#1Craig
Moffat County · 8,874 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 3.2 years of area income·Overall B− · #96 of 158 in CO
Craig, #1 on this list · Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 3.0Colorado rankings · Cost of living
Most affordable towns in Colorado
Craig ranks first on cost of living among Colorado’s 158 towns of 2,500+; 2 of the 158 grade A− or better on cost of living nationally.
The Cost of living grade: home values, rent and property-tax bills against the income of the town’s metro area or county, and the share of households paying 30%+ of income for housing (Census ACS). How grades work
#1A−
#2Monte Vista
Rio Grande County · 4,005 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 4.2 years of area income·Overall D · #152 of 158 in CO
#3Burlington
Kit Carson County · 3,164 peopleCost of living grade, homes cost 3.5 years of area income·Overall C+ · #116 of 158 in CO
All 158 towns
Cost of living grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 50 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
158 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeHome price · overall
4Battlement Mesaunincorporated, Garfield County · 5,755 peopleB+3.3 years of area income·Overall C · #124 of 158
13Derbyunincorporated, Adams County · 8,453 peopleB3.4 years of area income·Overall C+ · #117 of 158
16Stratmoorunincorporated, El Paso County · 5,412 peopleB−3.5 years of area income·Overall B− · #91 of 158
20Strasburgunincorporated, Adams County · 3,455 peopleB−5.0 years of area income·Overall B · #68 of 158
22Cliftonunincorporated, Mesa County · 19,518 peopleB−4.5 years of area income·Overall C · #130 of 158
24Holly Hillsunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 2,572 peopleB−6.6 years of area income·Overall A+ · #1 of 158
25Lincoln Parkunincorporated, Fremont County · 3,986 peopleB−4.7 years of area income·Overall C− · #141 of 158
27Orchard Mesaunincorporated, Mesa County · 6,945 peopleC+4.5 years of area income·Overall B · #85 of 158
33Fruitvaleunincorporated, Mesa County · 8,019 peopleC+4.5 years of area income·Overall B · #80 of 158
37Acres Greenunincorporated, Douglas County · 2,639 peopleC+5.2 years of area income·Overall A+ · #2 of 158
40Welbyunincorporated, Adams County · 16,197 peopleC+3.6 years of area income·Overall C+ · #106 of 158
47Security-Widefieldunincorporated, El Paso County · 37,345 peopleC4.1 years of area income·Overall C+ · #111 of 158
49Ponderosa Parkunincorporated, Elbert County · 3,453 peopleC6.7 years of area income·Overall B · #84 of 158
51Cimarron Hillsunincorporated, El Paso County · 19,817 peopleC4.1 years of area income·Overall C · #129 of 158
52Penroseunincorporated, Fremont County · 4,087 peopleC6.2 years of area income·Overall C− · #143 of 158
55Woodmoorunincorporated, El Paso County · 8,934 peopleC8.6 years of area income·Overall A · #10 of 158
T56Sherrelwoodunincorporated, Adams County · 18,692 peopleC4.1 years of area income·Overall C · #126 of 158
58Stepping Stoneunincorporated, Douglas County · 3,137 peopleC7.4 years of area income·Overall A · #5 of 158
T66Colorado SpringsEl Paso County · 494,743 peopleC4.9 years of area income·Overall C− · #138 of 158
68Park Centerunincorporated, Fremont County · 2,588 peopleC6.2 years of area income·Overall C+ · #120 of 158
T71West Pleasant Viewunincorporated, Jefferson County · 5,051 peopleC−4.6 years of area income·Overall A− · #49 of 158
T73Four Square Mileunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 23,024 peopleC−4.5 years of area income·Overall A− · #43 of 158
T76Columbineunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 25,478 peopleC−5.8 years of area income·Overall A · #20 of 158
T79Black Forestunincorporated, El Paso County · 15,738 peopleC−9.5 years of area income·Overall B · #71 of 158
81Berkleyunincorporated, Adams County · 10,789 peopleC−4.4 years of area income·Overall C− · #144 of 158
T86Dakota Ridgeunincorporated, Jefferson County · 33,753 peopleC−5.7 years of area income·Overall A · #14 of 158
T86Shaw Heightsunincorporated, Adams County · 5,565 peopleC−4.6 years of area income·Overall C− · #134 of 158
T88Applewoodunincorporated, Jefferson County · 8,350 peopleC−7.4 years of area income·Overall A · #21 of 158
T88Ken Carylunincorporated, Jefferson County · 33,233 peopleC−5.7 years of area income·Overall A · #11 of 158
92The Pineryunincorporated, Douglas County · 11,871 peopleC−7.5 years of area income·Overall A− · #34 of 158
T96Fairmountunincorporated, Jefferson County · 9,902 peopleC−7.8 years of area income·Overall A · #16 of 158
T96Redlandsunincorporated, Mesa County · 8,868 peopleC−6.6 years of area income·Overall B− · #99 of 158
T98Roxborough Parkunincorporated, Douglas County · 9,085 peopleC−6.4 years of area income·Overall A · #27 of 158
T98Stonegateunincorporated, Douglas County · 8,906 peopleC−6.1 years of area income·Overall A · #7 of 158
100Pueblo Westunincorporated, Pueblo County · 35,681 peopleC−6.2 years of area income·Overall B− · #103 of 158
101Evergreenunincorporated, Jefferson County · 8,602 peopleC−8.2 years of area income·Overall A− · #39 of 158
104Twin Lakesunincorporated, Adams County · 8,030 peopleC−5.6 years of area income·Overall C · #125 of 158
106Dove Valleyunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 4,806 peopleC−4.3 years of area income·Overall A− · #37 of 158
107Niwotunincorporated, Boulder County · 3,447 peopleC−10.8 years of area income·Overall A− · #35 of 158
110Todd Creekunincorporated, Adams County · 5,379 peopleC−8.7 years of area income·Overall B · #78 of 158
116Gleneagleunincorporated, El Paso County · 6,440 peopleC−6.7 years of area income·Overall A · #26 of 158
117Highlands Ranchunincorporated, Douglas County · 102,257 peopleC−6.5 years of area income·Overall A+ · #3 of 158
124Sterling Ranchunincorporated, Douglas County · 4,213 peopleD7.6 years of area income·Overall B+ · #62 of 158
125Glenwood SpringsGarfield County · 10,395 peopleD8.9 years of area income·Overall C− · #135 of 158
129Geneseeunincorporated, Jefferson County · 3,778 peopleD10.2 years of area income·Overall B+ · #53 of 158
T130Cherry Hills VillageArapahoe County · 6,389 peopleD30.0 years of area income·Overall A · #19 of 158
133Castle Pines Villageunincorporated, Douglas County · 4,436 peopleD13.7 years of area income·Overall A− · #29 of 158
T134Meridianunincorporated, Douglas County · 5,634 peopleD6.0 years of area income·Overall A− · #38 of 158
T137Gunbarrelunincorporated, Boulder County · 10,051 peopleD7.9 years of area income·Overall A · #12 of 158
141Sierra Ridgeunincorporated, Douglas County · 3,663 peopleD8.2 years of area income·Overall A− · #44 of 158
T143Cherry Creekunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 10,721 peopleD8.0 years of area income·Overall A · #15 of 158
T143Edwardsunincorporated, Eagle County · 10,785 peopleD16.4 years of area income·Overall C+ · #112 of 158
150El Jebelunincorporated, Eagle County · 2,941 peopleD8.8 years of area income·Overall B · #79 of 158
151Greenwood VillageArapahoe County · 15,323 peopleD13.1 years of area income·Overall B · #77 of 158
152Meridian Villageunincorporated, Douglas County · 2,699 peopleD−6.9 years of area income·Overall B+ · #52 of 158
155Invernessunincorporated, Arapahoe County · 2,934 peopleD−8.2 years of area income·Overall A · #18 of 158
158Fort Carsonunincorporated, El Paso County · 18,019 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall C+ · #115 of 158
Not ranked
1 town without a cost of living grade
Towns of 2,500+ that don’t have the figures this grade needs. Each town’s page says which ones are missing.
- Air Force Academy El Paso County · 6,727 people
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the most affordable town in Colorado?
Craig (Moffat County) ranks first on cost of living among 158 towns, with an A−; Monte Vista and Burlington follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Cost of living grade: home values, rent and property-tax bills against the income of the town’s metro area or county, and the share of households paying 30%+ of income for housing (Census ACS). Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a cost of living grade (158 in Colorado). 1 town of 2,500+ lack the figures and is listed above. Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Colorado page.
Go deeper
All Colorado rankings →More Colorado lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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