Median Income
$82,903
household / year
Median Home Value
$599,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,165
gross / month
Cost of Living
101
national avg = 100

Is Ridgway, CO a Good Place to Live?

Ridgway is a small town of 1,093 in Colorado, with a median household income of $82,903 and a 10.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: Ridgway stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.

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

All Ridgway 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: 101.4

Ridgway's overall cost of living index is 101.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ridgway costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric Ridgway, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $599,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,165 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 53.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $82,903 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Ridgway's violent crime rate is 40.4 per 100,000 residents — 89% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
40.4 /100k
Property Crime
525.0 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Ridgway is served primarily by Ridgway School District No. R-2 of the county of Ouray a. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ridgway, CO National Avg
School District Ridgway School District No. R-2 of the county of Ouray a —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 51.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 100.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ridgway sees average highs of 40.3°F in January and 85.4°F in July, with 16.1 inches of annual precipitation and 81.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricRidgway, CO
Average High — January40.3°F
Average High — July85.4°F
Annual Precipitation16.1"
Annual Snowfall81.0"

Demographics

MetricRidgway, CONational Avg
Population1,093—
Median Age48.038.9
Unemployment Rate10.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)91.8%59.3%
Black or African American3.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.2%18.9%
Asian0.5%6.3%
Under 1813.3%22.2%
65 and over22.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Loghill Village, CO 3 mi Portland, CO 6 mi Ouray, CO 10 mi Colona, CO 12 mi Telluride, CO 15 mi

Ridgway vs Other Cities

Ridgway, CO vs Loghill Village, CO Ridgway, CO vs Portland, CO Ridgway, CO vs Ouray, CO Ridgway, CO vs Colona, CO Ridgway, CO vs Telluride, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Ridgway's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts Ridgway roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $599,100 and median rent is $1,165/month.
Ridgway's violent crime rate is 40.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 525.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ridgway are operated by Ridgway School District No. R-2 of the county of Ouray a. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.5:1. 51.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ridgway, CO has a population of 1,093, a median household income of $82,903, and an unemployment rate of 10.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ridgway averages 40.3°F in January and 85.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 16.1 inches with about 81.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Ridgway, Colorado is 1,093 with a median age of 48.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ridgway: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $599,100, median household income $82,903, crime index 16 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ridgway side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.