The Town FilesMonte Vista, Colorado
City in Rio Grande County · population 4,247 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $224,500
- Household income
- $61,684
- Jan low / Jul high
- -2° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 36.9
Monte Vista is a city of 4,247 people in Rio Grande County, Colorado. The median home is worth $224,500, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks hipper than 85% of Colorado towns, easier by car than 80% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 77% of Colorado towns.
How Monte Vista 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 Monte Vista is worth $224,500, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $61,684, which is more affordable than 88% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $699 a month. 60.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Monte Vista | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $224,500 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $699 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $61,684 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 60.3% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.9% | — |
Who lives in Monte Vista
| People | Monte Vista | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.2% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.9% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 16.0 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 92.9% |
Weather in Monte Vista
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows -2.2°F. About 9.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.4 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 229 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monte Vista since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 19, 1982 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 25, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 11, 1977.
Severe weather in Rio Grande County since 1996
Rio Grande 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 |
| June 21, 2013 | Fire | FM-5031: West Fork Fire Complex |
| September 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3224: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 19, 2002 | Fire | DR-1421: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Rio Grande County
Rio Grande County had 4,482 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,025 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Monte Vista itself the ACS puts it at 20.7%.
Public schools in Monte Vista
8 public schools with 1,250 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Metz Elementary School | 2-5 | 264 | 10.6 |
| Monte Vista Senior High School | 9-12 | 254 | 13.4 |
| Monte Vista Middle School | 6-8 | 202 | 13.5 |
| Marsh Elementary School | PK-1 | 182 | 20.2 |
| Sargent Elementary School | K-6 | 163 | 11.6 |
| Sargent Senior High School | 9-12 | 83 | 8.3 |
| Sargent Junior High School | 7-8 | 51 | 17.0 |
| Byron Syring Delta Center | 9-12 | 51 | 51.0 |
Towns near Monte Vista
- Alamosa, CO16.6 mi · 9,806 people · home $225,200
Monte Vista questions
Is Monte Vista, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monte Vista scores better for retirees than 23% of Colorado towns and quieter than 28%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Monte Vista?
The median owner-occupied home in Monte Vista is valued at $224,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,684, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $699 a month.
What is the weather like in Monte Vista?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows -2.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.2 inches of precipitation a year and 35.4 inches of snow.
Does Monte Vista get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monte Vista since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 19, 1982. 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)