Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,324, settled in 1900. Public schools that outperform most of Colorado.
Ridgway’s best subject grades are an A+ for schools, an A for health, and an A− for walkability; its weakest is a D for hazard risk. Only 16 of Colorado’s 218 towns score lower on hazard risk. Ridgway’s trail density is 0.2 miles per square mile, against 1.3 in Colorado’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Ridgway's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 92% of U.S. towns. Ridgway has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Ridgway beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Ridgway Elementary School | PK–5 | 149 |
| Ridgway Middle School | 6–8 | 74 |
| Ridgway High School | 9–12 | 97 |
In 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 Ridgway is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 245 in 1900, a low of 209 in 1950, 1,183 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1939 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ridgway, 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 Ridgway.
Its public schools are run by the Ridgway School District No. R-2. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgway Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 149 | A |
| Ridgway High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 97 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state tests and graduation
The typical Ridgway home is worth about $852,000, up 4.4% in a year, 61% above the Colorado typical home. Ridgway’s median rent is $1,577 a month, below Colorado’s towns ($1,808 a month) but above U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
| Ridgway | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,577 a month | $1,808 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Ridgway beats the Colorado average on 4 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 27% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Ridgway.
| Ridgway | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 26% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 25% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Ridgway | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.3% | 11.1% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.9% | 9.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 7.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
About one in 4 of Ridgway’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Ridgway has added 501 jobs, to 877 in 2023. The top destinations are Ouray (15%), Montrose (7%) and Denver (7%).
| Ridgway | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 26% | 7.7% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $84,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 90% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Ridgway has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 8° and about 81 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Ridgway’s property crime rate is 0 per 1,000 residents. Only 3 of the 94 Colorado towns we compare have a lower violent crime rate than Ridgway. Ridgway's reported crime rate is well below Colorado's.
| Ridgway | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 15.2 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ridgway Town Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ridgway. Close and well known come first.
25 mi National ParkBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National Park250K visitors a year17 mi Ski areaTelluride Ski Area161 runs · 3,803 ft vertical
12 mi National forestUncompahgre National Forest
17 mi WaterfallBridal Veil Falls12 mi Ski areaCimarron Mountain Club45 runs · 1,542 ft vertical
22 mi National Recreation AreaCurecanti National Recreation Area807K visitors a yearBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: http://www.terraprints.com, CC BY 2.5 · Uncompahgre National Forest: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bridal Veil Falls: Terry Foote (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Curecanti National Recreation Area: The original uploader was Nationalparks at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5
None within 15 miles of Ridgway; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Ridgway residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
Where Ridgway’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Colorado, United States
The Town of Ridgway is a home rule municipality that is the most populous municipality in Ouray County, Colorado, United States. The town is a former railroad stop on the Uncompahgre River in the northern San Juan Mountains. The town population was 1,183 at the 2020 census. Steep forested mountains and cliffs surround Ridgway on the south, east, and northeast. The Uncompahgre River runs through the town and flows into the Ridgway State Park and Reservoir, to the north. Dallas Creek also flows from the south-west and forms a confluence with the Uncompahgre before entering the reservoir. There is a notable wildlife presence — mountain lions, badgers, deer, elk, bears, coyotes, wild turkey, an…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Public schools that outperform most of Colorado.
That is 9.4 years of the area's median household income ($91,020 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
