Ridgway & Ouray County Housing Needs Assessment
The PC team presented our findings of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) for the Town of Ridgway and Ouray County in November 2025. The comprehensive HNA is designed to meet all DOLA guidance and SB24-174 requirements but go beyond them as well. Addressing issues faced by Rural Resort Communities is a challenge and requires greater engagement and an “all options on the table” approach.
Driven primarily by in-migration, our projections show Ouray County growing by 11% through 2044, amounting to a total need of 375 new housing units in that time period. PC also found that 55% of the growth is likely to occur in the Town of Ridgway and housing resources should be focused there. Residents in the region also face high housing costs, with the average home costing nearly nine times the County’s Area Median Income. The trends line up with results from the community survey where 91% of respondents indicated purchasing a home in the County is expensive.
Ultimately, our analysis of affordability (or lack thereof), land capacity, and socioeconomics resulted in a series of recommendations for both the Town and the County, aligning with themes of Workforce Assistance and Planning & Zoning Actions to be taken. Additionally, our housing needs forecast showed an average need of 100% of Area Median Income, providing some evidence for potential Proposition 123 Rural Resort Income Limit petition to be accepted.
Read the report here: