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Glenwood Springs, CO

High Pressure

Living in Glenwood Springs, CO costs about 65% more than the national average (Cost Index: 165). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $854,543 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $87,000, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Glenwood Springs already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 24% rent burden, 9.8x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 282. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Glenwood Springs.

Monthly Housing
$1,717/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
24%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$5,033/mo
After housing and debt · $1,678/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: home prices
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: nonmetroHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 31%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
165
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$854,543
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $592,000
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,717/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$87,000
National: $78,538
Population
10,171
Purchasing Power
67
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
282 / 100
~2.8x more expensive
Rent Index
127 / 100
27% above average
Goods & Groceries
96 / 100
About the same as most US cities
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Utilities
88 / 100
12% lower utility bills
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Healthcare & Services
98 / 100
In line with national average
BEA State Nonmetro avg.
Overall Index
165
Very Expensive · 65% above average

Glenwood Springs Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $854,543 and Colorado's property tax rate of 0.51%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$87,000
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
24%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
9.8x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Glenwood Springs looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Glenwood Springs, CO

Est. Annual Property Tax
$4,358
Monthly Impact
$363
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
0.51%
National avg: ~1.00%

Colorado Place Tax Context

Tax TypeColoradoNational Avg
Property Tax Rate0.51%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate4.4%~5.0%
State Sales Tax7.79%~5.0%

Compare Glenwood Springs to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Glenwood Springs, CO
165
127
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Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Glenwood Springs, CO: 282
Rent Prices
127

FAQ: Living in Glenwood Springs

Is Glenwood Springs, CO an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Glenwood Springs is about 65% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 165. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $854,543, and monthly rents average roughly $1,717. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Glenwood Springs fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,717, while local median household income is $87,000. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 24% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Glenwood Springs, CO?+

Colorado has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 4.4%. The effective property tax rate is 0.51%. On a home worth $854,543, that translates to roughly $4,358 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 7.79% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Glenwood Springs, CO?+

The typical monthly rent in Glenwood Springs is around $1,717. That's about 27% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $854,543, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Glenwood Springs, CO?+

The median home in Glenwood Springs is valued at $854,543. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $4,321/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 53% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Glenwood Springs?+

Grocery prices in Glenwood Springs are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 88). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Glenwood Springs, CO like to live in?+

Glenwood Springs is a small town with a population of about 10,171. The median age of residents is 35.7, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 8.87%, near the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Colorado

If Glenwood Springs feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Colorado

Use these city pages when you want to compare Glenwood Springs against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly