The 10 Worst Places To Live In Colorado For 2021


We used science to determine which cities in Colorado are the real pits.

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People who live in Colorado are weirdly protective of their state. It’s almost like they warn you: Don’t you dare say anything bad about Colorado, especially if you don’t live here.

Well I am about to, and I don’t. So deal with it.

To be fair, I’ve been to Colorado many times, and it is a beautiful place. I’ve boarded there, and I’ve camped out in the mountains and in the deserts. Many of my friends spent time there, and many still make Colorado home. I hear nothing but great things.

But is it all good there? Of course not. Just like any other state, Colorado has some issues. And the purpose of this post is to use science and data to determine which places in Colorado are the absolute worst. If you live in any of these places, you might agree with this analysis. And if you don’t agree, you have to admit that the criteria we’re using makes a lot of sense.

After analyzing all 74 cities with a population over 5,200, we came up with this list as the 10 worst places in Colorado:

The 10 Worst Places To Live In Colorado For 2021

  1. Lochbuie
  2. Trinidad
  3. Alamosa
  4. Rifle
  5. Delta
  6. Fort Lupton
  7. Cortez
  8. Pueblo
  9. Aurora
  10. Grand Junction

What? Where are these places you wonder? And before you get all riled up and say we’re picking on small town America, that’s not the case.

We understand there’s a lot of good in every place.

However, according to data (which doesn’t measure things like beauty and ‘friendly people’), there are far better options in the state for making a place home. And the worst place to live in Colorado? That would be Lochbuie.

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers and see how your city fared in 2021.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.

For more Colorado reading, check out:

The 10 Worst Places To Live In Colorado For 2021

Lochbuie, CO

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 6,388
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $252,100
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%
More on Lochbuie:  Data | Photos

Lochbuie originated as a development called the Spacious Living Mobile Home Park…or “Space City” for short. These days, it gets its name from a town in Scotland. Unfortunately, it also counts as the number 1 worst place to live in Colorado.

Built on the northeastern edge of the circle of suburbs surrounding Denver, Lochbuie sports a median income of $71,304 and an unemployment rate of 5.0%. Education is a major problem for the 6,388 residents of the town. The schools score a 3/10 on Great Schools.

Things aren’t all bad in Lochbuie. Locals have excellent access to one of the region’s major metropolitan areas. It’s just a 30-minute drive to the city center.

Trinidad, CO

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 8,080
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $134,900
Unemployment Rate: 7.7%
More on Trinidad:  Data | Photos

Trinidad has a violent history. In the early 20th century, it was the site of a deadly labor dispute between miners and the Colorado Fuel & Iron company. These days, those types of clashes are a thing of the past. Still, the community has its challenges. It sits at number 2 on the list of least appealing spots in Colorado.

The economy presents a major issue for Trinidad’s 8,080 inhabitants. The unemployment rate stands at 7.7%, while 20.2% of people struggle below the poverty line.

Crime is nearly double the national average and schools in the area top out at mediocre. That said, there are bright spots. Located in the southern part of the state, near the New Mexico border, residents can enjoy the region’s natural splendor at places like the Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area.

Alamosa, CO

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 9,441
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $164,600
Unemployment Rate: 12.4%
More on Alamosa:  Data | Photos

Alamosa started life as a railroad town. Unfortunately, technology and transportation patterns have moved on from those boom days. Now, a weak economy makes Alamosa the number 3 least attractive place to live in Colorado.

Finding a job is difficult for the town’s 9,441 residents. The unemployment rate sits at 12.4%. At the same time, 31.4% of inhabitants scrape by on the wrong side of the poverty line. The median income sits at $35,085.

Aside from the economic troubles, the area has a lot to offer. It’s known as the gateway to Great Sand Dunes National Park, located in the south-central part of the state.

Rifle, CO

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 9,650
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 2)
Median Home Value: $246,300
Unemployment Rate: 7.2%
More on Rifle:  Data | Photos

Can you think of a more Wild West name for a town than Rifle? Well, it actually gets its name from a nearby creek rather than directly from a kind of weapon. Still, the name suits a community with a higher-than-average crime rate. In fact, Rifle represents the number 4 worst location in Colorado.

Besides high crime, the area suffers from a bad education system. The schools only reach a 5/10 on Great Schools. Meanwhile, the median income sits at $66,319 and the unemployment rate comes in at 7.2%.

Rifle does have things going for it. Built on I-70 in the western part of the state, it offers great access to outdoor

Delta, CO

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 8,829
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $170,500
Unemployment Rate: 7.0%
More on Delta:  Data | Photos

Delta is out in the boonies, south of Grand Junction. The population has grown 15% in the last 15 years, perhaps due to the cheap housing, as homes cost an average $139,100 each.

