The Town FilesGunnison, Colorado
City in Gunnison County · population 6,560 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $461,000
- Household income
- $62,189
- Jan low / Jul high
- -6° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 25.2
Gunnison is a city of 6,560 people in Gunnison County, Colorado. The median home is worth $461,000, close to the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks hipper than 100% of Colorado towns, better for young professionals than 98% of Colorado towns, more of a college town than 97% of Colorado towns.
How Gunnison 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 Gunnison is worth $461,000, close to the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 7.4 times the median household income of $62,189, which is more affordable than 14% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,230 a month. 48.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gunnison | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $461,000 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,230 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $62,189 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.4× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 48.7% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Gunnison
| People | Gunnison | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.2 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.6% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.3% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.1% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.1% | 92.9% |
Weather in Gunnison
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows -6.4°F. About 10.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.5 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 248 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Gunnison since 1950.
Severe weather in Gunnison County since 1996
Gunnison County has been included in 9 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 |
| April 9, 2003 | Snowstorm | EM-3185: Snow |
| June 23, 2002 | Fire | FM-2431: Co-Wiley Ridge Fire-06/23/02 |
Jobs and pay in Gunnison County
Gunnison County had 9,692 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,768 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Gunnison itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Gunnison
4 public schools with 1,307 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gunnison Elementary School | PK-5 | 529 | 12.9 |
| Gunnison High School | 9-12 | 398 | 16.6 |
| Gunnison Middle School | 6-8 | 304 | 12.7 |
| Lake Preschool | PK-PK | 76 | — |
Gunnison questions
Is Gunnison, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gunnison scores better for retirees than 34% of Colorado towns and quieter than 12%. 9.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.2).
How much does a house cost in Gunnison?
The median owner-occupied home in Gunnison is valued at $461,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,189, so homes cost about 7.4 times income. Median rent is $1,230 a month.
What is the weather like in Gunnison?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows -6.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.6 inches of precipitation a year and 45.5 inches of snow.
Does Gunnison get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Gunnison 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)