The Town FilesRifle, Colorado
City in Garfield County · population 10,437 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $413,500
- Household income
- $80,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 32.4
Rifle is a city of 10,437 people in Garfield County, Colorado. The median home is worth $413,500, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more of a college town than 94% of Colorado towns, better for cycling than 85% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 76% of Colorado towns.
How Rifle 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 Rifle is worth $413,500, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $80,000, which is more affordable than 49% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,308 a month. 66.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rifle | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $413,500 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,308 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 66.4% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Rifle
| People | Rifle | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.6% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 92.9% |
Weather in Rifle
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 13.4°F. About 10.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.8 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 173 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Rifle since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on September 11, 2019.
Severe weather in Garfield County since 1996
Garfield County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 19, 2020 | Fire | FM-5334: Grizzly Creek Fire |
| August 19, 2020 | Fire | FM-5335: Pine Gulch Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| June 19, 2007 | Fire | FM-2698: Newcastle Fire |
Jobs and pay in Garfield County
Garfield County had 27,766 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,549 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Rifle itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Rifle
5 public schools with 2,672 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle High School | 9-12 | 839 | 20.5 |
| Rifle Middle School | 6-8 | 586 | 15.4 |
| Graham Mesa Elementary School | PK-5 | 427 | 16.4 |
| Highland Elementary School | PK-5 | 418 | 13.5 |
| Wamsley Elementary School | PK-5 | 402 | 17.5 |
Towns near Rifle
- Silt, CO6.3 mi · 3,536 people · home $446,900
- New Castle, CO13.3 mi · 4,923 people · home $454,300
- Battlement Mesa, CO13.8 mi · 5,438 people · home $312,700
- Glenwood Springs, CO22.8 mi · 9,963 people · home $619,000
Rifle questions
Is Rifle, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rifle scores better for retirees than 5% of Colorado towns and quieter than 14%. 9.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.4).
How much does a house cost in Rifle?
The median owner-occupied home in Rifle is valued at $413,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,000, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $1,308 a month.
What is the weather like in Rifle?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 13.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.7 inches of precipitation a year and 26.8 inches of snow.
Does Rifle get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Rifle 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)