The Town FilesGrand Junction, Colorado
City in Mesa County · population 65,560 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $389,800
- Household income
- $70,080
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 40.4
Grand Junction is a city of 65,560 people in Mesa County, Colorado. The median home is worth $389,800, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of Colorado towns, more vibrant than 85% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 83% of Colorado towns.
How Grand Junction 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 Grand Junction is worth $389,800, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $70,080, which is more affordable than 39% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,142 a month. 63.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Grand Junction | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $389,800 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,142 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $70,080 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 63.5% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Grand Junction
| People | Grand Junction | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.0% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.1% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 92.9% |
Weather in Grand Junction
July highs average 94.5°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 11.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.7 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 75 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grand Junction since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 29, 2005 about 5.0 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 17 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 6, 2025.
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 Grand Junction itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Grand Junction
36 public schools with 14,912 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction High School | 9-12 | 1,590 | 19.2 |
| Central High School | 9-12 | 1,443 | 18.3 |
| Caprock Academy (charter) | K-12 | 895 | 14.4 |
| Redlands Middle School | 6-8 | 594 | 17.0 |
| Orchard Mesa Middle School | 6-8 | 581 | 17.6 |
| Bookcliff Middle School | 6-8 | 565 | 14.1 |
| Grand Mesa Middle School | 6-8 | 525 | 17.5 |
| Grand River Academy | K-12 | 516 | 17.2 |
| Independence Academy (charter) | PK-8 | 487 | 16.2 |
| West Middle School | 6-8 | 460 | 16.4 |
| Appleton Elementary School | PK-5 | 447 | 18.6 |
| Thunder Mountain Elementary School | PK-5 | 441 | 15.8 |
Towns near Grand Junction
- Orchard Mesa, CO4.3 mi · 6,688 people · home $332,600
- Redlands, CO4.7 mi · 9,061 people · home $487,500
- Fruitvale, CO4.8 mi · 8,271 people · home $333,100
- Clifton, CO5.8 mi · 20,413 people · home $250,500
- Fruita, CO9.8 mi · 13,395 people · home $398,200
- Palisade, CO11.3 mi · 2,565 people · home $404,600
Grand Junction questions
Is Grand Junction, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Grand Junction scores better for retirees than 28% of Colorado towns and quieter than 19%. 21.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).
How much does a house cost in Grand Junction?
The median owner-occupied home in Grand Junction is valued at $389,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,080, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,142 a month.
What is the weather like in Grand Junction?
July highs average 94.5°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.4 inches of precipitation a year and 17.7 inches of snow.
Does Grand Junction get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Grand Junction 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)