The Town FilesOrchard Mesa, Colorado
Community in Mesa County · population 6,688 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $332,600
- Household income
- $80,359
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 41.2
Orchard Mesa is a community of 6,688 people in Mesa County, Colorado. The median home is worth $332,600, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more walkable than 86% of Colorado towns, more vibrant than 74% of Colorado towns, more of a college town than 74% of Colorado towns.
How Orchard Mesa 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 Orchard Mesa is worth $332,600, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $80,359, which is more affordable than 80% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,535 a month. 87.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orchard Mesa | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $332,600 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,535 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $80,359 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 87.7% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Orchard Mesa
| People | Orchard Mesa | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.3% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 17.2% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 92.9% |
Weather in Orchard Mesa
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 Orchard Mesa since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 29, 2005 about 2.8 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 13 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 Orchard Mesa itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Towns near Orchard Mesa
- Grand Junction, CO4.3 mi · 65,560 people · home $389,800
- Clifton, CO4.3 mi · 20,413 people · home $250,500
- Fruitvale, CO4.5 mi · 8,271 people · home $333,100
- Redlands, CO7.8 mi · 9,061 people · home $487,500
- Palisade, CO10.1 mi · 2,565 people · home $404,600
- Fruita, CO13.8 mi · 13,395 people · home $398,200
Orchard Mesa questions
Is Orchard Mesa, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orchard Mesa scores better for retirees than 27% of Colorado towns and quieter than 27%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Orchard Mesa?
The median owner-occupied home in Orchard Mesa is valued at $332,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,359, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,535 a month.
What is the weather like in Orchard Mesa?
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 Orchard Mesa get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orchard Mesa 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)