The Town FilesRidgway, Colorado
Town in Ouray County · population 1,183 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $709,900
- Household income
- $83,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 81 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 40.5
Ridgway is a town of 1,183 people in Ouray County, Colorado. The median home is worth $709,900, 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 Ridgway 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 Ridgway is worth $709,900, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 8.5 times the median household income of $83,750, which is more affordable than 8% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,577 a month. 72.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ridgway | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $709,900 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,577 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $83,750 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.9% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Ridgway
| People | Ridgway | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.7% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 23.8% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.2% | 92.9% |
Weather in Ridgway
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 6.5°F. About 16.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 81.0 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 223 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Ridgway 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 Ridgway itself the ACS puts it at 8.5%.
Public schools in Ridgway
3 public schools with 330 students, about 11.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgway Elementary School | PK-5 | 149 | 13.5 |
| Ridgway High School | 9-12 | 101 | 8.4 |
| Ridgway Middle School | 6-8 | 80 | 11.4 |
Towns near Ridgway
- Loghill Village, CO3.1 mi · 617 people · home $823,700
- Ouray, CO10.0 mi · 898 people · home $588,300
- Telluride, CO15.4 mi · 2,607 people · home —
- Mountain Village, CO16.5 mi · 1,264 people · home $2,000,001
- Montrose, CO22.3 mi · 20,291 people · home $387,900
- Silverton, CO24.4 mi · 622 people · home $471,100
- Norwood, CO29.3 mi · 535 people · home $333,700
Ridgway questions
Is Ridgway, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ridgway scores better for retirees than 99% of Colorado towns and quieter than 92%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.5).
How much does a house cost in Ridgway?
The median owner-occupied home in Ridgway is valued at $709,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,750, so homes cost about 8.5 times income. Median rent is $1,577 a month.
What is the weather like in Ridgway?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 6.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.1 inches of precipitation a year and 81.0 inches of snow.
Does Ridgway get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Ridgway 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)