Median Income
$72,955
household / year
Median Home Value
$323,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,142
gross / month
Cost of Living
98
national avg = 100

Is Rifle, CO a Good Place to Live?

Rifle is a small city of 10,420 in Colorado, with a median household income of $72,955 and a 4.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Rifle stands out for lower-than-average crime.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Rifle is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Rifle 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: 98.2

Rifle's overall cost of living index is 98.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rifle costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric Rifle, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $323,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,142 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 70.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $72,955 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Rifle's violent crime rate is 301.7 per 100,000 residents — 21% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
301.7 /100k
Property Crime
1008.8 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Rifle is served primarily by Garfield School District No. Re-2. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.5:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Rifle, CO National Avg
School District Garfield School District No. Re-2 —
Elementary Schools 6 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 86.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Rifle sees average highs of 36.8°F in January and 92.1°F in July, with 12.6 inches of annual precipitation and 26.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricRifle, CO
Average High — January36.8°F
Average High — July92.1°F
Annual Precipitation12.6"
Annual Snowfall26.8"

Demographics

MetricRifle, CONational Avg
Population10,420—
Median Age32.138.9
Unemployment Rate4.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time30.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)77.2%59.3%
Black or African American0.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino18.6%18.9%
Asian0.6%6.3%
Under 1829.0%22.2%
65 and over9.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Silt, CO 6 mi New Castle, CO 13 mi Battlement Mesa, CO 14 mi Parachute, CO 16 mi Chacra, CO 17 mi

ZIP Codes in Rifle

Rifle, CO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

81650

Rifle vs Other Cities

Rifle, CO vs Silt, CO Rifle, CO vs New Castle, CO Rifle, CO vs Battlement Mesa, CO Rifle, CO vs Parachute, CO Rifle, CO vs Chacra, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Rifle's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Rifle roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $323,700 and median rent is $1,142/month.
Rifle's violent crime rate is 301.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1008.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Rifle are operated by Garfield School District No. Re-2. The district has 6 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.5:1. 16.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Rifle, CO has a population of 10,420, a median household income of $72,955, and an unemployment rate of 4.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Rifle averages 36.8°F in January and 92.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 12.6 inches with about 26.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Rifle, CO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 81650.
The population of Rifle, Colorado is 10,420 with a median age of 32.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Rifle: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $323,700, median household income $72,955, crime index 67 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Rifle side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.