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County in Colorado

Dolores County, Colorado

Dolores County, in Colorado, has 2,432 residents: No. 57 of 64 by population. In Dolores County, the FHA loan limit for a one-unit home is $541,287. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $1,332 a month; to pay it without spending more than 30% of your income, you need to earn about $25.62 an hour.

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  • Typical home price

    Data not available for this county

    The official source doesn't publish this figure for this place.

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

  • Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms

    $1,332 a month

    −30% vs. Colorado −24% vs. U.S.

    HUD's reference rent for a two-bedroom apartment, with basic utilities.

    • Dolores
    • Colorado
    • United States

    Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

  • FHA limit 2026, 1 unit

    $541,287

    FHA national floor limit

    The most you can borrow with an FHA loan for a one-unit home here.

    • Dolores
    • Floor
    • Ceiling

    Source: HUD, 2026 data

  • Property tax

    Data not available for this county

    The official source doesn't publish this figure for this place.

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$307,256
2.8% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Data from October 2026

In short

What is housing like in Dolores County today?

Here 81% of households live in a home they own; across Colorado it is 66%.

There are 1 agency with HUD-approved housing counselors who speak Spanish near here.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); HUD (Retrieved November 6, 2026).

Only here

What sets Dolores County apart

  1. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Dolores County rose 2.8%; in Colorado, it fell 1.3%.

Sources: Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Dolores County

What homes there are in Dolores County, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 76% of homes here, against 61% in Colorado.

There are more mobile homes here than in Colorado: 19% of homes, against 4%.

Year built

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,342 a month

Colorado: $2,326 a month

Without a mortgage

$423 a month

Colorado: $663 a month

Owners with a mortgage

36%

Colorado: 69%

Owning costs less in Dolores County: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,342 a month; in Colorado, $2,326. Without one, $423.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureDolores CountyColoradoUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate5.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.4%3.4%
People per household 1.942.422.53
Drive alone 72%65%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate2%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%3%
Work from home 17%21%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 1.94 on average, against 2.42 in Colorado.

To get to work, 72% of workers in Dolores County drive alone; in Colorado, 65%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month in Dolores County?

This county has no typical home value or no typical household income, so we can't measure how heavy the payment is. Put your own numbers in the calculator.

Your numbers

Colorado data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Colorado. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $18,879 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$4,051

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$529,630
Total interest
$762,013
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $9,109 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

Type your income to see which tier this payment lands in.

Show the result as
per month$4,051
Principal & interest$3,588
Property tax$0
Home insurance$225
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$239

You need at least $18,879 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

Buying a home

Buying a home in Dolores County

Here you'll see how prices have changed, how Dolores County compares with Colorado and the country, and what you'd pay each month with four kinds of loans.

How have home prices changed?

FHFA does not publish an annual price index in Dolores County. This usually happens when there are too few sales to measure.

Period Here Colorado United States
In 2025 — +0.1% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) — +38% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) — +93% +85%

The index follows the prices of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals on loans bought or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Dolores County compared with Colorado and the United States

Home value, rent and household income, side by side. "Typical" is the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical household income a year
  • Dolores $64,907
  • Colorado $95,470
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Dolores compared with Colorado and the United States
MeasureHereColoradoU.S.
Residents2,4325,862,189334,922,499
Typical household income$64,907$95,470$80,734
Fair Market Rent (2 bedrooms)$1,332$1,916$1,750
Hourly wage to rent a 2-bedroom$25.62$36.85$33.65
Typical property tax$659$2,602$3,119
Households that own their home81%66%65%
FHA limit (1 unit)*$541,287$541,287$541,287

FHA limit: Colorado shows the median of its counties; the United States, the national floor. Download CSV

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Dolores County

Data not available for this county. The official source doesn't publish this figure for this place.

How much house can I afford? Closing costs

Loan limits

FHA loans in Dolores County use the national floor limit: it isn't a high-cost area. If the loan you need is above these amounts, it doesn't fit FHA or it becomes a "jumbo" loan.

