Mancos Opera House · National Register of Historic Places
Mancos’s story
132 years in pictures
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1894Mancos is settled
MancosCO
A town of 1,174, settled in 1894. Healthier than 90% of U.S. towns.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domain
Population
1,174
−10.5% since 2010
Typical home
$522K
+2.6% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
51.5
years
Jobs based here
528
Balanced
What makes Mancos stand out
The thing Mancos does most differently from other towns.
Small town
1,174 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Mancos’s report card
Now in Mancos
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Mancos? Is an A for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Mancos’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →55°
Clear
H 70° · L 42°
Local news
All →- Trinidad vs Sierra Grande - Girls Varsity Volleyball 10/29/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 25
- SDCS vs Mancos - Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball 09/25/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 25
- SDCS vs Mancos - Girls Varsity Volleyball 09/25/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 25
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Mancos. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Mancos beats the Colorado average on 3 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
AHealth Grade
26 measures vs. Colorado
3 better22 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Mancos | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| More adults seeing a dentist | 69.9% | 64.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.2% | 7.8% |
Southwest Memorial Hospital
15.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
60th
percentile among CO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 84% of U.S. communities.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingAvalanchesWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Mancos has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 57 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
57″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–41°
Spring30–60°
Summer48–82°
Fall32–63°
Sep 24
typical first frost
Jun 4
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About one in five working residents works right in Mancos
About one in 5 of Mancos’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Cortez (15%), Durango (11%) and Grand Junction (3%). Half commute less than 17 miles.
21%work in town
Where working residents work
In Mancos21%
Cortez15%
Durango11%
Grand Junction3%
Denver3%
17 mi
median commute distance
528
jobs based in Mancos
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Mancos’s public schools outperform 38% of Colorado districts
The public schools Mancos’s kids attend trail 62% of Colorado’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mancos Elementary School | K–5 | 217 | D |
| Mancos Middle School | 6–8 | 116 | D− |
| Mancos High School | 9–12 | 142 | B |
| Mancos Early Learning Center | PK | 36 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state testsAll 4 schools →
Safety
Crime reported in Mancos
Mancos's reported crime rate is well below Colorado's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Mancos1.5
Colorado4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Mancos7.7
Colorado22.3
U.S.15.5
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
10
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Housing
A typical Mancos home is worth about $522K
The typical Mancos home is worth about $522,000, up 2.6% in a year, close to the Colorado typical home.
$522KZillow home value
Typical home value
Mancos$522K
Colorado$533K
+2.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
0.4% of Mancos is conserved land
1.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
0.4%conserved
0.4%
conserved · 2 of 407 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 2.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cottonwood Park | 0.7 mi | 13 |
| 2. Mancos Wayside Park | 0.3 mi | 6 |
| 3. Riverside Park | 0.2 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
A shrinking town
Mancos has shrunk 10.5% since 2010
1,336 people in 2010; 1,174 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Landmarks
4 places in Mancos on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Mancos
3 notable people were born in Mancos.
About Mancos
Town in Colorado, United States
Mancos is a statutory town in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,196 at the 2020 census, down from 1,336 in 2010. The town is in southwestern Colorado, at the base of Mesa Verde National Park, and holds the trademark for "Gateway to Mesa Verde". Surrounded by rangeland and mountains, Mancos offers a variety of outdoor recreational activities. The town was founded in 1894, near the site where early Spanish explorers first crossed the Mancos River. It is the commercial center for east Montezuma County, and was considered at one time as a county seat. It is served by U.S. Highway 160 and State Highway 184.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1894
- Population
- 1,196
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 7,028 ft
- ZIP code
- 81328
- Area code
- 970
More about Mancos
Still missing for Mancos:archive photosupcoming events