Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.
Place dossier plate
SheetCO-DURANGO-CO · Durango, CO 19,257 pop · income 61st pct · 12 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Durango
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Durango on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Clifton · lowest
54,301
Clifton · lowest
54,301 median HH income
35.7% of the leader · rank #1
Waverly · near
79,539
Waverly · near
79,539 median HH income
52.3% of the leader · rank #2
Durango · this city
79,545
Durango · this city
79,545 median HH income
52.3% of the leader · rank #3
Hadley · near
79,554
Hadley · near
79,554 median HH income
52.3% of the leader · rank #4
Dayton · near
79,556
Dayton · near
79,556 median HH income
52.3% of the leader · rank #5
Ramsey · near
79,559
Ramsey · near
79,559 median HH income
52.3% of the leader · rank #6
Hermosa Beach · highest
152,019
Hermosa Beach · highest
152,019 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Durango on ACS population and median household income
. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 19,257.
Nationally, Durango sits in the 61st percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.
61st
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this
Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.
Data Snapshot: Durango, CO
19,257 people live in Durango, Colorado - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Durango households earn a median of $79,545 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.6%. Typical homes in Durango are valued around $609,700, and the median resident age is 37.2 years. About 58.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 64.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 49 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 62% from five years earlier. NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 47.4°F with 19.6 inches of precipitation per year and 63.7 inches of snowfall.
Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Colorado at 103.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,429 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Colorado's average monthly utility costs around $202 (state average). The average commute for Durango workers runs 12.1 minutes, with 63.7% driving alone and 14.1% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 40.7 out of 100 (Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Durango's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from schools and households to comparison shortlist to housing and income to within-city variation to population change to climate and hazard context to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Durango, city-specific coverage includes local building permits, within-city Census tract profiles, annual population history, commute-mode shares, matched public-school count.
No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
1. Schools and households
What does the education layer cover for Durango?
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
The NCES join finds 15 public schools within the city match. 58.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
Which cities make useful reference points for Durango?
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.
Within Colorado, the closest population matches are Sherrelwood (19,368 residents, $73,849 income); Cimarron Hills (18,808 residents, $75,853 income); Clifton (19,746 residents, $54,301 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Tinton Falls, NJ (19,252 residents); Valle Vista, CA (19,263 residents); Holtsville, NY (19,250 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
How far does income reach against housing in Durango?
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.
The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 7.7 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 10.6%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
PlainCities matches 12 Census tracts to this city.
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Population change
Is Durango growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +621 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +3.2% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 49 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
2020 estimate
19,112
2025 estimate
19,733
Period change
+3.2%
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 47.4°F, with 19.6 inches of precipitation and 63.7 inches of annual snowfall. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for Colorado is 40.7 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
FEMA risk index (state avg)
40.7
Annual precipitation
19.6 in
Mean temperature
47.4°F
NOAA Climate Normals and FEMA National Risk Index (state-averaged on PlainCities). Hazard context is not address-level.
What does the journey to work look like in Durango?
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 63.7%. The reported mean trip to work is 12.1 minutes.
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Drive alone
63.7%
Work from home
14.1%
Public transit
1.0%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 10,827 workers age 16+.
Above median income · poverty 10.6% (Above-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
103.1 (US=100)
Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average
C-
City profile score · Durango, CO
51/100
4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Bachelor's+ share A+
58.3%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Household income C
$79,545
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate F
10.6%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Cost of living F
103.1 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Violent crime N/A
N/A
No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).
Durango profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 91/100 (A+) · 58.3%
Household income: 59/100 (C) · $79,545
Poverty rate: 37/100 (F) · 10.6%
Cost of living: 26/100 (F) · 103.1 index
How does Durango compare to other US cities?
Where Durango sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income61% higher than other cities
Home value90% pricier than other cities
Median rent68% pricier than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Durango against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Colorado only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Colorado-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Durango near the bottom of Colorado's cities
Among the 408 Colorado cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Durango ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Durango only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#192 of 379
49th percentile in Colorado
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 408
0th percentile in Colorado
Median Home Value
#103 of 388
73rd percentile in Colorado
Poverty Rate
#98 of 408
75th percentile in Colorado
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#80 of 408
80th percentile in Colorado
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Colorado only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
61st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
How Durango's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$609,70010th percentilemore affordable than 10% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023
Durango's home-value-to-income ratio: 7.7×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
pressured
> 5.0×
National rank
#14,922 of 15,516
More affordable than 4% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#3,176 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)
At 7.7×, Durango sits in the pressured band:
national rank #14,922 of 15,516 and #3,176 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999).
Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median, a comparison flag, not a verdict on any household.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$79,545Durango, CO median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Durango, CO median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Durango, CO.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)58.3%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)10.6%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)64.6%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
19,257
Median Income
$79,545
Median Home Value
$609,700
Median Age
37.2
Poverty Rate
10.6%
Labor force participation
64.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
58.3%
Climate
Avg Temperature
47.4°F
Annual Precipitation
19.6"
Annual Snowfall
63.7"
Schools
Total Schools
15
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Durango's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
19,112 residents
2021
19,122 residents
2022
19,525 residents
2023
19,513 residents
2024
19,847 residents
2025
19,733 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
49
housing units authorized
Single-Family
14
detached homes
Multifamily
35
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.5
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
129
70
59
$20.6M
2020
80
36
44
$13.9M
2021
170
114
56
$17.4M
2022
168
99
69
$18.5M
2023
196
23
173
$29.2M
2024
49
14
35
$11.8M
Permit volume decreased 62% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Average Commute Time
12.1 minutes
Drive Alone
63.7%
Carpool
6.0%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
9.4%
Work from Home
14.1%
Other
5.8%
Based on 10,827 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Colorado statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $202
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Colorado at $202 (electricity about $90 , water and sewer about $50 ).
These are Colorado statewide averages, not a meter reading for Durango. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Colorado's BEA cost-of-living index is 103.1 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Durango is $1,429/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Colorado statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 40.7 / 100 (Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Colorado statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Durango sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Durango compares to similar-size Colorado cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.