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Moving to
Edwards.
Edwards is an unincorporated community in Eagle County, CO. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Edwards
Edwards is an unincorporated community in Colorado with county unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Edwards deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold, harsh winters.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Edwards compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Edwards
Based on Edwards's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,690
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $73,800 a year
- 70% of Edwards renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$187,460
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $93,730
- Homes cost 11.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 31% above US
$1,845/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,845 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 $937,300. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $937,300 · 70% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Eagle County is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Eagle County (county-wide)
Safety
100 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Edwards doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Eagle County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 589/100k · Policed by Eagle County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 33% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.3 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; 24% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 76°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 6°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 66% 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
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 Rocky Mountain National Park (68 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Edwards's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,845/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Edwards
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