The Town FilesWatkins, Colorado
Community in Arapahoe County · population 682 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $650,500
- Household income
- $158,173
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 55 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 83
- Median age
- 41.6
Watkins is a community of 682 people in Arapahoe County, Colorado. The median home is worth $650,500, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks quieter than 90% of Colorado towns, better for families than 87% of Colorado towns, easier by car than 80% of Colorado towns.
How Watkins 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 Watkins is worth $650,500, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $158,173, which is more affordable than 80% of Colorado towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Watkins | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $650,500 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $158,173 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Watkins
| People | Watkins | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.7% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 12.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 92.9% |
Weather in Watkins
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 18.7°F. About 14.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.5 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
83 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watkins since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 12, 1982 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 18, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 116 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 13, 2011.
Severe weather in Arapahoe County since 1996
Arapahoe County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4731: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| September 12, 2013 | Flood | EM-3365: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Arapahoe County
Arapahoe County had 339,996 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $85,628 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Watkins itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Towns near Watkins
- Aetna Estates, CO5.8 mi · 1,496 people · home $50,800
- Aurora, CO7.7 mi · 386,261 people · home $469,100
- Bennett, CO8.4 mi · 2,862 people · home $444,000
- Foxfield, CO13.5 mi · 754 people · home $1,065,900
- Strasburg, CO13.9 mi · 3,307 people · home $496,100
- Dove Valley, CO16.0 mi · 5,640 people · home $455,600
- Stonegate, CO16.4 mi · 9,072 people · home $641,600
- Cherry Creek, CO16.5 mi · 11,488 people · home $888,900
Watkins questions
Is Watkins, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Watkins scores better for retirees than 56% of Colorado towns and quieter than 90%. 27.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Watkins?
The median owner-occupied home in Watkins is valued at $650,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $158,173, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Watkins?
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 18.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.5 inches of precipitation a year and 54.5 inches of snow.
Does Watkins get tornadoes?
83 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Watkins since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 12, 1982. 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)