The Town FilesOrdway, Colorado
Town in Crowley County · population 1,066 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $104,400
- Household income
- $54,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 43.0
Ordway is a town of 1,066 people in Crowley County, Colorado. The median home is worth $104,400, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Colorado towns, hipper than 87% of Colorado towns, quieter than 78% of Colorado towns.
How Ordway 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 Ordway is worth $104,400, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $54,583, which is more affordable than 99% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,036 a month. 62.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ordway | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $104,400 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,036 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $54,583 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 62.9% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ordway
| People | Ordway | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.5% | 92.9% |
Weather in Ordway
July highs average 94.2°F and January lows 12.3°F. About 11.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.1 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 86 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 173 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ordway since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 13, 1977 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 3, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 1987.
Severe weather in Crowley County since 1996
Crowley County has been included in 12 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 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 15, 2008 | Fire | FM-2760: Ordway Fire |
| January 7, 2007 | Snowstorm | EM-3271: Snow |
Jobs and pay in Crowley County
Crowley County had 1,155 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,598 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Ordway itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Ordway
2 public schools with 332 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crowley County Elementary K-6 | K-6 | 181 | 20.1 |
| Crowley County Junior and Senior High School | 7-12 | 151 | 16.8 |
Towns near Ordway
- Rocky Ford, CO12.0 mi · 3,876 people · home $143,900
- Swink, CO15.9 mi · 604 people · home $163,000
- Fowler, CO15.9 mi · 1,253 people · home $143,900
- La Junta, CO20.2 mi · 7,322 people · home $194,800
Ordway questions
Is Ordway, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ordway scores better for retirees than 62% of Colorado towns and quieter than 78%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Ordway?
The median owner-occupied home in Ordway is valued at $104,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,583, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,036 a month.
What is the weather like in Ordway?
July highs average 94.2°F and January lows 12.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.2 inches of precipitation a year and 14.1 inches of snow.
Does Ordway get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ordway since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 13, 1977. 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)