Signals
Payson
Cañon City
Growth
37 · Bottom 30%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
66 · Bottom 48%
vs60 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
14 · Bottom 5%
vs21 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 21%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Access
68 · Bottom 35%
vs77 · Top 48%
Economic stability
12 · Bottom 3%
vs32 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Payson | Cañon City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,795 | 49,634 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,986 | $62,664 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,047 | $32,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11/sq mi | 32/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $269,400 | $324,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,030 | $1,070 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.5% | 75.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 22.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 125 | 118 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -37.5% | 5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.8" | 13.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 59 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 51.1 | 44.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Payson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Cañon City
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, hail, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Payson
46
Your Score
—
Area Score
Cañon City
53
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Payson, AZ Micro Area · Cañon City, CO Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology