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 C−JohnstownSafer than 19% of U.S. towns

Schools

A−FirestoneBetter than 77% of districts in the state B+JohnstownBetter than 66% of districts in the state

Health

A−FirestoneHealthier than 83% of U.S. towns AJohnstownHealthier than 91% of U.S. towns

7Firestone

13Johnstown

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

Most conserved landOutdoors · 152 towns #72#134 SafestSafety · 83 towns #24#55 Most trailsOutdoors · 143 towns #43#86 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 160 towns #49#97 Most activeHealth · 160 towns #91#51 Lowest obesityHealth · 160 towns #136#98 Best schoolsSchools · 142 towns #61#87 Fewest smokersHealth · 160 towns #92#66

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 $380 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.

Down paymentRate%

Firestone$3,260/mo

Typical home $570K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $2,009/mo · Housing →

Johnstown$2,880/mo

Typical home $499K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $1,835/mo · Housing →

The difference: $380 a month, about $4,600 a year, between Firestone and Johnstown.

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

FirestoneJohnstown

Snow a year47″47″

January low—13°F

July high—89°F

Growing season (days)—142d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)36th 38th

Outdoors & history

FirestoneJohnstown

Trails32 mi 20 mi

Conserved land7.8%1.3%

National Register places—3

Archive photos3 10

Community

FirestoneJohnstown

Library hours a week62 hrs 53 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

11 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FirestoneJohnstown

Firestone ↔ Johnstown11 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

FirestoneJohnstown

People

Population 18,049Lowest 18,883Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +61.4%Lowest CO: +14.8% +75%Highest CO: +14.8%

Median age 35.9±1.8Highest 5% below CO 34.9±1.8Lowest 7% below CO

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

Kids under 18 24.3%±3.1Lowest CO: 21% 25.9%±4.4Highest CO: 21%

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

Age 65+ 11%±2.2Highest CO: 15.6% 9.3%±1.8Lowest CO: 15.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 37.8%Lowest CO: 45.7% 38.5%Highest CO: 45.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.6%±1.2Lowest CO: 6.4% 5.1%±1.7Highest CO: 6.4%

Johnstown 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±$10kLowest 26% above CO $128,995±$9kHighest 35% above CO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $560,100±$21kHighest 4% above CO $540,300±$26kLowest about the CO average

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,009±$178Highest 14% above CO $1,835±$107Lowest 4% above CO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,274Lowest 26% above CO $3,425Highest 32% above CO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43%±11.1Lowest CO: 52.9% 45.3%±21Highest CO: 52.9%

Johnstown 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% 3.7%Lowest CO: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 81.3%Highest CO: 66.2% 77.9%Lowest CO: 66.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 2009Highest 21 yrs newer than CO 2007Lowest 19 yrs newer than CO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 29% above CO 31 minLowest 21% above CO

Work from home 18.1%±3.6Highest CO: 21% 17.4%±4.5Lowest CO: 21%

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

Work in townworking residents 4.2%Lowest 6.4%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 16.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.38Lowest 0.65Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Longmont (13%)Loveland (12%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JohnstownFew work in Firestone

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 7.8%Highest 1.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 32.4 miHighest 19.8 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.2 miHighest 1.3 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Lowest 8Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 47.9Lowest 52.9Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #61 of 142 in CO #87 of 142 in CO

School district St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1JWeld County School District No. Re-5J · Thompson School District R-2J

High school in town None in townRoosevelt High School

Students per teacherat that high school — 19.9

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.

Johnstown neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Johnstown’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Firestone and Johnstown

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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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Wellington11,798 people · $464K homes

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Fruita13,691 people · $398K 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.

Firestone vs Johnstown

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Johnstown places higher on 13 of 21 CO lists

A typical home costs $380 more a month in Firestone

What daily life feels like in each

11 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Firestone and Johnstown

Bordering Firestone

Towns like Firestone

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