The economy still feels soft to most people, and if you’re a teenager or a new college grad or one of the many folks still unemployed or underemployed you would certainly agree with that. On the ‘good news’ front, however, seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate for Fort Collins-Loveland is 6.6%, the lowest for major metro areas in the state.Other places around the state are notably higher: Colorado Springs, 9.3%; Denver-Aurora, 8.5%; Grand Junction, 9.9%; Greeley, 9.3%; and Pueblo, 10.1%. The Colorado unemployment rate was 8.7% and the national unemployment rate was 9.1%.

Obviously, the reason the Fort Collins economy is performing so much better is because of the great job by its chamber of commerce. Okay, maybe that’s not the only reason! Having a major university here adds significant ‘ballast’ to the economy that keeps employment relatively stable. Breweries, health care, high technology and selected manufacturers are seeing growth.