City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Palisade, CO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Palisade - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,580
Residents
$61,655
Median income
$295,200
Median home
$1,249
Median rent (state)

Palisade - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Palisade places in the 38th percentile for household income and the 61st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

38th
percentile, household income
64th
percentile, home value
41st
percentile, median rent
61st
percentile, safety
📝 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: Palisade, CO

2,580 people live in Palisade, Colorado - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $61,655 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.1%. Palisade's housing stock carries a median value of $295,200, and the median resident age is 50.7 years. About 30.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 60.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Palisade reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1071.6 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Palisade's yearly average temperature at 54.4°F with 10.5 inches of precipitation per year and 12.9 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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,249 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $202 across Colorado, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 75.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

2,580 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$61,655 /yr

Poverty 5.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Palisade compare to other US cities?

Palisade measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 38% higher than other cities
Home value 64% pricier than other cities
Median rent 41% pricier than other cities
Safety 61% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Colorado alone, Palisade ranks #40 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Palisade 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 sits close to the middle of Colorado's city distribution

Among the 408 Colorado cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Palisade ranks #283 - the 29th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Palisade only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#263 of 379
31st percentile in Colorado
Median Gross Rent
#283 of 408
29th percentile in Colorado
Median Home Value
#256 of 388
34th percentile in Colorado
Poverty Rate
#198 of 408
51st percentile in Colorado
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#217 of 408
47th percentile in Colorado

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.

38thIncome percentile
61stSafety percentile

38th percentile nationally for median household income · 61st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Palisade's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Palisade's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 49 Avg. percentile National median
Palisade's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Palisade's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$295,200 36th percentile more affordable than 36% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Palisade $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Palisade, CO Palisade, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Palisade, CO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Palisade, CO median $61,655/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Palisade, CO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Palisade, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,580
Median Income
$61,655
Median Home Value
$295,200
Median Age
50.7
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Labor force participation
60.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1071.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
153.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
918.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
54.4°F
Annual Precipitation
10.5"
Annual Snowfall
12.9"

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,540 residents2,560 residents2,580 residents2,600 residents2,620 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,562 residents 2,599 residents ▲ +1.4%
Palisade's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
60.5%
Carpool
2.9%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
6.9%
Work from Home
26.4%
Other
1.6%

Based on 1,343 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Colorado - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$202
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Colorado state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Colorado state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Palisade sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,249/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
75.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Rangely
2,572 people
Telluride
2,595 people
Park Center
2,544 people
Sterling Ranch
2,530 people
Meeker
2,528 people
Leadville
2,634 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Palisade's 2,580 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Georgetown, CA
2,580 people
Versailles, MO
2,580 people
Wild Peach, TX
2,580 people
Haw River, NC
2,581 people
Youngsville, NC
2,581 people
The Hills, TX
2,579 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Palisade's $61,655 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Maywood, CA
$61,655 median income
Rensselaer, IN
$61,648 median income
Faribault, MN
$61,662 median income
Sapulpa, OK
$61,644 median income
Norris, IL
$61,667 median income
Little York, IN
$61,667 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Palisade, CO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Palisade, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.4% 14.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.3% White 85.4% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 14.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Palisade compares to nearby Colorado cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Palisade (this city) 2,580 $61,655
Rangely 2,572 $75,044
Telluride 2,595 $97,330
Park Center 2,544 $68,882
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Palisade, CO?

What is the population of Palisade, CO? +

Palisade, CO counts 2,580 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Palisade, CO? +

Palisade households earn a median of $61,655 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Palisade? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Palisade; the closest available measure is the Colorado state average, a cost of living index of 103.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Colorado vary by metro area.

Is Palisade, CO safe? +

Palisade has a total crime rate of 1071.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Palisade, CO? +

Homes in Palisade carry a median value of $295,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Palisade? +

Climate normals put Palisade's yearly average temperature at 54.4°F, 10.5 inches of precipitation, and 12.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, 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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.