The 10 Best Places To Retire In Colorado For 2024


The best places to retire in Colorado are Montrose and Windsor for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

If you are looking to hike 14ers outside of Steamboat Springs. Or to golf Jack Nicholson’s courses in Denver. Or to hang with your friends at a brewery in Montrose. Then look no further than our list of the best places to retire in ColoradoColorado for 2024.

You better put some pep in that retirement step because Colorado is one of the fastest-growing states in the country with the 65 and older population expected to increase to 15% of the state’s population by 2024.

The Centennial State’s best places to retire are some of the best places in the state in terms of safety, affordability, amenities, and distance to the closest international airport. But what makes Colorado great for retirees is its down-to-earth, active people and creative, friendly communities.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


What’s the best place to retire in Colorado for 2024? According to the latest FBI and Census data, the best place to retire is Montrose.

Grab yourself a cold Fat Tire and a sunny spot on Aspen Mountain’s sundeck and read on as we uncover Colorado’s top ten best places to retire.

Why did Montrose take the top spot? And where are Denver and Colorado Springs?

For more Colorado state reading:

The 10 Best Places To Retire In Colorado For 2024

Montrose, CO

Source: Wikipedia User Felipecbg at English Wikipedia | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 20,394
Median Income: $60,132
Median Home Price: $423,228
Median Rent: $1,032
Distance to Closest Airport: 195 miles
More on Montrose: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Windsor, CO

Source: Wikipedia User Ssullivan1564 | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 33,905
Median Income: $121,754
Median Home Price: $567,646
Median Rent: $1,659
Distance to Closest Airport: 44 miles
More on Windsor: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Sterling, CO

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 13,466
Median Income: $44,556
Median Home Price: $239,066
Median Rent: $838
Distance to Closest Airport: 94 miles
More on Sterling: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Littleton, CO

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Light | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 45,531
Median Income: $90,273
Median Home Price: $674,009
Median Rent: $1,554
Distance to Closest Airport: 26 miles
More on Littleton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Steamboat Springs, CO

Source: Wikipedia User katkimchee | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 13,251
Median Income: $93,280
Median Home Price: $1,192,382
Median Rent: $1,813
Distance to Closest Airport: 121 miles
More on Steamboat Springs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Loveland, CO

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 76,500
Median Income: $81,898
Median Home Price: $487,758
Median Rent: $1,595
Distance to Closest Airport: 43 miles
More on Loveland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Grand Junction, CO

Source: Wikipedia User Eleaf | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 65,918
Median Income: $62,993
Median Home Price: $382,198
Median Rent: $1,007
Distance to Closest Airport: 214 miles
More on Grand Junction: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Rifle, CO

Source: Wikipedia User Jeffrey Beall | CC BY 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 10,420
Median Income: $72,955
Median Home Price: $439,901
Median Rent: $1,142
Distance to Closest Airport: 166 miles
More on Rifle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Englewood, CO

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 33,634
Median Income: $79,375
Median Home Price: $522,702
Median Rent: $1,483
Distance to Closest Airport: 22 miles
More on Englewood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Louisville, CO

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 20,920
Median Income: $135,840
Median Home Price: $821,232
Median Rent: $1,950
Distance to Closest Airport: 25 miles
More on Louisville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Centennial State for 2024

To create our ranking of the best places in Colorado to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Centennial State — 450 cities and towns.

We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 43 places from across the state.

For these 43, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:

  • Low cost of living as measured by rent
  • Low crime
  • Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
  • Nice weather
  • Distance to the closest international airport
  • Other retirees (High median age)

We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 43, with the lowest number being the best.

Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Montrose, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.

The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Colorado.

Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Colorado Yet…

So there you have it, the best place to retire in Colorado goes to Montrose.

The best places to retire in Colorado are Montrose, Windsor, Sterling, Littleton, Steamboat Springs, Loveland, Grand Junction, Rifle, Englewood, and Louisville.

If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:

  1. Fountain
  2. Lone Tree
  3. Golden

For more Colorado reading, check out:

Best Places To Retire In Colorado

Rank City Population Median Income Average Home Prices Median Rent
1 Montrose 20,394 $60,132 $423,228 $1,032
2 Windsor 33,905 $121,754 $567,646 $1,659
3 Sterling 13,466 $44,556 $239,066 $838
4 Littleton 45,531 $90,273 $674,009 $1,554
5 Steamboat Springs 13,251 $93,280 $1,192,382 $1,813
6 Loveland 76,500 $81,898 $487,758 $1,595
7 Grand Junction 65,918 $62,993 $382,198 $1,007
8 Rifle 10,420 $72,955 $439,901 $1,142
9 Englewood 33,634 $79,375 $522,702 $1,483
10 Louisville 20,920 $135,840 $821,232 $1,950
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.