above the 9-month rate typically results in tenants choosing the 12-month option, dramatically reducing annual vacancy costs.
4. Confusing Greeley with Evans for courthouse purposes. Evans (immediately east of Greeley along US-34) is a separate incorporated municipality with its own city government. Evans landlords must travel to the Weld County Courts in Greeley to file. But if you own property in Evans, you are filing in Greeley even though your property is not in Greeley. Conversely, Greeley landlords file at their own local courthouse.
5. Missing the 30-day deposit return deadline after written demand. If a Greeley tenant (including departing UNC grad students) sends a written demand for return of the security deposit, the standard 60-day return deadline collapses to 30 days. Use 30 days as the internal standard for all deposit returns. On a $1,100 deposit, willful wrongful withholding = $3,300 + attorney fees.
6. Not itemizing deposit deductions. CRS §38-12-103(2): each deduction must be itemized by item and dollar amount. After the end of the academic year, near-UNC landlords may face significant cleaning and repair charges. Each item must be listed separately with a dollar amount. A vague line item (“end-of-lease cleaning: $300”) is less defensible than (“professional carpet cleaning (2BR, 950 sq ft): $185; bathroom deep clean: $65; oven cleaning: $50”).
7. Entering the unit without 24-hour written advance notice. CRS §38-12-1102 (HB 19-1118): 24 hours’ advance written notice required for routine landlord entry. A text message sent 20 hours before entry is legally borderline. Email with timestamp or hand-delivered written notice at least 24 hours prior is the defensible standard. Exceptions exist for genuine emergencies (fire, flood, burst pipe) where notice is impractical.
8. Underpricing west Greeley units based on east Greeley comps. Greeley spans a wide rent range from east (JBS-adjacent, $750–$1,050/1BR) to west (newer construction, oil-and-gas clientele, $1,000–$1,500/1BR). Using east Greeley comps for west Greeley properties, or vice versa, produces significantly wrong market rent estimates. Always use neighborhood-specific comparables.
9. Not understanding JBS shift schedule impacts on showings. JBS production workers may work overnight shifts (10pm–6am) or rotating shifts (morning/afternoon/overnight rotations). Current JBS tenants being asked to facilitate showings may be asleep during normal daytime hours and working during evenings. Standard daytime showing schedules may not work. Schedule showings in advance and communicate clearly to avoid conflict with tenant rest periods.
10. Not disclosing proximity to JBS plant odor and noise to prospective tenants. The JBS plant’s operations can produce odors detectable in east and northeast Greeley depending on wind direction and weather conditions. While not a legal disclosure requirement per se, failing to disclose significant environmental nuisances can lead to tenant complaints, early lease termination disputes, and potential bad-faith claims. Prospective tenants should be shown properties during conditions representative of typical smell and traffic near the plant.

Greeley’s Union Colony history and its influence on the rental market

Greeley was founded in 1870 by the Union Colony, an agricultural cooperative organized by journalist and New York Tribune founder Horace Greeley (for whom the city is named) and his agricultural editor Nathan Meeker. The colony was established as a temperance community — the founding compact explicitly prohibited the sale of alcohol — and operated as a collective farming enterprise that dug the first major irrigation canals in Weld County, enabling agriculture in an otherwise semi-arid landscape.

Greeley’s “dry” status persisted until 1969, when residents voted to allow alcohol sales — nearly a century after founding. This history shapes Greeley’s cultural identity: it is a city with deep agricultural and cooperative roots that has transformed dramatically through the University, the JBS industrial presence, and the oil-and-gas boom.

For landlords, the historical context is relevant in one specific way: the cultural diversity of Greeley’s tenant population (long-established agricultural families, immigrant/refugee JBS workforce, university students and faculty, oil-and-gas professionals) requires landlords to be fluent in fair housing law. National origin, religion, and familial status are all protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, and Greeley’s diverse population means these protections are frequently implicated.

Frequently asked questions: Greeley CO rent increase 2026

Does Greeley CO have rent control in 2026?

No. Greeley has no local rent control ordinance. As a municipality, it could enact one under HB 21-1117 but has not. All rent increases are uncapped and unrestricted under state law.

What court handles Greeley CO evictions?

Weld County Courts, 901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631. Greeley IS the Weld County seat — the courthouse is within the city. No travel required to another county seat.

Where is the Weld County courthouse?

901 9th Ave, Greeley CO 80631 — within Greeley’s city limits. This is the courthouse for all Weld County civil and criminal proceedings, including FED (eviction) cases filed by landlords throughout Weld County.

What is the UNC student rental market like in Greeley?

Near-UNC campus (13th–20th Ave corridors): studio $550–$900, 1BR $700–$1,100, shared house rooms $400–$650/person. Both 12-month and 9-month academic leases are common. Grad students (~7,800 of UNC’s 12,000 students) prefer walkable 10th–18th St area. UNC employs ~1,200+ faculty/staff who represent stable year-round renters.

Does the JBS plant affect Greeley rentals?

Yes significantly. JBS employs ~5,000–6,500 production workers and is Greeley’s largest private employer. The plant drives demand for affordable 1BR/2BR units ($750–$1,350) in east and northeast Greeley. The diverse workforce includes Somali, Hispanic, and Vietnamese communities with decades of roots in east Greeley neighborhoods.

What are Greeley’s security deposit rules?

No deposit cap. Return within 60 days (or 30 days with written demand). Itemized deduction statement required for any partial return. Willful wrongful withholding: 3× the amount + attorney fees (CRS §38-12-103).

How much can a Greeley landlord raise rent?

Any amount at lease expiration. No cap, no formula, no approval required under Colorado state law. Greeley City Council has not enacted any rent stabilization ordinance.

What are 2026 Greeley rent ranges?

Near-UNC: studio $550–$900, 1BR $700–$1,100. East Greeley (JBS-area): 1BR $750–$1,050, 2BR $950–$1,350. Central Greeley: 1BR $800–$1,200, 2BR $1,000–$1,500. West Greeley/newer construction: 1BR $1,000–$1,500, 2BR $1,300–$1,900. SFR 3BR: $1,400–$2,200. SFR 4BR+: $1,700–$2,600.