The Town FilesClifton, Colorado
Community in Mesa County · population 20,413 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,500
- Household income
- $52,100
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 36.3
Clifton is a community of 20,413 people in Mesa County, Colorado. The median home is worth $250,500, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more walkable than 88% of Colorado towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Colorado towns, more vibrant than 72% of Colorado towns.
How Clifton ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Clifton is worth $250,500, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $52,100, which is more affordable than 59% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,107 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clifton | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,500 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,107 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $52,100 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Clifton
| People | Clifton | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.2% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.7% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.8% | — |
| Work from home | 14.2% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 92.9% |
Weather in Clifton
July highs average 93.1°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 8.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.6 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 67 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clifton since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 29, 2005 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 29, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 2, 2009.
Severe weather in Mesa County since 1996
Mesa County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 19, 2020 | Fire | FM-5335: Pine Gulch Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| September 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3224: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 19, 2002 | Fire | DR-1421: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Mesa County
Mesa County had 66,864 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,309 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Clifton itself the ACS puts it at 8.6%.
Public schools in Clifton
3 public schools with 1,353 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Garfield Middle School | 6-8 | 562 | 16.5 |
| Rocky Mountain Elementary School | PK-5 | 416 | 13.4 |
| Clifton Elementary School | PK-5 | 375 | 17.9 |
Towns near Clifton
- Fruitvale, CO1.5 mi · 8,271 people · home $333,100
- Orchard Mesa, CO4.3 mi · 6,688 people · home $332,600
- Grand Junction, CO5.8 mi · 65,560 people · home $389,800
- Palisade, CO5.9 mi · 2,565 people · home $404,600
- Redlands, CO10.5 mi · 9,061 people · home $487,500
- Fruita, CO15.4 mi · 13,395 people · home $398,200
- Delta, CO29.8 mi · 9,035 people · home $283,300
Clifton questions
Is Clifton, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clifton scores better for retirees than 7% of Colorado towns and quieter than 13%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.3).
How much does a house cost in Clifton?
The median owner-occupied home in Clifton is valued at $250,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,100, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,107 a month.
What is the weather like in Clifton?
July highs average 93.1°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.9 inches of precipitation a year and 12.6 inches of snow.
Does Clifton get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clifton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 29, 2005. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)