The Town FilesCarbondale, Colorado
Town in Garfield County · population 6,434 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $900,600
- Household income
- $108,324
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 43.7
Carbondale is a town of 6,434 people in Garfield County, Colorado. The median home is worth $900,600, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Colorado towns, better for young professionals than 87% of Colorado towns, better for retirees than 83% of Colorado towns.
How Carbondale 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 Carbondale is worth $900,600, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 8.3 times the median household income of $108,324, which is more affordable than 10% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $2,167 a month. 63.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carbondale | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $900,600 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $2,167 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $108,324 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 63.7% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Carbondale
| People | Carbondale | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.0% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.1% | — |
| Work from home | 19.0% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.8% | 92.9% |
Weather in Carbondale
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 12.3°F. About 15.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.5 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Carbondale since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on August 1, 2023.
Severe weather in Garfield County since 1996
Garfield County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 19, 2020 | Fire | FM-5334: Grizzly Creek Fire |
| August 19, 2020 | Fire | FM-5335: Pine Gulch Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| June 19, 2007 | Fire | FM-2698: Newcastle Fire |
Jobs and pay in Garfield County
Garfield County had 27,766 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,549 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Carbondale itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Carbondale
6 public schools with 1,683 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roaring Fork High School | 9-12 | 453 | 21.6 |
| Crystal River Elementary School | PK-4 | 447 | 13.1 |
| Carbondale Middle School | 5-8 | 354 | 15.4 |
| Ross Montessori School (charter) | K-8 | 213 | 21.3 |
| Carbondale Community Charter School (charter) | K-8 | 140 | 8.8 |
| Bridges | 9-12 | 76 | 10.9 |
Towns near Carbondale
- El Jebel, CO6.5 mi · 4,130 people · home $912,200
- Basalt, CO9.1 mi · 3,984 people · home $1,180,300
- Glenwood Springs, CO12.5 mi · 9,963 people · home $619,000
- Snowmass Village, CO19.0 mi · 3,096 people · home $1,729,900
- Gypsum, CO20.8 mi · 8,040 people · home $633,000
- New Castle, CO20.8 mi · 4,923 people · home $454,300
- Aspen, CO24.5 mi · 7,004 people · home $819,900
- Silt, CO25.6 mi · 3,536 people · home $446,900
Carbondale questions
Is Carbondale, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carbondale scores better for retirees than 83% of Colorado towns and quieter than 45%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.7).
How much does a house cost in Carbondale?
The median owner-occupied home in Carbondale is valued at $900,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,324, so homes cost about 8.3 times income. Median rent is $2,167 a month.
What is the weather like in Carbondale?
July highs average 88.6°F and January lows 12.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.5 inches of precipitation a year and 57.5 inches of snow.
Does Carbondale get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Carbondale 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)