Median Income
$55,962
household / year
Median Home Value
$204,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$941
gross / month
Cost of Living
94
national avg = 100

Is Cortez, CO a Good Place to Live?

Cortez is a small town of 8,832 in Colorado, with a median household income of $55,962 and a 7.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.

Strengths: Cortez stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Cortez is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Cortez city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 94.4

Cortez's overall cost of living index is 94.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cortez costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.

Metric Cortez, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $204,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $941 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 64.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $55,962 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Cortez's violent crime rate is 460.5 per 100,000 residents — 21% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
460.5 /100k
Property Crime
2938.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Cortez is served primarily by Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Cortez, CO National Avg
School District Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1 —
Elementary Schools 6 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.8:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Cortez sees average highs of 42.9°F in January and 90.5°F in July, with 11.8 inches of annual precipitation and 33.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricCortez, CO
Average High — January42.9°F
Average High — July90.5°F
Annual Precipitation11.8"
Annual Snowfall33.4"

Demographics

MetricCortez, CONational Avg
Population8,832—
Median Age37.938.9
Unemployment Rate7.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time17.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)71.5%59.3%
Black or African American1.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino9.1%18.9%
Asian1.6%6.3%
Under 1823.6%22.2%
65 and over22.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Dolores, CO 10 mi Lewis, CO 11 mi Towaoc, CO 13 mi Mancos, CO 16 mi Marvel, CO 30 mi

ZIP Codes in Cortez

Cortez, CO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

81321

Cortez vs Other Cities

Cortez, CO vs Dolores, CO Cortez, CO vs Lewis, CO Cortez, CO vs Towaoc, CO Cortez, CO vs Mancos, CO Cortez, CO vs Marvel, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Cortez's cost of living index is 94, where 100 is the national average. That makes Cortez roughly 6% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $204,100 and median rent is $941/month.
Cortez's violent crime rate is 460.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2938.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Cortez are operated by Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1. The district has 6 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.8:1. 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cortez, CO has a population of 8,832, a median household income of $55,962, and an unemployment rate of 7.0%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Cortez averages 42.9°F in January and 90.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.8 inches with about 33.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Cortez, CO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 81321.
The population of Cortez, Colorado is 8,832 with a median age of 37.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Cortez: cost of living index 94 (100 = US average), median home $204,100, median household income $55,962, crime index 129 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Cortez side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.