Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 3,299, settled in 1920.
Orchard City grades C− overall, 142nd of 158 graded towns in Colorado, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. On the other side, the median household income is $56K, and 22% of residents live below the poverty line. It also does better than most on health: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 63% of the country. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $375K for a typical one and 6.5 times the county’s $58K median household income. 30% of residents are 65 or older in Orchard City, above both the Colorado town median (15%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Only 10 of Colorado’s 218 towns score lower on the outdoors. First Presbyterian Church of Eckert is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Orchard City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far Orchard City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 531 in 1920, 3,142 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1962 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Orchard City, 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 Orchard City.
Orchard City is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has a shorter frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Colorado; it also has poverty well above the Colorado rate.
Most working residents leave Orchard City for work: only 7% work in town. Jobs based in Orchard City grew to 437 in 2023, 30 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Delta (20%), Montrose (11%) and Grand Junction (8%).
| Orchard City | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 7% | 7.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 77% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The median property tax bill is $1,107, against $2,602 across Colorado, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Orchard City home is worth about $375,000, up 1.5% in a year, 29% below the Colorado typical home. 82% of households own their home in Orchard City.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Paonia 1sw weather station, 19 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 159 days: shorter than most of the country, but longer than 85% of Colorado places with climate records.
Orchard City has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Orchard City’s July high is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 7,720 U.S. towns with household incomes like Orchard City’s, it is healthier than 91%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income. Within Colorado it is less healthy than 77% of the 159 graded towns: Colorado sets a high bar.
14% of Orchard City adults binge drink. Orchard City beats the Colorado average on 5 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 31% of Orchard City adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Orchard City | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 27% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 26% | 35% |
| What stands out | Orchard City | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.9% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.5% | 69.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.3% | 5.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Just 172 of its 7,351 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Orchard City itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. BLM Open OHV Area | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Orchard City; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Orchard City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
Town in Colorado, United States
Orchard City is a statutory town in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 3,142 at the 2020 census. There are three post offices serving Orchard City: Austin (ZIP code 81410), Cory (ZIP code 81414), Eckert (ZIP code 81418).
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Orchard City grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #142 of 158 in Colorado. It grades B for health and B for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.