VA loans. If you have full VA entitlement, VA doesn't cap the loan amount. If you've used part of your entitlement, the calculation uses the county limit ($832,750 for one unit). VA loan limits (va.gov)

USDA loans. They're for homes in eligible rural areas and households with incomes within USDA's limit. Check whether the address and your income qualify on the official site. USDA eligibility (usda.gov)

Home type FHA limit Conforming limit
1 unit $541,287 $832,750
2 units $693,050 $1,066,250
3 units $837,700 $1,288,800
4 units $1,041,125 $1,601,750

Source: HUD, 2026 data · Source: FHFA, 2026 data

Taxes and risks

Property tax and flooding in Dolores County

Two costs that change a lot from place to place and that a house payment does include: property tax and, in risk zones, flood insurance.

Property tax

Data not available for this county. The official source doesn't publish this figure for this place.

What Colorado publishes Senior homestead exemption (owners 65 and older) (Colorado General Assembly (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 39))

Exemptions and deadlines in Colorado

Is there a flood risk?

FEMA’s maps count no homes in high-risk flood zones in Dolores County. That does not mean there is no risk: some areas have no map. Check your address.

  • A high-risk zone (Special Flood Hazard Area) has a 1% or greater chance of flooding each year. (44 CFR 59.1)
  • If the home is in that zone and the loan comes from a regulated lender, federal law requires flood insurance for the life of the loan, in communities that take part in the NFIP. (42 U.S.C. 4012a)
  • Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. (FEMA, FloodSmart)

Source: FEMA, As of August 3, 2026

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Owning a home here

Owning a home in Dolores County

The natural hazards FEMA measures in Dolores County, a maintenance plan for your climate and what the trades earn in your area.

Risks to your home

FEMA, National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025)

According to FEMA, the natural hazard risk in Dolores County is very low.

To rate it, FEMA weighs the expected loss with social vulnerability and community resilience.

The loss FEMA expects each year in Dolores County from all natural hazards is $4.4 million, counting buildings, people and crops.

The hazard that would do the most damage to homes and buildings here is inland flooding: about $1 million a year.

Loss FEMA expects each year to homes and buildings, by hazard
  1. Inland floodingVery low $1 million a year
  2. WildfireRelatively low $342,246 a year
  3. EarthquakeVery low $74,128 a year
  4. TornadoVery low $3,196 a year
  5. Winter weatherVery low $1,420 a year

What it means for your home

The ratings are FEMA's own. FEMA says its data is meant for planning and does not replace a local study. Drought is not shown: FEMA counts its loss in crops only.

National Risk Index, version 1.20.0 (December 2025), retrieved November 6, 2026

FEMA notice: This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Climate and upkeep

Department of Energy (PNNL), 2021 IECC zones

Dolores County is in climate zone 6B of the home energy code (IECC): cold.

The zone's number says how hot or cold it gets; the letter says how humid: A is moist, B is dry and C is marine.

  • Spring

    • Book the air conditioner's check-up before the heat: ENERGY STAR advises checking the cooling system in the spring, because contractors get busy once summer comes. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
    • Clean and repair the roof gutters. EPA

  • Summer

    • Seal the air ducts that run through the attic, crawlspace, basement or garage with duct mastic or foil tape, then wrap them in insulation. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
    • Check that the ground slopes away from the house, so water does not collect around the foundation. EPA

  • Fall

    • Book the heating check-up in the fall. If it runs on gas or oil, the technician should check the connections: faulty ones are a fire hazard. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
    • Seal air leaks and add insulation in the attic: ENERGY STAR says it lowers the chance of ice dams on the roof in snowy climates. ENERGY STAR (EPA)

  • Winter

    • Get the house ready for the cold with insulation, caulking and weather stripping, and learn how to keep pipes from freezing. Ready.gov (FEMA)
    • Put clear plastic film over the windows: it is inexpensive, cuts drafts, helps the house feel warmer in winter and reduces moisture on the glass. ENERGY STAR (EPA)

All year

  • Check the air filter every month, especially in heavy-use months. If it looks dirty, change it; change it at least every 3 months. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
  • Test the smoke alarms every month and replace their batteries at least once a year. USFA (FEMA)

Each task comes from the official page beside it. The spring air-conditioning and fall heating check-ups are the timing ENERGY STAR advises; the rest is a suggested order.

