Castle Rock vs Flagstaff
The short version
- Flagstaff is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 5% lower than in the Castle Rock area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $552,900 in Flagstaff and $652,900 in Castle Rock.
- Households earn more in Castle Rock ($145,197 vs $71,512 median).
- Flagstaff gets far more snow: 90 inches a year vs 58.
- Castle Rock has more scorching days: 23 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 3.
- Castle Rock is growing faster: +14.6% since 2020 vs +0.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Flagstaff (17 vs 29 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Castle Rock, CO | Flagstaff, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 83,815 | 77,260 |
| Growth since 2020 | +14.6% | +0.5% |
| People per square mile | 2,412 | 1,170 |
| Median age | 36.5 | 25.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56% | 52% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $145,197 | $71,512 |
| Median home value | $652,900 | $552,900 |
| Home value to income | 4.5× | 7.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,000 | $1,645 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 105.8 | 100.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 146.9 | 109.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,300 | $75,200 |
| Homeowners | 79% | 42% |
| Top state income tax | 4.4% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.89% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.6 | 16.5 |
| Work from home | 29% | 13% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.4% | 5.7% |
| Poverty rate | 3.8% | 18.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 46° / 18° | 43° / 18° |
| July high / low | 86° / 56° | 82° / 51° |
| Precipitation per year | 18 in | 21 in |
| Snowfall per year | 58 in | 90 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 23 | 3 |
| Nights below freezing | 167 | 202 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 88.7 | 94.2 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 29% | 70% |
| Home prices, past year | -0.5% | +2.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +21.4% | +46.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Castle Rock: June to September. Flagstaff: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Castle Rock weather by month and Flagstaff weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $79,300 in Castle Rock and $75,200 in Flagstaff. Moving from Castle Rock to Flagstaff, you would need about $71,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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