Mesa County, Colorado
Among the top 19% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 8% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
- top 2% for summer humidity
- top 7% for property tax rate
- bottom 5% for comfortable days
Mesa County is a county in Colorado with about 156,000 residents. It grades B+ for weather and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include summer humidity, property tax rate, and sunny days. It rates lower on amenities nearby and comfortable days.
- The median home value in Mesa County is $313k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Mesa County is $68k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Mesa County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Mesa County has a violent crime rate of 1274/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Mesa County is 20 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Snowy
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89%64%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.1 in0.7 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$68k70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 46% of US counties
Home Value$313k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 18% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$45kbetter than 12% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.40%better than 93% of US counties
Income Tax4.40%better than 67% of US counties
Sales Tax7.81%better than 40% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.83%better than 65% of US counties
Unemployment5.3%better than 39% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)27°F30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation10.8 in2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall16.9 inbetter than 44% of US counties
Sunny Days280 daysbetter than 90% of US counties
Summer Humidity43°Fbetter than 98% of US counties
Comfortable Days38 daysbetter than 5% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk75.1better than 24% of US counties
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 30% of US counties
School Quality41.8better than 19% of US counties
Violent Crime1274/100kbetter than 22% of US counties
Property Crime2115/100kbetter than 12% of US counties
Community
Population156,13186th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.642nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2444th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9940th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)79.6%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.7%27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)15.1%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.0%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.6%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 83% of US counties
Walkability7.3/20better than 80% of US counties
Airport Distance200 mibetter than 14% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.0%better than 88% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 48% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mesa County an affordable place to live?
- Mesa County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 46% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Mesa County safe?
- Mesa County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1274/100k (better than 22%). Property crime is 2115/100k.
- What is the weather like in Mesa County?
- Mesa County averages 78°F in July and 27°F in January, with 10.8 in of annual precipitation and about 280 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Mesa County?
- Public-school quality in Mesa County is below average, scoring better than 19% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Mesa County?
- The average one-way commute in Mesa County is 20 min.