Colorado earns a composite livability score of 51.2, placing it slightly above the national median of 50.0. The state maintains this competitive edge across all 64 of its counties, balancing high economic output with mountain lifestyle perks.

Exceptional Tax Policy and Strong Incomes

The state's greatest asset is its tax environment, boasting a massive score of 92.7 for its relatively low burden on residents. This fiscal advantage is bolstered by a strong income score of 61.1 and a healthy lifestyle rating of 63.0.

High Living Costs Pose a Hurdle

Affordability remains Colorado’s primary drawback, reflected in a low cost score of just 30.2. This indicates that housing and basic necessities are significantly more expensive here than in the majority of the country, particularly in urban centers.

Mountain Counties Lead the State Rankings

Hinsdale County claims the top spot with a score of 72.1, driven by an elite tax score of 98.5. Mineral and San Juan counties follow closely with scores of 69.2 and 69.1, respectively, offering a premium blend of fiscal benefits and high-altitude living.

A High-Value Destination for Active Professionals

Colorado is an ideal match for high-earning professionals who value tax efficiency and outdoor health despite high entry costs for housing. While urban areas like Denver face affordability struggles, the state's rural and mountain enclaves offer some of the highest livability scores in the nation.

All County Rankings in Colorado

Search, sort, and filter all 64 ranked counties

Showing 1–25 of 64 counties

Rank
1	Hinsdale County	72.1	98.5	38.2	51.4	77.1	60.4	97	99	86	50.4		30
2	Mineral County	69.2	96	37.4	19.6	97.5	75.6	51.1	94.6	86	50		32.1
3	San Juan County	69.1	98.5	40.1	75.3	62.3	52.5	97.3	89.3	86	50		35.5
4	Ouray County	67.3	99	22.3	88.2	79.5	94.8	55.6	82.3	8.3	52.6		35.7
5	Cheyenne County	66.3	89.7	63.3	61.1	67.9	58.1	49.1	97	86	35	28.5	52.3
6	Rio Blanco County	65.1	96.5	32.9	73	79.3	68.9	66	62.4	27.1	33.9		25.6
7	San Miguel County	64.6	99.3	12.3	84	73.6	88	67.3	80.9	10.7	49.7		30.6
8	Conejos County	64.2	93.7	86.3	9.7	87	36.7	28.6	77.1	17.7	53.5		35
9	Baca County	63.7	93.6	90.8	3.1	90.6	29.6	30	76.9	1.6	39.5	25.8	47.3
10	Custer County	63.1	95.8	42.4	73.2	43.7	79.5	52.8	96.1	86	52.4		29.5
11	Costilla County	62.6	97.9	73.3	1.3	97.5	20.6	32.6	93.5	14.2	51.8	61.6	42
12	Sedgwick County	61.2	88.8	68.1	20.4	88.4	43.2	25.9	93.5	16.3	33.7	35.4	42.5
13	Dolores County	60.8	99.4	50.4	67.6	50.5	77.3	37.7	88.7	5.2	45.1		32
14	Elbert County	60.3	90.7	4.6	99.3	90.3	87.9	30.5	63.4	37	45.9		47.2
15	Lake County	60.3	94.6	14.6	93.3	59	73.5	52.1	94.4	86	50		30.7
16	Jackson County	60.2	99.7	49.3	4.2	85.1	27.1	43	88.3	86	49.5		30.8
17	Lincoln County	60	95	51.6	23.5	66.6	64.8	35.6	92.6	37.4	35.8	30.5	51.2
18	Phillips County	60	86.6	41.4	40.4	91.2	44.5	44	87.7	19	35.8	34.6	48.5
19	Gunnison County	58.2	98.9	12.6	80.5	51.8	91.1	55.6	55	26.5	48.9		29.4
20	Saguache County	58	96.8	74.8	23.6	48.9	43.6	34.4	85.8	33.8	48.1		28
21	Park County	57.7	96.5	4.4	94	77	87.4	29	77.8	7.2	50		30.5
22	Pitkin County	57.5	94.2	1.9	95.3	27.7	91.4	94.6	45.9	49.7	49.8		31.7
23	Archuleta County	57.4	96.7	14.9	79.3	63.1	74.3	47.3	65.5	33.3	50		16.8
24	Huerfano County	56.6	99	74.9	18.9	32.2	41	57.3	75.8	4.9	48.4		30.9
25	Chaffee County	56	99	17.1	68.6	65.5	74.6	36.8	48.9	36.9	48.8		29.9

