NaturitaType, 2007
Naturita’s story
144 years in pictures
Census counts: 979 in 1960, 485 in 2020. The archive holds 22 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 2 maps from 1964 on.
- 1882Naturita is settled
NaturitaCO
Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0
Population
478
2025 Census estimate · −1.2% since 2020
Typical home
$211K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$28K
median
Median age
45.3
years
Jobs based here
162
Balanced
Is Naturita a good place to live?
26% of residents live below the poverty line in Naturita, where Colorado’s towns sit at 8.4% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Of the 160 Colorado towns we compare, none has a lower median household income than Naturita. Naturita’s density of trails is 1.8 miles per square mile, above both Colorado’s towns (1.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). Naturita has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Naturita stand out
Where Naturita beats most towns.
Small town
478 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Naturita: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Naturita, and how to reach them.
PowerSan Miguel Power Assn16.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Naturita water system3 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Naturita’s trash rules yet
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.govWho runs elections hereMontrose County Clerk and RecorderMontrose County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8142281422 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 Naturita.
Housing
The typical home in Naturita: about $211K
The rent at the middle of the market in Naturita is $894 a month. Typical home values rose 2.2% in the year to September 2026. In Naturita, 88% of households live in a home they own.
$211KZillow home value
| Naturita | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $894 a month | $1,808 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 88% | 71% | 73% |
Typical home value
Naturita$211K
Colorado$529K
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Naturita’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the West End School District No. Re-2. 161 students attend Naturita’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nucla Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 161 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Very high risk in Naturita, with inland flooding at the top
One claim on flood insurance has been paid out in Naturita since 2013. Compared with 80% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is higher. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 68% come from inland flooding and 17% from avalanches.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingAvalanchesWildfire
1
paid flood claims since 2013
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
11″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–44°
Spring36–66°
Summer56–89°
Fall37–67°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+2.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
About one in seven working residents works right in Naturita
The top destinations are Nucla (11%), Telluride (7%) and Norwood (5%). Commuting out is the norm in Naturita: 14% of working residents work locally. Also worth knowing: the town’s average commute is 19 minutes. The median commute is under 42 miles.
14%work in town
| Naturita | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 7.7% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Naturita14%
Nucla11%
Telluride7%
Norwood5%
Mountain Village5%
42 mi
median commute distance
162
jobs based in Naturita
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Compared with most of Colorado and the rest of the country, more of Naturita’s adults report frequent physical distress
In Naturita, nearly a fifth of adults smoke cigarettes, and 24% say their health is fair or poor. Of 26 CDC measures, Naturita beats the Colorado average on 2 and trails it on 16. For adults in the town, the share who binge drink is 15%. Among 160 Colorado towns, just 7 have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Naturita.
| Naturita | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 11% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 15% | 19% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 27% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
2 better8 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Naturita | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 15.2% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 76.1% | 69.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20% | 9.2% |
Montrose Regional Health
41.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 401 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 1.8 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Naturita
18pages on Naturita
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Naturita; the nearest are
Colorado Mesa UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Grand Junction59.6 mi$9,927 in-state tuitionSan Juan CollegeCommunity college · Public · Farmington, NM102.4 mi$1,928 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Naturita residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
About Naturita
Town in Colorado, United States
Naturita is a statutory town in Montrose County, Colorado, United States. The population was 485 at the 2020 census, down from 546 in 2010. The post office in Naturita was opened on October 21, 1881, under the name "Chipeta"; the name was changed to Naturita September 15, 1882, and has used that name since then. Naturita is a name derived from Spanish meaning "little nature".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,423 ft
- ZIP code
- 81422
- Area code
- 970
Questions about Naturita
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Naturita, CO a good place to live?
Naturita has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.