Median Income
$60,132
household / year
Median Home Value
$317,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,032
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Montrose, CO a Good Place to Live?

Montrose is a small city of 20,394 in Colorado, with a median household income of $60,132 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Montrose stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

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

All Montrose 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: 97.3

Montrose's overall cost of living index is 97.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Montrose costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric Montrose, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $317,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,032 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 71.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $60,132 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Montrose's violent crime rate is 235.4 per 100,000 residents — 38% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
235.4 /100k
Property Crime
2216.0 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Montrose is served primarily by Montrose County School District Re-1J. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Montrose, CO National Avg
School District Montrose County School District Re-1J —
Elementary Schools 6 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Montrose sees average highs of 40.2°F in January and 90.2°F in July, with 11.0 inches of annual precipitation and 21.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricMontrose, CO
Average High — January40.2°F
Average High — July90.2°F
Annual Precipitation11.0"
Annual Snowfall21.5"

Demographics

MetricMontrose, CONational Avg
Population20,394—
Median Age48.738.9
Unemployment Rate5.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time18.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)83.7%59.3%
Black or African American0.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino11.5%18.9%
Asian0.9%6.3%
Under 1819.7%22.2%
65 and over27.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Colona, CO 11 mi Olathe, CO 12 mi Loghill Village, CO 19 mi Crawford, CO 21 mi Lazear, CO 22 mi

ZIP Codes in Montrose

Montrose, CO is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

81401 81403

Montrose vs Other Cities

Montrose, CO vs Colona, CO Montrose, CO vs Olathe, CO Montrose, CO vs Loghill Village, CO Montrose, CO vs Crawford, CO Montrose, CO vs Lazear, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Montrose's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Montrose roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $317,500 and median rent is $1,032/month.
Montrose's violent crime rate is 235.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2216.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Montrose are operated by Montrose County School District Re-1J. The district has 6 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.0:1. 31.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Montrose, CO has a population of 20,394, a median household income of $60,132, and an unemployment rate of 5.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Montrose averages 40.2°F in January and 90.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.0 inches with about 21.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Montrose, CO is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 81401, 81403.
The population of Montrose, Colorado is 20,394 with a median age of 48.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Montrose: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $317,500, median household income $60,132, crime index 79 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Montrose side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.