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Moving to
The Pinery.
The Pinery is an unincorporated community in Douglas 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 The Pinery
The Pinery is an unincorporated community in Colorado with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. The Pinery deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold, harsh winters
- Heavy snowfall — 75" per year
How The Pinery compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to The Pinery
Based on The Pinery's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$5,820
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $116,400 a year
- 27% of The Pinery renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$158,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $79,110
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 106% above US
$2,910/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,910 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $791,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $791,100 · 27% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Douglas County is 3.7%, 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.
Douglas County (county-wide)
Safety
189 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
The Pinery doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Douglas 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 821/100k · Policed by Douglas County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 19% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 34% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°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
Education & workforce▲ 68% above US
61% 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
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 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 Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (48 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
The Pinery's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,910/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (34% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near The Pinery
All Colorado guides →Moving to Castle Pines →
7 mi away · pop. 13,388
Rent $2,211/mo · Income $191,229
Compare with The Pinery →Moving to Castle Rock →
8 mi away · pop. 79,123
Rent $2,000/mo · Income $145,197
Compare with The Pinery →Moving to Lone Tree →
9 mi away · pop. 14,147
Rent $2,139/mo · Income $123,741
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