The Town FilesBayfield, Colorado
Town in La Plata County · population 2,838 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $412,500
- Household income
- $93,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 93 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 32.3
Bayfield is a town of 2,838 people in La Plata County, Colorado. The median home is worth $412,500, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 93% of Colorado towns, better for families than 74% of Colorado towns, better for retirees than 71% of Colorado towns.
How Bayfield ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bayfield is worth $412,500, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $93,125, which is more affordable than 71% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,236 a month. 72.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bayfield | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $412,500 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,236 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $93,125 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.5% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Bayfield
| People | Bayfield | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.3% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 30.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 16.9% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 17.4 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 92.9% |
Weather in Bayfield
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 7.2°F. About 25.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 93.4 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 212 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Bayfield since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on September 22, 2013.
Severe weather in La Plata County since 1996
La Plata County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| September 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3224: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 25, 2002 | Fire | FM-2432: Valley Fire |
| June 19, 2002 | Fire | DR-1421: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in La Plata County
La Plata County had 26,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,965 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Bayfield itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Bayfield
4 public schools with 1,253 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayfield High School | 9-12 | 422 | 12.8 |
| Bayfield Intermediate School | 3-5 | 297 | 11.9 |
| Bayfield Middle School | 6-8 | 285 | 11.9 |
| Bayfield Primary School | PK-2 | 249 | 13.8 |
Towns near Bayfield
- Durango, CO15.6 mi · 19,071 people · home $668,400
Bayfield questions
Is Bayfield, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bayfield scores better for retirees than 71% of Colorado towns and quieter than 70%. 8.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.3).
How much does a house cost in Bayfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Bayfield is valued at $412,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $93,125, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,236 a month.
What is the weather like in Bayfield?
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 7.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.8 inches of precipitation a year and 93.4 inches of snow.
Does Bayfield get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Bayfield in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)