A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Colorado ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

B−BrushBetter than 52% of districts in the state CCraigBetter than 28% of districts in the state

Health

BBrushHealthier than 58% of U.S. towns BCraigHealthier than 62% of U.S. towns

10Brush

10Craig

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 160 towns #11#138 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 160 towns #96#155 Best schoolsSchools · 142 towns #142#108 Fewest smokersHealth · 160 towns #100#136 Lowest obesityHealth · 160 towns #119#93 Highest graduation rateSchools · 142 towns #112#135 Most activeHealth · 160 towns #131#107 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 160 towns #137#113

Left end = #1 in Colorado. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Brush’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Brush$1,700/mo

Typical home $299K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.54% · or rent about $692/mo · Housing →

Craig$1,740/mo

Typical home $311K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.43% · or rent about $1,045/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

207 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BrushCO CraigCO

Brush ↔ Craig207 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Colorado average

BrushCraig

People

Population 5,306Lowest 8,991Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.3%Highest CO: +14.8% -4.3%Lowest CO: +14.8%

Median age 38.6±4.6Lowest about the CO average 40.2±2.5Highest 7% above CO

Craig and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 20.8%±5.2Lowest CO: 21% 23.8%±3.2Highest CO: 21%

Craig and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 16.5%±4.2Lowest CO: 15.6% 17.1%±3.1Highest CO: 15.6%

Craig and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.5%Lowest CO: 45.7% 18.2%Highest CO: 45.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±2.6Highest CO: 6.4% 3.2%±1.6Lowest CO: 6.4%

Brush and Craig are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $73,382±$8kHighest 23% below CO $72,636±$11kLowest 24% below CO

Brush and Craig are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $273,000±$36kLowest 49% below CO $278,500±$22kHighest 48% below CO

Craig and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $692±$236Lowest 61% below CO $1,045±$145Highest 41% below CO

Craig and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,480Highest 43% below CO $1,193Lowest 54% below CO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 67%±30.4Highest CO: 52.9% 33.3%±11.6Lowest CO: 52.9%

Brush and Craig are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 14.2%Highest CO: 9.4% 8.9%Lowest CO: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 60.5%Lowest CO: 66.2% 61.2%Highest CO: 66.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest 16 yrs older than CO 1975Highest 13 yrs older than CO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minHighest 29% below CO 18 minLowest 30% below CO

Work from home 1.4%±2.1Lowest CO: 21% 2.3%±1.4Highest CO: 21%

Craig and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 18.8%Lowest 33.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 33.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.61Lowest 0.63Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Fort Morgan (28%)Steamboat Springs (16%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CraigFew work in Brush

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.3%Highest 1.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.7 mi 0.7 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 8Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 64.8Lowest 75.0Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #142 of 142 in CO #108 of 142 in CO

School district School District No. Re-2 BrushMoffat County School District RE: No. 1

High school in town Brush High SchoolMoffat County High School

Students per teacherat that high school 14.1Lowest 14.5Highest

Colorado average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Brush neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brush’s Town Square.

Craig neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Craig’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Brush and Craig

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Brush

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Trinidad8,286 people · $227K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Brush vs Craig

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Craig gets 90 more inches of snow a year

Grades and rankings, side by side

A typical home costs about the same each month

207 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Brush and Craig

Towns like Brush

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