Cortez 66 Good
Cortez Livability #135 ranked city in Colorado#11,143 ranked city in the USARanks better than 61% of areas
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Pros and Cons of Living in Cortez

PROS
  • Cost Of Living Cost Of Living

    The overall cost of living in this area is much lower than average. This includes everyday goods and services, as well as housing, utilities and health care.

  • Housing Housing

    This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Health & Safety Health & Safety

    A high score in the health and safety category is a result of good air quality and the accessibility to health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and fire stations.

  • Ratings Ratings

    Local residents have positive things to say about the proximity of restaurants, grocery stores, parks, public transit, friendliness of neighbors, sense of community and overall safety of the area.

CONS
  • Amenities Amenities

    A majority of amenities are not ideally situated within a reasonable walking distance, which may lead residents to rely on a vehicle or public transportation.

  • Commute Commute

    Public transportation is not readily available in this area and the average commute time to work could also be longer than the national average.

  • Crime Crime

    This area is reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people and could signify that it is a dangerous place to live. Crime rates include both violent and property crimes.

  • Employment Employment

    A low score in the employment category could indicate that this area struggles with high unemployment rates and low household income and income per capita levels.

  • Schools Schools

    Lower than average education levels, poor reading and math scores, as well as the inaccessibility of local elementary and high schools could all be factors in the low schools score.

What's it like Living in Cortez?

Cortez, Colorado is a small city with a population of 9,056 inhabitants. If we look at the most recent Census, Cortez is known to have a predominantly White population. The next two most common races are American Indian and Alaskan and Asian. Not a fan of sitting in traffic during your commute to work? Cortez offers shorter work commutes, with an average one-way commute time taking only 16 minutes, far lower than the national average of 26 minutes.

Living in Cortez can be a good experience for anyone relocating to the area. Having said that, in the state of Colorado, there are many desirable places to live, so choose wisely! When searching for a new neighborhood, several factors play a vital role in determining its suitability. Safety should be a top priority, ensuring a secure environment with low crime rates. Proximity to your workplace or school helps minimize commuting time and allows for a better work-life balance. Availability of essential amenities such as parks, coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities contributes to convenience and well-being. Access to reliable public transportation options facilitates easy commuting and connectivity. Additionally, considering the sense of community and the overall atmosphere that resonates with your lifestyle and preferences fosters a harmonious living experience. To help you find the best places to live in and around Cortez, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like crime, cost of living, commute, health & safety and more.

Using data and statistics Cortez has received a livability score of 66 out of 100. This score is ranked in the 64th percentile when compared to all other cities. For each of the livability categories, we can establish that Cortez ranks very well for cost of living (A+) and housing (A). There are some categories that Cortez does not rank well for, including: amenities (F), crime (F), education (D-) and employment (F). It might be worth taking a closer look to determine why.

A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Cortez has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.

Cortez real estate prices and overall affordability will play a huge role in determining if the area is the right fit for you. Of course there are probably some other items on your “wish list”, but even before they are considered, let’s take a look at the home prices and affordability in Cortez. The median home price for Cortez homes is $295,416, which is 38.2% lower than the Colorado average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Cortez, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 4.8, which is 5.9% lower than the Colorado average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Cortez

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Cortez?

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      Cortez transportation information

      Statistic Cortez Colorado National
      Average one way commute16min25min26min
      Workers who drive to work75.2%75.2%76.4%
      Workers who carpool11.6%9.3%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.0%3.1%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle2.6%1.3%0.6%
      Workers who walk4.9%3.0%2.8%
      Working from home4.6%7.0%4.6%
      Source: The Cortez, CO data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and include 2026 modeled data developed using proprietary methodologies.