The Town FilesDelta, Colorado
City in Delta County · population 9,035 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $283,300
- Household income
- $45,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 40.3
Delta is a city of 9,035 people in Delta County, Colorado. The median home is worth $283,300, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for cycling than 80% of Colorado towns, better for first-time buyers than 78% of Colorado towns.
How Delta 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 Delta is worth $283,300, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $45,250, which is more affordable than 25% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $990 a month. 66.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Delta | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $283,300 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $990 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $45,250 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 66.0% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Delta
| People | Delta | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.5% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.3% | 92.9% |
Weather in Delta
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 19.0°F. About 12.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.1 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Delta since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 11, 2002 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 29, 2014.
Severe weather in Delta County since 1996
Delta County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 3, 2004 | Fire | FM-2526: Co-Mcgruder Fire-07/03/2004 |
| June 19, 2002 | Fire | DR-1421: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Delta County
Delta County had 8,997 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,843 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Delta itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Delta
9 public schools with 2,612 students, about 19.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta High School | 9-12 | 616 | 16.6 |
| Delta Middle School | 6-8 | 497 | 17.1 |
| Garnet Mesa Elementary School | K-5 | 496 | 17.1 |
| Lincoln Elementary School | K-5 | 412 | 15.8 |
| Vision Charter Academy K-8 (charter) | K-8 | 195 | — |
| Backpack Early Learning Academy | PK-PK | 176 | 176.0 |
| Vision Charter Academy (charter) | 9-12 | 100 | 16.7 |
| Grand Mesa Choice Academy | 7-12 | 95 | 23.8 |
| Delta Academy of Applied Learning | 5-8 | 25 | 25.0 |
Towns near Delta
- Orchard City, CO7.7 mi · 3,142 people · home $324,300
- Montrose, CO23.5 mi · 20,291 people · home $387,900
- Palisade, CO28.2 mi · 2,565 people · home $404,600
- Clifton, CO29.8 mi · 20,413 people · home $250,500
Delta questions
Is Delta, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Delta scores better for retirees than 47% of Colorado towns and quieter than 59%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Delta?
The median owner-occupied home in Delta is valued at $283,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,250, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $990 a month.
What is the weather like in Delta?
July highs average 85.6°F and January lows 19.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.5 inches of precipitation a year and 34.1 inches of snow.
Does Delta get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Delta since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 11, 2002. 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)