What it's like to live in Durango
Durango is a small city in Colorado with commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Durango deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Heavy snowfall — 64" per year
How Durango compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Durango
Based on Durango's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,272
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $65,440 a year
- 52% of Durango renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$133,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $66,840
- Homes cost 8.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 16% above US
$1,636/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,636 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $668,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $668,400 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in La Plata County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
La Plata County (county-wide)
SafetyNear US average
341 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 3511/100k · Durango Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▼ 45% below US
14 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 14.3 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 15°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 5.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 68% above US
60% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Aztec Ruins National Monument (30 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Durango's strongest points are commutes that run shorter than most cities and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,636/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home), people who want short commutes, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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