The Town FilesPenrose, Colorado
Community in Fremont County · population 3,685 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $308,800
- Household income
- $88,109
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 43.7
Penrose is a community of 3,685 people in Fremont County, Colorado. The median home is worth $308,800, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of Colorado towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Colorado towns, easier by car than 82% of Colorado towns.
How Penrose 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 Penrose is worth $308,800, below the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $88,109, which is more affordable than 90% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,321 a month. 82.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Penrose | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $308,800 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,321 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $88,109 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 82.0% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.1% | — |
Who lives in Penrose
| People | Penrose | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.5% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 22.5% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 92.9% |
Weather in Penrose
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 18.4°F. About 13.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.2 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penrose since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 13, 1989 about 1.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 23, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 12, 2023.
Severe weather in Fremont County since 1996
Fremont County has been included in 15 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 |
| July 16, 2015 | Flood | DR-4229: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 12, 2013 | Flood | EM-3365: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Fremont County
Fremont County had 14,574 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,243 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Penrose itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Penrose
1 public school with 309 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penrose Elementary School | PK-6 | 309 | 16.3 |
Towns near Penrose
- Florence, CO6.1 mi · 3,822 people · home $249,700
- Lincoln Park, CO11.5 mi · 3,934 people · home $295,800
- Cañon City, CO12.0 mi · 17,141 people · home $316,100
- Park Center, CO13.0 mi · 2,953 people · home $386,200
- Pueblo West, CO13.8 mi · 33,086 people · home $397,000
- Fort Carson, CO22.9 mi · 17,693 people · home —
- Pueblo, CO23.6 mi · 111,876 people · home $247,200
- Fountain, CO25.3 mi · 29,802 people · home $398,000
Penrose questions
Is Penrose, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Penrose scores better for retirees than 63% of Colorado towns and quieter than 80%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.7).
How much does a house cost in Penrose?
The median owner-occupied home in Penrose is valued at $308,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,109, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,321 a month.
What is the weather like in Penrose?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 18.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.7 inches of precipitation a year and 31.2 inches of snow.
Does Penrose get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Penrose since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 13, 1989. 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)