Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 577, settled in 1904.
Nucla has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1972.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nucla, 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 Nucla.
Nucla’s rent at the middle of the market is $929 a month. Home values are up 6.3% over the year to September 2026. The share of households in Nucla who live in a home they own is 65%, where Colorado’s towns sit at 71% and U.S. towns at 73%.
| Nucla | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $929 a month | $1,808 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 65% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its two schools are below. The 2 public schools in Nucla teach 99 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nucla Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 39 | C |
| Nucla High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 60 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 80% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Nucla break down as 68% from inland flooding and 17% from avalanches.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The top destinations are Norwood (11%), Naturita (8%) and Telluride (8%). Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Nucla dropped by 25, to 131. The typical journey to work for Nucla comes to 14 minutes, below both Colorado’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only nearly a tenth of working residents stay in Nucla for work; the rest commute out.
| Nucla | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $43,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Among adults in Nucla, 19% smoke cigarettes and 24% say their health is fair or poor. Against the Colorado average, Nucla comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 26, and behind on 14. 15% of adults binge drink in the town. Only 2 of the 160 Colorado towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Nucla.
| Nucla | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 11% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 15% | 19% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 27% | 35% |
| What stands out | Nucla | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.5% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77.7% | 69.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 19.2% | 9.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Nucla; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Nucla residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
Where Nucla’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Colorado, United States
Nucla is a statutory town in Montrose County, Colorado, United States. The population was 585 as of the 2020 census, down from 711 in 2010. Its name comes from the town founders' intent that it serve as a "nucleus" for the surrounding farms and mines, although it has since come to be associated with the growth of uranium mining in the region.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Nucla has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.