Durango receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Durango
Flagstaff
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs35 · Bottom 24%
Climate
52 · Bottom 1%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
27 · Bottom 22%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
42 · Bottom 5%
vs40 · Bottom 4%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs49 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Durango | Flagstaff | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,411 | 76,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,602 | $71,512 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,642 | $38,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,098/sq mi | 1,158/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $668,400 | $552,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,636 | $1,645 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 42.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.5% | -7.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.4% | 52.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 51 | 302 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -79.8% | -47.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.5" | 20.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.9 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 25.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.14 | 14.50 | 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
Durango
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, avalanche, inland flooding.
Flagstaff
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Durango, CO · Flagstaff, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology