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

A−FruitaSafer than 77% of U.S. towns BFirestoneSafer than 60% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−FruitaBetter than 45% of districts in the state A−FirestoneBetter than 77% of districts in the state

Health

A−FruitaHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns A−FirestoneHealthier than 83% of U.S. towns

12Fruita

7Firestone

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

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

Left end = #1 in Colorado. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Fruita’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.

Down paymentRate%

Fruita$2,720/mo

Typical home $486K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.43% · or rent about $1,472/mo · Housing →

Firestone$3,260/mo

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

FruitaFirestone

Snow a year18″47″

January low17°F —

July high95°F —

Growing season (days)171d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th 36th

Outdoors & history

FruitaFirestone

Trails20 mi 32 mi

Conserved land18.5%7.8%

Settled1884 —

National Register places3 —

Archive photos12 3

Famous people born here4 —

Community

FruitaFirestone

Library hours a week60 hrs 62 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

213 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FruitaCO FirestoneCO

Fruita ↔ Firestone213 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

FruitaFirestone

People

Population 13,691Lowest 18,049Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.9%Lowest CO: +14.8% +61.4%Highest CO: +14.8%

Median age 41.5±3Highest 10% above CO 35.9±1.8Lowest 5% below CO

Kids under 18 27.4%±4.4Highest CO: 21% 24.3%±3.1Lowest CO: 21%

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

Age 65+ 19.2%±3.2Highest CO: 15.6% 11%±2.2Lowest CO: 15.6%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.6%Lowest CO: 45.7% 37.8%Highest CO: 45.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±1.7Highest CO: 6.4% 4.6%±1.2Lowest 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 $87,184±$3kLowest 9% below CO $120,150±$10kHighest 26% above CO

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $398,200±$21kLowest 26% below CO $560,100±$21kHighest 4% above CO

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,472±$340Lowest 16% below CO $2,009±$178Highest 14% above CO

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,699Lowest 35% below CO $3,274Highest 26% above CO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.6%±10.4Highest CO: 52.9% 43%±11.1Lowest 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 4.1%Lowest CO: 9.4% 4.6%Highest CO: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 79.9%Lowest CO: 66.2% 81.3%Highest CO: 66.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1999Lowest 11 yrs newer than CO 2009Highest 21 yrs newer than CO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 19% below CO 33 minHighest 29% above CO

Work from home 10.3%±3.5Lowest CO: 21% 18.1%±3.6Highest CO: 21%

Work in townworking residents 15.2%Highest 4.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miLowest 19.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.51Highest 0.38Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Grand Junction (57%)Longmont (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FirestoneFew work in Fruita

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 18.5%Highest 7.8%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 20.1 miLowest 32.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.4 miHighest 2.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7 7

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 71.6Highest 47.9Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #54 of 142 in CO #61 of 142 in CO

School district Mesa County Valley School District No. 51St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1J

High school in town Fruita Monument High SchoolNone in town

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.

Fruita neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fruita’s Town Square.

Firestone neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Firestone’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Fruita and Firestone

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

Bordering Fruita

+ Compare

Redlands8,868 people · $488K homes

+ Compare

Loma1,350 people · $787K homes

Towns like Fruita

+ Compare

Woodland Park7,949 people · $549K homes

+ Compare

Montrose21,044 people · $388K homes

+ Compare

Johnstown18,883 people · $540K homes

+ Compare

Cañon City17,122 people · $316K 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.

Fruita vs Firestone

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Fruita places higher on 12 of 21 CO lists

A typical home costs $540 more a month in Firestone

What daily life feels like in each

213 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Fruita and Firestone

Bordering Fruita

Towns like Fruita

Post to Fruita

Check your email