Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
2.3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Colorado town.
The best of Paonia’s subject grades is an A+ for civic life; the weakest is a D for incomes. Paonia’s average trip to work is 12 minutes, against 25 minutes in Colorado’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Only 20 of Colorado’s 216 towns score lower on incomes. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Paonia’s trail density is 2.8 miles per square mile, where Colorado’s towns sit at 1.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. On civic life, just 2 of Colorado’s 146 towns do better. Paonia has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Paonia First Christian Church and Bross Hotel. Paonia has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Paonia beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Curtis Hardware StoreIn a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far Paonia is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,007 in 1910, 1,447 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 3 maps from 1965 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Paonia, 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 Paonia.
Since 1980, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Paonia.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Delta County Joint District No. 50. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paonia K-8Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 247 | A |
| North Fork School of Integrated StudiesTop results in townGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 112 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state tests and graduation
People 65 and older are 27% of residents (16% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 15% of residents (25% statewide). The median age in Paonia is 44.4 years. 37% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 46% across Colorado.
| Paonia | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 27% | 15% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 15% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 44.4 years | 38.3 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 37% | 44% | 29% |
58% women, 42% men
About 72 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.4 points). Across Colorado, 49.3% of residents are women.
| Paonia | CO | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.1% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.1% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.6% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.8% | 15.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 20.4% | 14.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.1% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.4% | 11.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.2% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.4% | 5.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.6% | 7.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 18.7% | 19.7% | 26% |
| Some college | 28.3% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.6% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.8% | 28.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.8% | 17.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,500, single groups can be off by several points
Paonia beats the Colorado average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 37% of adults have high blood pressure in Paonia.
| Paonia | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 27% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 71% | 79% |
| What stands out | Paonia | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 15% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 76.6% | 69.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 5.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Paonia has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Paonia’s July high is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Paonia for work: only 17% work in town. Since 2013, Paonia has added 82 jobs, to 488 in 2023. The top destinations are Delta (9%), Grand Junction (7%) and Hotchkiss (3%).
| Paonia | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 7.7% | 8% |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Paonia's reported crime rate is well below Colorado's. Among 94 Colorado towns, just 3 have a lower violent crime rate than Paonia. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Paonia | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.8 per 1,000 residents | 15.2 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
The typical Paonia home is worth about $464,000, up 1.9% in a year, 12% below the Colorado typical home. 61% of Paonia households own their home. Among 152 Colorado towns, just 8 have a lower median rent than Paonia.
| Paonia | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $897 a month | $1,808 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 61% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Paonia; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Paonia residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
4 places in Paonia on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Paonia.
Town in Colorado, United States
Paonia is a statutory town in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,447 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
2.3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Colorado town.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
4 notable people were born here, including Terence McKenna and Paolo Bacigalupi.
