The Town FilesDakota Ridge, Colorado
Community in Jefferson County · population 33,892 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $604,600
- Household income
- $120,822
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 41.1
Dakota Ridge is a community of 33,892 people in Jefferson County, Colorado. The median home is worth $604,600, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 86% of Colorado towns, more vibrant than 83% of Colorado towns.
How Dakota Ridge 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 Dakota Ridge is worth $604,600, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $120,822, which is more affordable than 54% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $2,176 a month. 83.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dakota Ridge | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $604,600 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $2,176 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $120,822 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 83.6% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dakota Ridge
| People | Dakota Ridge | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.0% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.4% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 24.1% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 92.9% |
Weather in Dakota Ridge
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 16.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.1 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dakota Ridge since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 3, 1981 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 295 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 19, 2018.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 1, 2024 | Fire | FM-5526: Quarry Fire |
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4731: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 248,082 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,598 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Dakota Ridge itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Dakota Ridge
- Ken Caryl, CO3.1 mi · 33,811 people · home $600,300
- Columbine, CO4.1 mi · 25,229 people · home $617,200
- Lakewood, CO5.6 mi · 155,984 people · home $574,400
- Littleton, CO6.4 mi · 45,652 people · home $630,600
- Sheridan, CO6.6 mi · 6,105 people · home $380,600
- Englewood, CO7.7 mi · 33,659 people · home $572,900
- West Pleasant View, CO8.1 mi · 4,327 people · home $489,400
- Genesee, CO8.7 mi · 3,610 people · home $1,032,700
Dakota Ridge questions
Is Dakota Ridge, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dakota Ridge scores better for retirees than 21% of Colorado towns and quieter than 18%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Dakota Ridge?
The median owner-occupied home in Dakota Ridge is valued at $604,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,822, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $2,176 a month.
What is the weather like in Dakota Ridge?
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.6 inches of precipitation a year and 34.1 inches of snow.
Does Dakota Ridge get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dakota Ridge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 3, 1981. 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)