The Town FilesOuray, Colorado
City in Ouray County · population 898 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $588,300
- Household income
- $78,182
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 173 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 54.5
Ouray is a city of 898 people in Ouray County, Colorado. The median home is worth $588,300, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Colorado towns, better for a vacation home than 98% of Colorado towns, quieter than 92% of Colorado towns.
How Ouray 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 Ouray is worth $588,300, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 7.5 times the median household income of $78,182, which is more affordable than 13% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,346 a month. 72.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ouray | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $588,300 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,346 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $78,182 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.8% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 27.8% | — |
Who lives in Ouray
| People | Ouray | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.4% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 12.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.8% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 11.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.9% | — |
| Work from home | 14.0% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 11.7 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 92.9% |
Weather in Ouray
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 15.7°F. About 24.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 173.4 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 179 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Ouray since 1950.
Severe weather in Ouray County since 1996
Ouray County has been included in 10 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 |
| June 30, 2026 | Fire | FM-5643: Gold Mountain 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 |
Jobs and pay in Ouray County
Ouray County had 2,214 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,140 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Ouray itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Ouray
3 public schools with 169 students, about 8.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ouray Elementary School | PK-4 | 75 | 9.4 |
| Ouray Middle School | 5-8 | 54 | 10.8 |
| Ouray Senior High School | 9-12 | 40 | 6.7 |
Towns near Ouray
- Telluride, CO9.9 mi · 2,607 people · home —
- Ridgway, CO10.0 mi · 1,183 people · home $709,900
- Mountain Village, CO12.0 mi · 1,264 people · home $2,000,001
- Loghill Village, CO13.1 mi · 617 people · home $823,700
- Silverton, CO15.0 mi · 622 people · home $471,100
Ouray questions
Is Ouray, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ouray scores better for retirees than 99% of Colorado towns and quieter than 92%. 34.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.5).
How much does a house cost in Ouray?
The median owner-occupied home in Ouray is valued at $588,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,182, so homes cost about 7.5 times income. Median rent is $1,346 a month.
What is the weather like in Ouray?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 15.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.1 inches of precipitation a year and 173.4 inches of snow.
Does Ouray get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Ouray 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)