Hinsdale County

98.538.251.477.160.497998650.4N/A30N/A

72.1

Mineral County

9637.419.697.575.651.194.68650N/A32.1N/A

69.2

San Juan County

98.540.175.362.352.597.389.38650N/A35.5N/A

69.1

Ouray County

9922.388.279.594.855.682.38.352.6N/A35.7N/A

67.3

Cheyenne County

89.763.361.167.958.149.197863528.552.3N/A

66.3

Rio Blanco County

96.532.97379.368.96662.427.133.9N/A25.6N/A

65.1

San Miguel County

99.312.38473.68867.380.910.749.7N/A30.6N/A

64.6

Conejos County

93.786.39.78736.728.677.117.753.5N/A35N/A

64.2

Baca County

93.690.83.190.629.63076.91.639.525.847.3N/A

63.7

Custer County

95.842.473.243.779.552.896.18652.4N/A29.5N/A

63.1

Costilla County

97.973.31.397.520.632.693.514.251.861.642N/A

62.6

Sedgwick County

88.868.120.488.443.225.993.516.333.735.442.5N/A

61.2

Dolores County

99.450.467.650.577.337.788.75.245.1N/A32N/A

60.8

Elbert County

90.74.699.390.387.930.563.43745.9N/A47.2N/A

60.3

Lake County

94.614.693.35973.552.194.48650N/A30.7N/A

60.3

Jackson County

99.749.34.285.127.14388.38649.5N/A30.8N/A

60.2

Lincoln County

9551.623.566.664.835.692.637.435.830.551.2N/A

Phillips County

86.641.440.491.244.54487.71935.834.648.5N/A

Gunnison County

98.912.680.551.891.155.65526.548.9N/A29.4N/A

58.2

Saguache County

96.874.823.648.943.634.485.833.848.1N/A28N/A

Park County

96.54.4947787.42977.87.250N/A30.5N/A

57.7

Pitkin County

94.21.995.327.791.494.645.949.749.8N/A31.7N/A

57.5

Archuleta County

96.714.979.363.174.347.365.533.350N/A16.8N/A

57.4

Huerfano County

9974.918.932.24157.375.84.948.4N/A30.9N/A

56.6

Chaffee County

9917.168.665.574.636.848.936.948.8N/A29.9N/A

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Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Colorado

Common questions about county rankings and scores in Colorado.

What is the best county in Colorado?

Hinsdale County is the top-ranked county in Colorado with a CountyScore of 72.1/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.

How many counties are ranked in Colorado?

Colorado has 64 counties in total. Of those, 64 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.

What factors determine a county's score?

Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.

What is the average county score in Colorado?

The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Colorado is 51/100. The national average is 50/100, so Colorado counties score 1 points above the national average.

How does Colorado compare to other states?

Colorado's average county score of 51/100 is 1 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare Colorado counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.

Explore County Data by Category

Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Colorado.

TaxByCountyEffective property tax rate vs national benchmarks CostByCountyMedian rent, home values, and housing affordability IncomeByCountyMedian household income and per capita earnings CrimeByCountyViolent and property crime rates per 100K residents HealthByCountyLife expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access SchoolsByCountyGraduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment RiskByCountyFEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more WaterByCountyEPA drinking water health violations and safety grades WeatherByCountyAverage temperatures, precipitation, and extreme weather events SoilByCountySoil composition, pH, drainage, and organic matter content LawnByCountyLawn difficulty score based on climate, soil, and grass suitability MarketsByCountyLocal market density, SNAP/EBT acceptance, and product variety

Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.

Best Counties in Colorado — 2026 Rankings

Top Counties in Colorado

Understanding County Scores in Colorado

Colorado Ranks Above the National Average