Cost of Living
per year
per month
How Grand Junction's prices compare to the US city average across major spending categories.
How far does your salary go in Grand Junction?
Your $100,000 in Grand Junction has the same purchasing power as $108,295 in the average US city. You'd need $8,295 less here to maintain that standard of living.
Demographics and workforce data from the US Census ACS 5-Year.
bachelor's or higher
Climate, safety, and walkability indicators.
See a side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, housing, and salaries.
Popular comparisons
Sorted by affordability — most affordable first.
Within 10 points of Grand Junction's cost index of 92, sorted by closest match.
Wondering whether you should move to Grand Junction? It depends on what you're optimizing for, but the city has real arguments in its favor: your dollar carries more weight here and air quality you don't have to think about, plus 1 more things worth knowing. The data behind each is below.
Grand Junction sits at 92 on the composite cost-of-living index — about 8% under the national average. Not the cheapest place in the country, but enough of a discount to notice on rent and groceries every month. Median rent in town runs about $1,007/mo against a typical household income of $62,993, which is the kind of ratio that leaves room to save.
Grand Junction's air quality index averages about 29 — comfortably in the EPA's "good" range. No daily ritual of checking the AQI before going for a run, no smoky-day plans, no surprise asthma flare-ups for the kids. The kind of background condition you notice mostly by its absence.
The average one-way commute in Grand Junction is about 17 minutes — short by US standards (the national average is closer to 27). Over a year of working days, that's hundreds of hours that don't get spent in traffic, which is the kind of thing you notice in the weekend rather than the weekday.
Reasons are pulled from Grand Junction's actual data — Census ACS, BLS, BEA, NOAA, EPA AQS, FBI, and Walk Score. We don't list positives that aren't supported by the numbers, which is why different cities show different sections.
Yes — and a lot of it. With winter averages near 19°F, Grand Junction sees real accumulation most years. Salt for the steps, tires that handle ice, and a sense of humor about February are the usual costs of admission.
Cold enough to plan around. Winter in Grand Junction averages roughly 19°F, with stretches where daytime highs don't break freezing for weeks. Decent insulation, a real coat, and a car that starts in cold weather are non-negotiable.
Hot, but not desert-hot. Summer in Grand Junction runs about 87°F on average, with afternoons in the 90s and humidity that varies by region. AC is standard rather than optional.
Grand Junction falls in roughly USDA Zone 7. The zone classification is based on average annual minimum temperatures, so it's the right lookup for whether perennials and trees will overwinter here. Note that this is approximate from our winter-temperature data — check the USDA map for the exact zone before betting an expensive plant on it.
Grand Junction is at about 4,656 feet (1,419 m) — high enough that newcomers from sea level sometimes feel a touch winded the first few days, dehydrate faster than expected, and notice that water boils a little quicker. Acclimation is usually a week or so.
Average for an American city. Grand Junction's reported crime rate of about 3,670 per 100,000 residents sits roughly in line with the US baseline of ~3,500. Like anywhere else, the citywide number masks real differences between neighborhoods — worth looking at specific areas before deciding.
Roughly average. Grand Junction's cost-of-living index is 92, putting it in the band where rent, groceries, and utilities track the national norm. Not a bargain, not a premium.
Mostly car-dependent. Grand Junction's Walk Score of 28/100 means a handful of errands work on foot — depending on the neighborhood — but most residents still need a car for the rest. Transit Score is 22 out of 100.
Roughly $64,638 a year would match the lifestyle of someone earning $70,000 in an average US city. That's a starting point, not a target — negotiate higher when you can. Median rent in Grand Junction runs about $1,007/mo — keeping housing under 30% of gross income points to a similar floor on what you'd want to earn.