81326 and 81650 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
81326
81650
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 49%
vs41 · Bottom 22%
Growth
32 · Bottom 21%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
52 · Bottom 1%
vs50 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 14%
vs24 · Bottom 19%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 25%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs77 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | 81326 | 81650 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,621 | 14,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,089 | $81,025 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,533 | $34,614 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6/sq mi | 14/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $558,600 | $418,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,332 | $1,301 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.1% | 71.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.5% | -3.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.8% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 8.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 51 | 36 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -79.8% | 2.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 8°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.5" | 15.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.7 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 52.2 | 32.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.55 | 19.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.9% | 53.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
81326
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, avalanche, inland flooding.
81650
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 81326 — Durango, CO · 81650 — Rifle, CO · How this is calculated: methodology