Housing decision brief
Dolores County, CO Housing Market
Dolores County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
19th lowest home value out of 64 Colorado counties with data | 51st lowest rent out of 64
Median home value
$231,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,688/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$466/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
16.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$1,222/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$231,900 median home value is 35% below Colorado county median
Rent burden below pressure line
16.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $1,222/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 88.7 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$70,490 median income is 1% below Colorado county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.24% effective property-tax rate is No Colorado county median comparison available
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Dolores County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $231,900 | $358,350 | $281,900 | 35% favorable35% below Colorado county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,688 | $1,110 | $1,163 | 52% pressure52% above Colorado county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $466 | $1,007 | $1,672 | 54% favorable54% below Colorado county median |
Median household income | $70,490 | $71,230 | $74,755 | Near state median1% below Colorado county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.24% | 0.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Colorado county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 16.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 45% favorable16.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$2,970
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$50,519
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Dolores County offers moderately affordable rental housing at a median of $1,688/month , about 28.7% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Dolores County is $1,688/month, while owner costs run $466/month. Owning saves approximately $1,222/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $67,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $19,971/year. With a median household income of $70,490, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 16.0% of renter households in Dolores County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Teller County where rent averages $1,746/month, Dolores County is approximately 3% less expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moffat County, CO | $262,500 | $1,051/mo | Same-state comparison near $262,500 home value and $1,051/mo rent. |
| Hampton city, VA | $234,100 | $1,346/mo | Out-of-state peer near $234,100 home value and $1,346/mo rent. |
| Newton County, GA | $233,300 | $1,331/mo | Out-of-state peer near $233,300 home value and $1,331/mo rent. |
| Bexar County, TX | $244,100 | $1,290/mo | Out-of-state peer near $244,100 home value and $1,290/mo rent. |
| Washington County, CO | $218,300 | $991/mo | Same-state comparison near $218,300 home value and $991/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Dolores County
Is Dolores County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Dolores County?
How much income do you need for housing in Dolores County?
What should I double-check before moving to Dolores County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.