Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 5,015, settled in 1859.
Breckenridge grades B− overall, 90th among Colorado's 158 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 93% of the country and the median household earns $138K. On the other side, the typical home is worth about $1.2 million, 11.3 years of the Breckenridge area’s $106K median household income. Breckenridge’s typical home value is $1,188,000, above both the Colorado town median ($531,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($332,000). Breckenridge is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 85% of U.S. towns. Breckenridge has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Breckenridge Historic District and Masonic Placer Cemetery-Valley Brook Cemetery.
Where Breckenridge beats most towns.
2.5% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far Breckenridge is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Its founding year, 1859, comes before those of 89% of the Colorado towns we grade with a known year.
Census counts: 51 in 1870, a low of 51 in 1870, 5,078 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1862 and 4 maps from 1938 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Breckenridge, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Breckenridge.
Breckenridge has more trail for its size than nearly any town in Colorado, draws workers from Denver and beyond and fares better on crime within Colorado than nationally.
At 11.3 years of the Breckenridge area’s $106K median household income, the typical home (about $1.19M) costs more against local pay than in 93% of Colorado towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living. The typical value, about $1.19M, is 13% below its July 2022 peak.
Breckenridge’s median rent is $1,752 a month. The typical Breckenridge home is worth about $1,188,000, up 1.7% in a year, more than twice the Colorado typical home. 80% of Breckenridge households own their home.
| Breckenridge | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 80% | 71% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,752 a month | $1,812 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by Summit School District No. Re 1. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Blue Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 221 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state tests and graduation
At 6.1 miles of trail per square mile, it ranks #2 of 140 Colorado towns.
The trail density in Breckenridge is 6.1 miles per square mile. Cucumber Gulch Preserve, at 124 acres with 2.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. 36 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
| Breckenridge | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 6.1 miles per square mile | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.5% | 7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cucumber Gulch Preserve | 2.2 mi | 124 |
| 2. Carter Park | 0.1 mi | 5 |
| 3. River Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
7,536 jobs are based in Breckenridge, 2.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 14.3 minutes, against 25.2 across Colorado.
41% of Breckenridge’s working residents work right in town. Since 2013, Breckenridge has added 2,188 jobs, to 7,536 in 2023. Among 159 Colorado towns, just 9 have a lower average trip to work than Breckenridge.
| Breckenridge | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 41% | 7.5% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Within Colorado it is healthier than 63% of the 159 graded towns: Colorado sets a high bar. Its widest gap with Colorado is tooth loss: 5.7% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 9.2% statewide.
21% of adults binge drink in Breckenridge. Breckenridge beats the Colorado average on 11 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 69% of adults had a checkup this year in Breckenridge.
| Breckenridge | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 71% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 27% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 6.6% | 8.5% | 12% |
| What stands out | Breckenridge | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.7% | 9.2% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 6.6% | 8.6% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 64.6% | 69.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
At 38.6 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 65% of Colorado’s graded towns.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
The Breckenridge weather station records that 185 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 100% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 72.3°, cooler than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 7.6°.
No town among the 159 in Colorado we compare has a lower July high than Breckenridge. Breckenridge has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with very little rain. Among 159 Colorado towns, just 9 have a lower January low than Breckenridge.
| Breckenridge | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 72°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 8°F | 17°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Breckenridge since 1994.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Breckenridge. Close and well known come first.
Big draw34 mi MountainMount Elbert
2 mi Ski areaBreckenridge157 runs · 3,193 ft vertical
6 mi Ski areaCopper Mountain153 runs · 2,644 ft vertical
22 mi MountainMount Blue Sky
19 mi Ski areaVail322 runs · 3,523 ft vertical
8 mi Ski areaKeystone164 runs · 3,196 ft verticalMount Elbert: Hogs555 (talk · contribs), CC BY-SA 4.0 · Breckenridge: Ahodges7, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Copper Mountain: Jarrod Doll from United States of America, CC BY 2.0 · Mount Blue Sky: Lookinhere, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Vail: Rudi Riet from Washington, DC, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Keystone: Ahodges7, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Breckenridge; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Breckenridge residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
4,540 counted in 2010 and 5,078 in 2020; an estimated 5,015 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Home-rule town and seat of Summit County, Colorado, United States
Breckenridge is the home rule town that is the county seat of Summit County, Colorado, United States. The population was 5,078 at the 2020 census. Breckenridge is the principal town of the Breckenridge, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The town also has many part-time residents, as many people have vacation homes in the area. The town is located at the base of the Tenmile Range. Since ski trails were first cut in 1961, Breckenridge Ski Resort has made the town a popular destination for skiers. Summer in Breckenridge attracts outdoor enthusiasts with hiking trails, wildflowers, fly fishing in the Blue River, mountain biking, nearby Lake Dillon for boating, white-water rafting, three alpine …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Breckenridge grades B− overall, better than 54% of U.S. towns and #90 of 158 in Colorado. It grades A for health, C− for safety and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
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