The Town FilesBlue River, Colorado
Town in Summit County · population 877 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,267,300
- Household income
- $134,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 67°
- Snow a year
- 185 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 32.9
Blue River is a town of 877 people in Summit County, Colorado. The median home is worth $1,267,300, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Colorado towns, better for cycling than 94% of Colorado towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Colorado towns.
How Blue River 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 Blue River is worth $1,267,300, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 9.4 times the median household income of $134,250, which is more affordable than 6% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $2,853 a month. 75.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Blue River | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,267,300 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $2,853 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $134,250 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.4× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 75.4% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 42.0% | — |
Who lives in Blue River
| People | Blue River | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.7% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.0% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 31.1% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.2% | 92.9% |
Weather in Blue River
July highs average 66.8°F and January lows 2.9°F. About 25.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 184.6 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 269 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Blue River since 1950.
Severe weather in Summit County since 1996
Summit County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, drought, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| April 9, 2003 | Snowstorm | EM-3185: Snow |
| June 19, 2002 | Fire | DR-1421: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Summit County
Summit County had 22,553 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,817 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Blue River itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Blue River
- Breckenridge, CO3.5 mi · 5,078 people · home $1,012,700
- Copper Mountain, CO9.0 mi · 650 people · home —
- Frisco, CO9.4 mi · 2,913 people · home $891,400
- Dillon, CO12.3 mi · 1,064 people · home $1,090,000
- Keystone, CO12.3 mi · 1,369 people · home $1,284,700
- Silverthorne, CO14.9 mi · 4,402 people · home $700,800
- Fairplay, CO15.6 mi · 724 people · home $431,300
- Minturn, CO19.3 mi · 1,033 people · home $1,103,100
Blue River questions
Is Blue River, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Blue River scores better for retirees than 73% of Colorado towns and quieter than 79%. 9.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.9).
How much does a house cost in Blue River?
The median owner-occupied home in Blue River is valued at $1,267,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $134,250, so homes cost about 9.4 times income. Median rent is $2,853 a month.
What is the weather like in Blue River?
July highs average 66.8°F and January lows 2.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.2 inches of precipitation a year and 184.6 inches of snow.
Does Blue River get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Blue River 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)