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Firestone vs Fruita

213 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+55.5 pts in Firestone) and property tax bill (+93% in Firestone).

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Firestone, COHomes around $570KColorado · 18,049 people
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Fruita, COAn outdoors townColorado · 13,691 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

FirestoneHomes around $570K
Housing$570K typical home7% above the CO typical home Outdoors#43 most trails in CO32 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 83%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Firestone →
FruitaAn outdoors town
Outdoors#29 most conserved land in CO20 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves Housing$486K typical home9% below the CO typical home Schools#54 for schools in COof 142 towns All about Fruita →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+55.5 pts
Firestone has grown faster since 2010
Firestone +61.4%Fruita +5.9%
Property tax bill+93%
Tax bills are bigger in Firestone
Firestone $3,274Fruita $1,699
Home values+41%
Homes cost more in Firestone
Firestone $560,100Fruita $398,200
Household income+38%
Households in Firestone earn more
Firestone $120,150Fruita $87,184
Rent+36%
Rent runs higher in Firestone
Firestone $2,009Fruita $1,472
Average commute12 min
Fruita has the shorter commute
Firestone 33 minFruita 21 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Fruita places higher on 12 of 21 CO lists

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.

Safety
BFirestoneSafer than 60% of U.S. towns A−FruitaSafer than 77% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−FirestoneBetter than 77% of districts in the state B−FruitaBetter than 45% of districts in the state
Health
A−FirestoneHealthier than 83% of U.S. towns A−FruitaHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns
7Firestone
12Fruita

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 160 towns #150#41 Fastest growingGrowth · 153 towns #12#101 Highest graduation rateSchools · 142 towns #58#119 Cheapest rentCost of living · 153 towns #106#45 Lowest property taxCost of living · 158 towns #105#43 Highest incomeIncome · 160 towns #46#94 Most conserved landOutdoors · 152 towns #72#29 Most remote workersWork · 148 towns #70#108

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $540 more a month in Firestone

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.

Firestone$3,260/mo
Typical home $570K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $2,009/mo · Housing →
Fruita$2,720/mo
Typical home $486K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.43% · or rent about $1,472/mo · Housing →

The difference: $540 a month, about $6,500 a year, between Firestone and Fruita.

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.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
FirestoneFruita
Snow a year47″18″
January low—17°F
July high—95°F
Growing season (days)—171d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)36th27th
Outdoors & history
FirestoneFruita
Trails32 mi20 mi
Conserved land7.8%18.5%
Settled—1884
National Register places—3
Archive photos312
Famous people born here—4
Community
FirestoneFruita
Library hours a week62 hrs60 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

Where they are

213 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FirestoneCOFruitaCO
Firestone ↔ Fruita213 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.

FirestoneFruita
People
Population 18,049Highest 13,691Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +61.4%Highest CO: +14.8% +5.9%Lowest CO: +14.8%
Median age 35.9±1.8Lowest 5% below CO 41.5±3Highest 10% above CO
Kids under 18 24.3%±3.1Lowest CO: 21% 27.4%±4.4Highest CO: 21%
Fruita and Firestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11%±2.2Lowest CO: 15.6% 19.2%±3.2Highest CO: 15.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37.8%Highest CO: 45.7% 33.6%Lowest CO: 45.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.6%±1.2Lowest CO: 6.4% 4.8%±1.7Highest CO: 6.4%
Fruita and Firestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $120,150±$10kHighest 26% above CO $87,184±$3kLowest 9% below CO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $560,100±$21kHighest 4% above CO $398,200±$21kLowest 26% below CO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,009±$178Highest 14% above CO $1,472±$340Lowest 16% below CO
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,274Highest 26% above CO $1,699Lowest 35% below CO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43%±11.1Lowest CO: 52.9% 43.6%±10.4Highest CO: 52.9%
Fruita and Firestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.6%Highest CO: 9.4% 4.1%Lowest CO: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 81.3%Highest CO: 66.2% 79.9%Lowest CO: 66.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 2009Highest 21 yrs newer than CO 1999Lowest 11 yrs newer than CO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 29% above CO 21 minLowest 19% below CO
Work from home 18.1%±3.6Highest CO: 21% 10.3%±3.5Lowest CO: 21%
Work in townworking residents 4.2%Lowest 15.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 10.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.38Lowest 0.51Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Longmont (13%)Grand Junction (57%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FruitaFew work in Firestone
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.8%Lowest 18.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 32.4 miHighest 20.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.2 miLowest 2.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7 7
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 47.9Lowest 71.6Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #61 of 142 in CO#54 of 142 in CO
School district St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1JMesa County Valley School District No. 51
High school in town None in townFruita Monument High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 19.3
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.

Firestone neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Firestone’s Town Square.

Fruita neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fruita’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Firestone

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Mead5,919 people · $585K homes
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Frederick16,651 people · $568K homes
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Longmont99,406 people · $573K homes
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Fort Lupton8,897 people · $416K homes

Towns like Firestone

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Johnstown18,883 people · $540K homes
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Wellington11,798 people · $464K homes
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Berthoud12,411 people · $534K homes
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Gypsum8,941 people · $633K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Colorado towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

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