Signals
Spearfish
Montrose
Growth
88 · Top 2%
vs78 · Top 8%
Climate
58 · Bottom 19%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
27 · Bottom 16%
vs34 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
81 · Bottom 21%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Access
70 · Bottom 38%
vs92 · Top 21%
Economic stability
58 · Top 41%
vs57 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Spearfish | Montrose | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,233 | 43,807 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,384 | $72,120 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,386 | $38,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 34/sq mi | 20/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $346,500 | $388,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $938 | $1,188 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.1% | 75.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.9% | 28.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 11.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 283 | 292 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.4 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.7% | 9.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.8" | 8.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.8 | 46.1 | 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
Spearfish
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, hail, strong wind.
Montrose
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Spearfish, SD Micro Area · Montrose, CO Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology