City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Vail, CO

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

4,729
Residents
$103,705
Median income
$1,040,100
Median home
$2,467
Median rent (state)

Vail - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Vail lands in the 80th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

80th
percentile, household income
97th
percentile, home value
91st
percentile, median rent
6th
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: Vail, CO

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,729 residents in Vail, a small town within Colorado. Vail households earn a median of $103,705 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.2%. Vail's housing stock carries a median value of $1,040,100, and the median resident age is 49.5 years. 68.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 66.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 7 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 83% from five years earlier. Vail's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4315.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 37.9°F with 22.4 inches of precipitation per year and 189.2 inches of snowfall.

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,467 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $202 across Colorado, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 16.6 minutes, with 62.4% driving alone and 12.7% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 60.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

4,729 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$103,705 /yr

Poverty 5.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Vail compare to other US cities?

Where Vail sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 80% higher than other cities
Home value 97% pricier than other cities
Median rent 91% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Colorado, Vail ranks #103 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Vail's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Colorado, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

80thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

80th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Vail's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Vail'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 31 Avg. percentile National median
Vail'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 Vail's home value compares nationally

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

$1,040,100 3rd percentile more affordable than 3% 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%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Vail $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 - Vail, CO Vail, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Vail, 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 Vail, CO median $103,705/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%
Vail, 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 Vail, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 68.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.5%

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

Population
4,729
Median Income
$103,705
Median Home Value
$1,040,100
Median Age
49.5
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Labor force participation
66.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
68.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4315.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
271.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4044.3
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
37.9°F
Annual Precipitation
22.4"
Annual Snowfall
189.2"

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,200 residents4,400 residents4,600 residents4,800 residents5,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,826 residents 4,407 residents ▼ -8.7%
Vail's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
7
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 41
2020 12
2021 18
2022 9
2023 7
2024 7

Permit volume decreased 83% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.6 minutes
Drive Alone
62.4%
Carpool
4.1%
Public Transit
8.0%
Walk
8.1%
Work from Home
12.7%
Other
4.7%

Based on 2,919 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 Vail sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,467/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
60.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Manitou Springs
4,796 people
Silverthorne
4,657 people
New Castle
4,878 people
Glendale
4,546 people
Edgewater
4,955 people
Breckenridge
5,001 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Vail's 4,729 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mather, CA
4,729 people
Chisholm, MN
4,731 people
Dansville, NY
4,731 people
Jeanerette, LA
4,732 people
Santa Ynez, CA
4,725 people
Centreville, MD
4,725 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Vail's $103,705 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Raritan, NJ
$103,699 median income
Pennsburg, PA
$103,698 median income
Chandler, AZ
$103,691 median income
Bountiful, UT
$103,723 median income
Amityville, NY
$103,684 median income
Palmer Ranch, FL
$103,682 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Vail, 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 Vail, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.0% 11.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.7% White 87.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 11.2% 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 Vail 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
Vail (this city) 4,729 $103,705
Manitou Springs 4,796 $76,550
Silverthorne 4,657 $114,185
New Castle 4,878 $88,421
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Vail, CO?

What is the population of Vail, CO? +

Vail, CO counts 4,729 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Vail is $103,705 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Vail? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Vail; 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 Vail, CO safe? +

Vail has a total crime rate of 4315.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Vail, CO? +

Homes in Vail carry a median value of $1,040,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Vail? +

The average annual temperature in Vail runs 37.9°F, 22.4 inches of precipitation, and 189.2 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 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.

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 Editorial

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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.