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

C−JohnstownSafer than 19% of U.S. towns BFirestoneSafer than 60% of U.S. towns

Schools

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

Health

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

13Johnstown

7Firestone

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

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

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

Johnstown$2,880/mo

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

Firestone$3,260/mo

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

JohnstownFirestone

Snow a year47″47″

January low13°F —

July high89°F —

Growing season (days)142d —

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

Outdoors & history

JohnstownFirestone

Trails20 mi 32 mi

Conserved land1.3%7.8%

National Register places3 —

Archive photos10 3

Community

JohnstownFirestone

Library hours a week53 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

11 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

JohnstownFirestone

Johnstown ↔ Firestone11 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

JohnstownFirestone

People

Population 18,883Highest 18,049Lowest

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

Median age 34.9±1.8Lowest 7% below CO 35.9±1.8Highest 5% 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 25.9%±4.4Highest CO: 21% 24.3%±3.1Lowest CO: 21%

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

Age 65+ 9.3%±1.8Lowest CO: 15.6% 11%±2.2Highest 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+ 38.5%Highest CO: 45.7% 37.8%Lowest CO: 45.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.1%±1.7Highest CO: 6.4% 4.6%±1.2Lowest 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 $128,995±$9kHighest 35% above CO $120,150±$10kLowest 26% 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 $540,300±$26kLowest about the CO average $560,100±$21kHighest 4% above CO

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,835±$107Lowest 4% above CO $2,009±$178Highest 14% 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 $3,425Highest 32% above CO $3,274Lowest 26% above CO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.3%±21Highest CO: 52.9% 43%±11.1Lowest 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 3.7%Lowest CO: 9.4% 4.6%Highest CO: 9.4%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 17.4%±4.5Lowest CO: 21% 18.1%±3.6Highest 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 6.4%Highest 4.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miLowest 19.3 miHighest

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

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

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Lowest 7.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 19.8 miLowest 32.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miLowest 2.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 7Lowest

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

Schools

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

School district Weld County School District No. Re-5J · Thompson School District R-2JSt. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1J

High school in town Roosevelt High SchoolNone in town

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.

Johnstown neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Johnstown’s Town Square.

Firestone neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Firestone’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Johnstown and Firestone

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

Bordering Johnstown

+ Compare

Loveland78,410 people · $479K homes

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Berthoud12,411 people · $534K homes

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Milliken8,871 people · $407K homes

Towns like Johnstown

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Wellington11,798 people · $464K homes

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Fountain29,300 people · $398K homes

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Gypsum8,941 people · $633K homes

+ Compare

Fruita13,691 people · $398K 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.

Johnstown vs Firestone

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 Johnstown and Firestone

Bordering Johnstown

Towns like Johnstown

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