The Town FilesPaonia, Colorado
Town in Delta County · population 1,447 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $343,700
- Household income
- $59,574
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 44.4
Paonia is a town of 1,447 people in Delta County, Colorado. The median home is worth $343,700, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for retirees than 90% of Colorado towns, hipper than 86% of Colorado towns, quieter than 79% of Colorado towns.
How Paonia 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 Paonia is worth $343,700, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $59,574, which is more affordable than 33% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $897 a month. 61.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Paonia | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $343,700 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $897 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $59,574 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 61.3% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.2% | — |
Who lives in Paonia
| People | Paonia | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.6% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 15.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.7% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.1% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 17.4% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 12.4 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 92.9% |
Weather in Paonia
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 15.7°F. About 14.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.4 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 45 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Paonia since 1950.
Severe weather in Delta County since 1996
Delta 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 |
| July 3, 2004 | Fire | FM-2526: Co-Mcgruder Fire-07/03/2004 |
| June 19, 2002 | Fire | DR-1421: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Delta County
Delta County had 8,997 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,843 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Paonia itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Paonia
2 public schools with 371 students, about 16.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paonia K-8 | PK-8 | 252 | 15.8 |
| North Fork School of Integrated Studies | PK-6 | 119 | 19.8 |
Towns near Paonia
- Hotchkiss, CO8.2 mi · 875 people · home $266,700
- Cedaredge, CO18.0 mi · 2,279 people · home $276,700
- Orchard City, CO20.5 mi · 3,142 people · home $324,300
- Olathe, CO27.8 mi · 2,019 people · home $245,600
- Delta, CO27.8 mi · 9,035 people · home $283,300
Paonia questions
Is Paonia, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Paonia scores better for retirees than 90% of Colorado towns and quieter than 79%. 26.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Paonia?
The median owner-occupied home in Paonia is valued at $343,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,574, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $897 a month.
What is the weather like in Paonia?
July highs average 90.3°F and January lows 15.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.3 inches of precipitation a year and 41.4 inches of snow.
Does Paonia get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Paonia 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)