CostBy County

Cost of Living in Dolores County, Colorado

$986/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$247,600
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$986/mo
24% below state average
Median Home Value
$247,600
26% below national
Census GRAPI
17.7%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Dolores County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Dolores County$986/mo
Colorado Average$1,303/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$986/mo
Median Gross Rent
$247,600
Median Home Value
$492/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
17.7%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Dolores County ranks #1,081 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 34%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Dolores County Renter-Occupied Housing Units Show 17.7% Median GRAPI

In Dolores County, Colorado, the official ACS B25071 gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 17.7% according to the 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates. This figure is 11.9 percentage points below the Colorado unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 29.6%. The median gross rent in the county was estimated at $986 per month, which is lower than the Colorado unweighted county mean rent of $1,303. Housing costs for owners also differed from state averages; the median home value was $247,600 compared to the state unweighted county mean of $427,513. Median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units were $492, below the state unweighted county mean owner cost of $1,272. The median renter-household income for the county was $41,333 during this five-year period. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Dolores County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 17.7% of renter household income in Dolores County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $986 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $492. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $39,440 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Colorado unweighted mean of county median rents is $1,303 per month. Dolores County's $986 median is 24.3% below that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Dolores County

$

Rent Burden

18.2%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,514

per month

Owner Cost Burden

9.1%

of gross income

The median home in Dolores County may be a stretch

Median home value is $247,600. Estimated monthly cost: $1,977 vs. your max of $1,514.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income18.2%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $64,907Needed: $39,440
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $64,907Needed: $21,086
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $64,907Needed: $57,623

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Dolores County, Colorado?
Dolores County, Colorado has a median monthly rent of $986/mo and a median home value of $247,600. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 17.7% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Dolores County?
The median gross rent in Dolores County is $986/mo. This is 24% below state average for Colorado.
Is Dolores County affordable?
Dolores County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 17.7%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Dolores County's rent compare to the state average?
Dolores County's median rent of $986/mo is 24% below state average of $1,303/mo for Colorado.
What is the median home value in Dolores County?
The median home value in Dolores County, Colorado is $247,600. This is 26% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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