Delta has some of the lowest public school funding in Colorado. And while the unemployment rate isn’t as bad as other cities, it’s still up there. Plus, there’s not a lot to do here for indoor entertainment. If you’re an outdoor person, it might not be so bad. But on paper, Delta isn’t desirable.

Fort Lupton, CO

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 8,133
Rank Last Year: 27 (Up 21)
Median Home Value: $240,500
Unemployment Rate: 5.4%
More on Fort Lupton:  Data | Photos

Fort Lupton came into existence as a trading post in the 1830s, part of the early migration to the area. You can still see a reconstructed version of the original fort in town. Life was presumably tough in the area back then. It remains so today, as Fort Lupton stands as the number 6 worst place in Colorado to put down roots.

The education system is a major drawback for the 8,133 residents. Even on the high side, the schools in the area rank a paltry 4/10 on Great Schools.

There are pluses to life in Fort Lupton. The crime rate hovers about 60% below the national average. Meanwhile, the overall cost of living is about 10% below the U.S. norm, thanks in large part to affordable housing.

Cortez, CO

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 8,675
Rank Last Year: 20 (Up 13)
Median Home Value: $170,300
Unemployment Rate: 6.4%
More on Cortez:  Data | Photos

Cortez provides a major tourist draw. It sits in the southwestern part of the state, near both the Four Corners monument and the Mesa Verde National Park. It’s great for people passing through. But you might not want to live there.

The community ranks at number 7 on the list of Colorado’s worst living areas. Crime and a weak economy are the major problems. The crime rate sits about 50% above the national average. Meanwhile, 20.5% of the town’s 8,675 residents has to make due below the poverty line.

The median income sits at $42,271, while the unemployment rate hovers at 6.4%.

Pueblo, CO

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 110,841
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $141,000
Unemployment Rate: 8.4%
More on Pueblo:  Data | Photos

When you’re looking at things from purely a scientific standpoint, Pueblo is by far the worst place in Colorado.

The crime here is really bad and nearly 1 in 11.8 residents are without jobs — by far the highest in the state. And those who are employed earn a measly salary. The schools are underfunded and home values are low and not climbing at all.

If you’ve been to Pueblo, it would be hard to argue against this ranking. And if you live there, you might have expected to see your town towards the top of the list. The rest of these cities are a distant second.

Aurora, CO

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 369,111
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $290,000
Unemployment Rate: 4.6%
More on Aurora:  Data | Photos

In 2012, Aurora suffered a horrific mass shooting that killed 12 people and made headlines around the country. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated incident. The crime rate in the area stands about 50% above the national average. This is the main factor that makes Aurora the number 9 worst location in Colorado.

Though its 369,111 residents battle a high crime rate, Aurora has other benefits to provide. Located about a half hour east of Denver’s city center, it gives excellent access to the region’s major metropolitan area. Meanwhile, the economy is relatively strong, with unemployment at 4.6% and the median income at $65,100.

Grand Junction, CO

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 62,062
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $237,100
Unemployment Rate: 6.9%
More on Grand Junction:  Data | Photos

Grand Junction is a key city in western Colorado. In fact, with 62,062 residents, it stands as the most populous community in the region. Unfortunately, with size comes challenges. Grand Junction is also the number 10 least appealing place to live in Colorado.

Like other population centers, Grand Junction suffers a high crime rate, about 70% above the national average. Poverty presents an issue as well. 15.6% of the population suffers below the poverty line.

Being a relatively large city (at least for the area), Grand Junction has its amenities. For instance, it has become known for its local wineries. You can also check out the nearby Colorado National Monument.

How we determined the worst places to live in Colorado for 2021

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what cities have the least amount of those things.

We don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that people like the following things:

  • Good education
  • Lots of jobs
  • Low crime
  • Low poverty
  • Nice homes
  • High incomes
  • High population density (Lots of things to do)
  • Short work commutes
  • Health insurance

The data comes from the Census’s most recent American Community Survey and from the FBI Uniform Crime Report.

We broke crime down into violent crime and property crime to give violent crime a larger weight — if you did a simple calculation of all crimes per capita, property crimes are normally 7x more common and really bias that ranking.

Furthermore, only cities with at least 5,000 people were considered — leaving 74 cities.

We then ranked each city from 1 to 74 for all the criteria with a #1 ranking being the worst for the particular criteria.

Next, we averaged the rankings into one “Worst Place To Live Score”.

