Mesa County Fairgrounds in, 2020
Orchard Mesa’s story
Orchard Mesa in pictures
Census counts: 4,956 in 1960, 6,688 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2020 and 3 maps from 1956 on.
Explore the history →Orchard MesaCO
6,945 people call this town in Colorado home.
Population
6,945
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$333K
Census ACS
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
41.2
years
Jobs based here
447
A commuter town
TownGrade
B
#85 of 158 in CO
Is Orchard Mesa a good place to live?
Orchard Mesa’s best grade is for health — it is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns. At B overall, Orchard Mesa is better than 56% of U.S. towns and ranks 85th of 158 in Colorado. The drawback is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $333K, 4.5 years of the Grand Junction metro’s $74K median household income. Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B for schools, B for incomes, B for walkability and B− for hazard risk. The town’s density of trails is 1.5 miles per square mile, where Colorado’s towns sit at 1.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Only 4 of the 159 Colorado towns we compare have a higher July high than Orchard Mesa.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · schools, state test and graduation results · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenStreetMap · NOAA normals, 1991–2020.
StrongestA−Outdoors
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Orchard Mesa for work
Where Orchard Mesa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
447jobs based in Orchard Mesa
2%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Orchard Mesa grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far Orchard Mesa is from typical.
HealthIntermountain Health St. Mary's Regional Hospital 4.6 miles awayB+Open →Cost of livingWeaker than most of the towns comparedC+Open →Jobs & income$80K median household income; 447 jobs based hereBOpen →SchoolsGraded on exam and test resultsBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7 of 20; 5.1% of households have no car; 2.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsAmong the best for parks and open landA−Open →HistoryAmong the weakest of the towns comparedDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Orchard Mesa: who provides what
Orchard Mesa is unincorporated, so Mesa County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerXcel Energy15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterUte Wcd water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesMesa CountyMesa County provides services here
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 hereMesa County Clerk and RecorderMesa County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8150381503 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 Orchard Mesa.
Orchard Mesa has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, sends most of its workers to Grand Junction and beyond and is healthy by national standards but behind most towns in Colorado.
OutdoorsA−
Orchard Mesa keeps 6% of its land conserved
Trails total 5.7 miles in 6 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in Orchard Mesa: 6, covering 16 acres.
#67for trails in CO
| Orchard Mesa | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.5 miles per square mile | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6% | 7% | 4.3% |
6%
conserved · 142 of 2,373 acres
5.7 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mesa County Fairgrounds Arboretum | 0.3 mi | 1 |
| 2. Village Nine West Park | — | 8 |
| 3. Orchard Mesa Lions Club Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB
Orchard Mesa’s public schools outperform 58% of Colorado districts
The Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 runs its public schools. Its one school is below. 289 students attend Orchard Mesa’s public school.
58%of CO districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Orchard Mesa Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 289 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
About two in three of Orchard Mesa’s working residents commute to Grand Junction
Orchard Mesa has 447 jobs for its 2,619 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 18.5 minutes, against 25.2 across Colorado.
Half commute less than 5 miles. For Orchard Mesa, the average commute is 19 minutes. Only 2% of working residents stay in Orchard Mesa for work; the rest commute out. Among residents locally, 4.5% live below the poverty line.
2%work in town
| Orchard Mesa | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 8.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.1% | 7.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Orchard Mesa2%
Grand Junction63%
Denver3%
Fruita2%
Clifton2%
5 mi
median commute distance
447
jobs based in Orchard Mesa
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 58% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
For health, Orchard Mesa earns a B+
Within Colorado it is less healthy than 75% of the 159 graded towns: Colorado sets a high bar.
The share of adults in Orchard Mesa who have diabetes: 10%. Two figures for adults in the town: 72% had a checkup this year, 31% have obesity.
66%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Orchard Mesa | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 71% | 79% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 26% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 27% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
0 better15 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Orchard Mesa | CO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 7.6% | 5.3% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 3.7% | 2.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 6.9% | 5.1% |
Grand Junction VA Medical Center
3.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
25th
percentile among CO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Orchard Mesa, a typical July afternoon runs hotter than in the typical Colorado or U.S. town
July afternoons average 94.3°, hotter than in 95% of U.S. towns; January nights average 18.3°.
The seasons in Orchard Mesa: chilly winters, hot summers, with very little rain. About 13 inches of snow falls in a winter. The January low in the town is 18°F.
13″snow a winter
| Orchard Mesa | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 94°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 18°F | 17°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–43°
Spring39–68°
Summer59–91°
Fall39–68°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+2.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
The biggest natural risk in Orchard Mesa is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
For Orchard Mesa, the FEMA risk score is 59 of 100. FEMA puts 83% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 7% to lightning.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingLightning
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C+
A home in Orchard Mesa sells for about $380K at the median
88% of households are owner-occupiers in Orchard Mesa. The town’s rent at the middle of the market is $1,535 a month. Homes sold in Orchard Mesa spent a median 34 days on the market.
$380Kmedian sale price
| Orchard Mesa | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 71% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,535 a month | $1,812 a month | $1,185 a month |
Market temperature
34
days on market
99%
sale-to-list price
7
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 10 attractions →Colorado National Monument and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Orchard Mesa. Close and well known come first.
7 mi National MonumentColorado National Monument483K visitors a year
31 mi MountainGrand Mesa19 mi Ski areaPowderhorn56 runs · 1,653 ft vertical
5 mi MuseumCAF Rocky Mountain Wing Museum
3 mi MuseumCross Orchards Historic Site
14 mi MuseumFruita MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Colorado National Monument: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Grand Mesa: DrunkDriver, CC BY-SA 3.0 · CAF Rocky Mountain Wing Museum: Airbase1, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cross Orchards Historic Site: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fruita Museum: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Orchard Mesa
17pages on Orchard Mesa
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Orchard Mesa
Colorado Mesa UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Grand Junction3.8 mi$9,927 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Orchard Mesa residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
Orchard Mesa’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Orchard Mesa.
Grand JunctionOrchard Mesa
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CO rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orchard Mesa | #85 | B | C+ | — | B | B+ |
| Grand Junction | #118 | C+ | C+ | D | B | B+ |
Orchard Mesa reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Orchard Mesa with a neighbor →
Questions about Orchard Mesa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Orchard Mesa, CO a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Orchard Mesa grades B overall, better than 56% of U.S. towns and #85 of 158 in Colorado. It grades B+ for health and B for schools.
Is Orchard Mesa, CO expensive?
The typical home is worth about $333,000, 37% below the Colorado typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.