Climate zones by county, 2021 IECC

What the trades charge here

BLS, wages for May 2025

TradeTypical hourly wage8 in 10 earn between
Electricians$29.36$20.66 and $40.78
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters$28.94$21.70 and $44.58
Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics$29.30$20.62 and $46.25
Roofers$22.67$21.26 and $32.13
Carpenters$30.77$18.36 and $46.62
Painters, construction and maintenance$25.35$17.62 and $35.34
Maintenance and repair workers, general$22.98$17.10 and $30.80

An electrician earns about $29.36 an hour in the Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area, and a plumber, about $28.94.

These are workers' hourly wages, not the price of a job.

Need help paying for a repair?

Renting

Renting in Dolores County

HUD publishes a “fair market rent” by unit size in Dolores County: it's the one programs like Section 8 use.

Fair market rent by size

To pay the fair market rent without spending more than 30% of income, working full time (40 hours a week).

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Income needed per year
Studio $989 $19.02 $39,560
1 bedroom $1,224 $23.54 $48,960
2 bedrooms $1,332 $25.62 $53,280
3 bedrooms $1,716 $33.00 $68,640
4 bedrooms $2,068 $39.77 $82,720

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

Free help in Dolores County

Programs and counseling in Dolores County

We didn't find HUD-approved agencies with an office in this county. These are the 3 nearest; many serve by phone or online.

Official programs for the down payment and loans for buyers. Check which ones you might qualify for with your income and your county.

Three generations of a family gather on the porch of their home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Colorado down payment programs

  1. CHFA Down Payment Assistance

    Colorado state agency help with the down payment or closing costs: a grant of up to 3% of the mortgage or a deferred second mortgage of up to 4%, both capped at $25,000

    The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer. Run by Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA).

    GrantDeferred Verified November 5, 2026

  2. CHFA FirstGeneration

    Open, per the source

    $25,000 from the Colorado state agency for the down payment of first-generation buyers (neither you nor your parents have owned a home); repaid when you sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage

    First-time buyers only. Run by Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA).

    Deferred Verified November 5, 2026

Which programs do I qualify for? See all Colorado programs

Help in Spanish in Dolores County

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Public housing agencies

HUD lists no public housing authority based in Dolores County. The authority of a nearby county or the state may serve this area.

Free legal help

If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.

Find legal aid (lsc.gov)

Housing counseling nearby

These are the nearest agencies, with the distance in miles. Many help by phone or online. Official HUD list. Confirm hours and fees with the agency before you go.

  • Community Economic Defense Project -Cedp-Durango, CO

    1911 Main Ave, Durango · 46 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 6 more
    (303) 276-5705

  • Homesfund

    150 E 9th St, Durango · 47 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • Homebuyer education workshops
    (970) 259-1418

  • Housing Solutions for the Southwest

    295 Girard St, Durango · 49 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (970) 259-1086
See every agency in Colorado

Places

Cities in Dolores County

This site has no city pages of Dolores County. The neighboring counties are below.

Nearby counties

Each row compares its typical value, typical rent and FHA limit with Dolores County.

Read next

Guides that help here

We picked them by this county's numbers: what weighs most here is what's worth understanding first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the FHA loan limit in Dolores County in 2026?

Dolores County has an FHA limit of $541,287 for a one-unit home. For 2 units it's $693,050, for 3 it's $837,700 and for 4 it's $1,041,125. It's the national floor limit.

What is the conforming loan limit in Dolores County?

Dolores County has a conforming limit of $832,750 for one-unit conventional loans in 2026. A bigger loan is a “jumbo” loan.

How much does it cost to rent in Dolores County?

HUD's fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $1,332 (Fiscal year 2027).

How much do you need to earn to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Dolores County?

About $25.62 an hour working full time (2,080 hours a year), or $53,280 a year, so the fair market rent of $1,332 stays under 30% of income.

How much is property tax in Dolores County?

Dolores County has a typical property tax of $659 a year, about — of the home's value (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census).

Sources: American Community Survey (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (Fiscal year 2027); Income Limits (Fiscal year 2026); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (As of August 3, 2026); National Risk Index (2025 data); IECC climate zones by county (2021 data); Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2025 data); Census Bureau cartographic boundary files (2024 data).