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Gardner, Colorado
Colorado›Huerfano County

GardnerCO

Home to 162 people, the town was settled in 1871.

Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 3.0
Photo of Gardner

Gardner, CO · Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 3.0 · Source ↗

Is Gardner a good place to live?

Gardner’s age of the median resident is 73 years, above both the Colorado town median (38.3 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Among 160 Colorado towns, just one has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Gardner. Gardner has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

162 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Getting set up

Moving to Gardner: who provides what

Gardner is unincorporated, so Huerfano County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerSan Isabel Electric Assn18.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGardner Water and Sanitation DistNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesHuerfano CountyHuerfano County provides services here
SchoolsHuerfano School District RE-1Which school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereHuerfano County Clerk and RecorderHuerfano County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8104081040 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Gardner.

Schools

The schools Gardner’s kids attend

Its one school is below. The Huerfano School District Re-1 runs its public schools. Gardner’s only public school teaches 82 students.

SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Gardner Valley SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8Grades PK–882D

NCES · EDFacts

Housing

Homes in Gardner are worth about $304K, by Zillow’s estimate

In the year to September 2026, typical home values slipped 2.6%.

$304KZillow home value

Typical home value

Gardner$304K
Colorado$529K
−2.6%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazards

The biggest natural risk in Gardner is inland flooding, at a high overall level

Of the losses FEMA expects in Gardner, 61% come from inland flooding and 15% from wildfires. On expected storm and flood damage, Gardner sits above 73% of U.S. communities.

73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
73High riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingWildfireHail

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Gardner

Summer afternoons peak near 85° in July, and January nights bottom out around 13°; snowfall runs to about 51 inches a winter. Gardner has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain.

51″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter14–44°
Spring30–61°
Summer49–82°
Fall32–64°
Sep 25
typical first frost
May 27
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Gardner is

In Gardner, 15% of adults report frequent mental distress. On the CDC’s 26 measures, Gardner is ahead of Colorado on 3 and behind on 8. Only 9 of the 160 Colorado towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Gardner.

GardnerColorado townsU.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)13%8.4%12%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)15%16%17%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)75%71%79%
Depression (CDC PLACES)20%23%23%
26 measures vs. Colorado
3 better15 too close to call8 worse
What stands outGardnerCO
Fewer binge drinkers15.6%19%
More adults treating high blood pressure75.5%69.5%
More adults with diabetes12.7%8.6%
Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center
22.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Outdoors

0% of Gardner is conserved land

1.7 miles of trail.

0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,575 acres
1.7 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Nearby attractions

Great Sand Dunes National Park and 4 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Gardner. Close and well known come first.

All 14 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Great Sand Dunes National Park: Preiselbeere (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · San Isabel National Forest: Zereshk, CC BY-SA 3.0 · North Cheyenne Cañon Park: Dennis Graham, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Colorado Gators Reptile Park: Rolf BlauertDk4hb, Public domain

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Gardner

16pages on Gardner
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Gardner; the nearest are

About Gardner

Census-designated place in Huerfano County, CO, USA

Gardner is a census-designated place (CDP) and post office in and governed by Huerfano County, Colorado, United States. The Gardner post office has the ZIP Code 81040. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Gardner CDP was 106.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Elevation
6,969 ft
ZIP code
81040

Questions about Gardner

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Gardner, CO a good place to live?

Gardner has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.