Finally, we ranked every city on the “Worst Place To Live Score” with the lowest score being the worst city in Colorado — Lochbuie. Read on for a detailed look at the 10 worst cities in Colorado. You can download the data here.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased.

Wrapping Up The Worst In Colorado

If you’re looking at areas in Colorado with the worst economic situations, where there’s higher than average crime, and not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

And in the end, Lochbuie ranks as the worst city to live in Colorado for 2021.

If you’re curious enough, here are the best cities to live in Colorado:

  1. Parker (Pop. 54,352)
  2. Vail (Pop. 5,479)
  3. Louisville (Pop. 20,860)

For more Colorado reading, check out:

Where Are The Worst Places To Live In Colorado?

Rank City Population Unemployment Rate Home Value
1 Lochbuie 6,388 5.0% $252,100
2 Trinidad 8,080 7.7% $134,900
3 Alamosa 9,441 12.4% $164,600
4 Rifle 9,650 7.2% $246,300
5 Delta 8,829 7.0% $170,500
6 Fort Lupton 8,133 5.4% $240,500
7 Cortez 8,675 6.4% $170,300
8 Pueblo 110,841 8.4% $141,000
9 Aurora 369,111 4.6% $290,000
10 Grand Junction 62,062 6.9% $237,100
11 Federal Heights 12,745 2.0% $64,300
12 Montrose 19,238 7.0% $211,700
13 Monument 7,398 6.0% $381,600
14 Sheridan 6,089 3.8% $227,500
15 La Junta 6,893 5.1% $91,400
16 Brighton 39,836 4.0% $308,900
17 Glenwood Springs 9,915 3.1% $409,500
18 Glendale 5,177 3.6% $265,000
19 Sterling 14,478 3.7% $136,800
20 Craig 8,928 4.5% $173,600
21 Denver 705,576 3.8% $390,600
22 Greeley 105,888 5.2% $247,700
23 Berthoud 7,191 5.7% $342,800
24 Fort Morgan 11,377 4.6% $169,900
25 Colorado Springs 464,871 5.7% $269,800
26 Fountain 29,784 6.8% $229,200
27 Fruita 13,236 9.3% $223,500
28 Dacono 5,534 4.7% $266,100
29 Englewood 34,259 5.7% $344,400
30 Evans 20,533 3.4% $223,500
31 Salida 5,791 5.2% $328,200
32 Northglenn 38,973 4.5% $297,900
33 Brush 5,395 4.9% $157,100
34 Edgewater 5,328 4.8% $408,500
35 Estes Park 6,377 6.0% $413,100
36 Woodland Park 7,555 6.7% $323,500
37 Thornton 136,868 3.6% $322,200
38 Gunnison 6,403 7.8% $244,500
39 Gypsum 7,173 1.4% $364,400
40 Carbondale 6,785 3.5% $496,300
41 Longmont 94,445 5.0% $362,500
42 Durango 18,588 4.8% $463,700
43 Westminster 112,962 4.0% $340,900
44 Lamar 7,564 5.9% $99,400
45 Milliken 7,185 2.6% $275,000
46 Lakewood 155,146 3.5% $364,800
47 Wheat Ridge 31,331 3.7% $383,900
48 Avon 6,539 0.0% $477,900
49 Golden 20,693 4.6% $522,200
50 Loveland 76,972 4.3% $313,900
51 Eagle 6,856 0.0% $532,800
52 Arvada 118,746 3.8% $384,500
53 Fort Collins 165,609 5.4% $367,900
54 Centennial 110,218 3.1% $433,800
55 Lone Tree 12,923 2.8% $634,000
56 Broomfield 67,886 3.2% $413,500
57 Firestone 14,033 2.7% $354,000
58 Aspen 7,431 2.9% $636,400
59 Eaton 5,317 3.8% $286,200
60 Frederick 12,767 3.5% $363,200
61 Manitou Springs 5,283 3.5% $365,300
62 Littleton 47,989 3.5% $410,900
63 Boulder 106,392 4.6% $700,000
64 Erie 24,223 3.8% $468,600
65 Windsor 26,806 3.2% $406,100
66 Castle Pines 10,591 2.4% $615,400
67 Wellington 9,272 4.0% $323,500
68 Lafayette 28,742 3.3% $422,000
69 Steamboat Springs 12,928 3.8% $584,200
70 Castle Rock 62,417 2.9% $422,100
71 Superior 13,077 2.5% $576,800
72 Parker 54,352 2.9% $420,000
73 Vail 5,479 2.1% $773,700
74 Louisville 20,860 3.7% $587,000

How Is The Area In ?

Editor’s Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don’t freak out we updated this article for 2021. This is our seventh time ranking the worst places to live in Colorado.

About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.