The Town FilesDove Creek, Colorado
Town in Dolores County · population 635 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $149,600
- Household income
- $62,831
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 38.1
Dove Creek is a town of 635 people in Dolores County, Colorado. The median home is worth $149,600, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks quieter than 100% of Colorado towns, better for first-time buyers than 98% of Colorado towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Colorado towns.
- #1 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Colorado
- #5 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Colorado
- #8 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Colorado
- #8 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Colorado
- #14 in The 18 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Colorado
- #18 in 25 Small Towns in Colorado With the Cheapest Homes
How Dove Creek 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 Dove Creek is worth $149,600, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $62,831, which is more affordable than 98% of Colorado towns. 45.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dove Creek | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,600 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $62,831 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 45.5% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.3% | — |
Who lives in Dove Creek
| People | Dove Creek | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.7% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 24.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 24.3% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 92.9% |
Weather in Dove Creek
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 11.3°F. About 11.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.2 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 197 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Dove Creek since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on September 22, 2013.
Severe weather in Dolores County since 1996
Dolores County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Fire | DR-4944: Wildfires, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 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 19, 2002 | Fire | DR-1421: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Dolores County
Dolores County had 545 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,463 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Dove Creek itself the ACS puts it at 10.3%.
Public schools in Dove Creek
2 public schools with 252 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dove Creek High School | 6-12 | 127 | 11.5 |
| Seventh Street Elementary School | PK-5 | 125 | 13.9 |
Towns near Dove Creek
- Monticello, UT24.4 mi · 1,824 people · home $301,400
Dove Creek questions
Is Dove Creek, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dove Creek scores better for retirees than 59% of Colorado towns and quieter than 100%. 12.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Dove Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Dove Creek is valued at $149,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,831, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Dove Creek?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 11.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.3 inches of precipitation a year and 64.2 inches of snow.
Does Dove Creek get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Dove Creek 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)