Colorado
Is this town really the worst place to live in Colorado? Find out why a study says so
Which US cities are the best to live in? See the top 10 ranking
U.S. News and World Report has released its annual list of the best U.S. cities to live in for 2024. (Scripps News)
Scripps News
Clifton, an unincorporated town of about 20,000 people on Colorado’s Western Slope, was named the worst place to live in the state by financial news site 24/7 Wall St.
The site’s study picked the worst place to live in every state, compiling its rankings using 22 factors such as poverty rates, household income and deaths from substance abuse. The data sources for the rankings include the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s what the numbers say about Clifton — nestled between Grand Junction and Palisades — and what supporters of the city like about it.
Why did Clifton rank poorly?
Clifton fell well behind the rest of the state by several financial metrics. Its poverty rate of 17.6% was almost twice the state’s 9.6%. The median home value of $166,900 was less than half the state average of $397,500. And the median household income of $49,350 was a little above 60% of the state’s average of $80,184.
Clifton actually had slightly less drug-induced mortality, with 25.5 deaths per 100,000 people, compared with the state’s average of 26.5 per 100,000.
What brings people to Clifton?
By virtue of its location, Clifton provides easy access to the agriculture-rich region of southwest Colorado. It sits near wineries, orchards and farms with all varieties of seasonal produce, as well as access to good locations for outdoor recreation, according to online travel guide Uncover Colorado.
What are the worst places to live in neighboring states?
The 24/7 Wall St. report taps New Kingman-Butler, Arizona; Price, Utah; Riverton, Wyoming; Española, New Mexico; Lexington, Nebraska; Poteau, Oklahoma; and Augusta, Kansas, as the worst cities in their respective states.
Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network.
DENVER (KDVR) — Strong wind gusts at the speed of a Category 3 hurricane swept through two Colorado counties on Wednesday.
Strong winds blew through the state on Wednesday, leaving tens of thousands without power, causing safety road closures and recording wind gusts reaching over 100 mph. In some areas, winds were even higher, with Summit and Grand counties seeing 124 mph wind gusts.
At 9 p.m. on Wednesday, one weather station on top of Breckenridge Peak 6 picked up a wind gust of 124 mph in Summit County. Then, at 9:52 p.m., another weather station at Parsenn Bowl Summit in Grand County picked up a wind gust of 124 mph, according to National Weather Service records.
These two wind gusts weren’t only the strongest gusts on Wednesday, they were so strong that they were comparable to the strength of a devastating hurricane.
The Pinpoint Weather team said it was the strength of a high-end Category 3 hurricane. These winds also compare to a high-end EF2 tornado, which could damage one or two family residences, according to NWS.
These weren’t the only areas that saw high winds. Several counties across Colorado saw winds higher than 100 mph throughout Wednesday.
The Pinpoint Weather team expects the wind to continue into Friday with continued fire danger. The winds are expected to slow down throughout the weekend.
Some students at Colorado schools won’t be going to school on Thursday. That’s after strong winds on Wednesday on the Front Range and in the foothills caused power outages.
More than 100,000 customers were without power late in the day on Wednesday.
The closed schools include all of the Boulder Valley School District and 25 schools in Jeffco Public Schools. Schools in Gilpin County and Clear Creek County are also going to be closed.
See the full list of school closings.
High winds roaring across the Front Range foothills on Wednesday forced road closures throughout northern and central Colorado, according to state transportation officials.
A wind storm is expected to bring gusts reaching 80 to 90 mph through the entire Interstate 25 corridor, from the Wyoming to New Mexico state lines, according to the National Weather Service.
Colorado Department of Transportation officials announced planned closures of Colorado 93, U.S. 128 and U.S. 287 starting at noon because of the high winds, with no estimated time of reopening. A “high wind caution” was also issued for roads in Clear Creek and Jefferson counties.
Some roads may also be closed to high-profile vehicles like tractor-trailers, RVs, campers or light vehicles because of the risk of blowing over, CDOT officials said.
Traffic signals that are dark because of power cuts should be treated as four-way stops.
Colorado road and highway closures as of 1 p.m.:
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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