The Town FilesLeadville, Colorado
City in Lake County · population 2,633 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $447,600
- Household income
- $86,350
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 71°
- Snow a year
- 154 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 38.4
Leadville is a city of 2,633 people in Lake County, Colorado. The median home is worth $447,600, close to the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Colorado towns, hipper than 99% of Colorado towns, more of a college town than 99% of Colorado towns.
How Leadville 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 Leadville is worth $447,600, close to the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $86,350, which is more affordable than 49% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,195 a month. 68.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Leadville | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $447,600 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,195 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $86,350 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 68.1% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 19.9% | — |
Who lives in Leadville
| People | Leadville | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.6% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.5% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.3% | 92.9% |
Weather in Leadville
July highs average 71.0°F and January lows 4.6°F. About 13.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 153.9 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 272 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Leadville since 1950.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 5, 2026 | Fire | FM-5644: Willow Fire |
| 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 |
| September 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3224: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 2,935 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,697 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Leadville itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Leadville
4 public schools with 975 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County High School | 7-12 | 400 | 14.3 |
| Lake County Intermediate School | 3-6 | 273 | 15.2 |
| Lake County Elementary School | PK-2 | 272 | 19.4 |
| Cloud City High School | 9-12 | 30 | 10.0 |
Towns near Leadville
- Breckenridge, CO22.0 mi · 5,078 people · home $1,012,700
- Frisco, CO25.3 mi · 2,913 people · home $891,400
- Vail, CO27.2 mi · 4,835 people · home $1,400,700
- Aspen, CO29.3 mi · 7,004 people · home $819,900
- Avon, CO29.7 mi · 6,072 people · home $548,900
- Buena Vista, CO30.0 mi · 2,855 people · home $572,700
Leadville questions
Is Leadville, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Leadville scores better for retirees than 44% of Colorado towns and quieter than 43%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Leadville?
The median owner-occupied home in Leadville is valued at $447,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,350, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $1,195 a month.
What is the weather like in Leadville?
July highs average 71.0°F and January lows 4.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.5 inches of precipitation a year and 153.9 inches of snow.
Does Leadville get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Leadville in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)