What it's like to live in Fruita
Fruita is a small city in Colorado with crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fruita deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold, harsh winters, hot summers, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Cold, harsh winters
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Fruita compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fruita
Based on Fruita's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,944
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $58,880 a year
- 35% of Fruita renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$79,640
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,820
- Homes cost 4.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,472/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,472 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $398,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $398,200 · 35% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Mesa County is 4.2%, 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.
Mesa County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 85% below US
57 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 1012/100k · Fruita Police Department · 2023 data
Getting around▼ 21% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Colorado National Monument (7 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fruita's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,472/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Fruita
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