The Town FilesFruita, Colorado
City in Mesa County · population 13,395 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $398,200
- Household income
- $87,184
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 22 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 41.5
Fruita is a city of 13,395 people in Mesa County, Colorado. The median home is worth $398,200, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more walkable than 93% of Colorado towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Colorado towns, more of a college town than 82% of Colorado towns.
How Fruita 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 Fruita is worth $398,200, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $87,184, which is more affordable than 64% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,472 a month. 79.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fruita | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $398,200 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,472 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $87,184 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 79.9% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1999 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Fruita
| People | Fruita | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 92.9% |
Weather in Fruita
July highs average 94.6°F and January lows 14.9°F. About 9.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.8 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 70 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Fruita since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. The strongest, an F0, struck on October 17, 2004 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 17, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 6, 2025.
Severe weather in Mesa County since 1996
Mesa County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| September 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3224: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 19, 2002 | Fire | DR-1421: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Mesa County
Mesa County had 66,864 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,309 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Fruita itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Fruita
7 public schools with 3,415 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruita Monument High School | 10-12 | 1,273 | 19.3 |
| Fruita 8/9 School | 8-9 | 591 | 16.9 |
| Fruita Middle School | 6-7 | 459 | 15.8 |
| Shelledy Elementary School | PK-5 | 398 | 19.0 |
| Rim Rock Elementary School | PK-5 | 330 | 15.7 |
| Monument Ridge Elementary School | PK-5 | 312 | 15.6 |
| Monument View Montessori Charter School (charter) | PK-5 | 52 | 17.3 |
Towns near Fruita
- Redlands, CO6.3 mi · 9,061 people · home $487,500
- Grand Junction, CO9.8 mi · 65,560 people · home $389,800
- Orchard Mesa, CO13.8 mi · 6,688 people · home $332,600
- Fruitvale, CO14.1 mi · 8,271 people · home $333,100
- Clifton, CO15.4 mi · 20,413 people · home $250,500
- Palisade, CO20.2 mi · 2,565 people · home $404,600
Fruita questions
Is Fruita, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fruita scores better for retirees than 41% of Colorado towns and quieter than 26%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Fruita?
The median owner-occupied home in Fruita is valued at $398,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,184, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,472 a month.
What is the weather like in Fruita?
July highs average 94.6°F and January lows 14.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.9 inches of precipitation a year and 21.8 inches of snow.
Does Fruita get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Fruita since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on October 17, 2004. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- 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)