Colorado
Why are Colorado home prices so high? Look down.
Colorado homes are so expensive, in part, because the land they sit on has become increasingly valuable, enough to rank the state seventh in the country for its residential land costs.
The lots that Colorado’s homes sit on averaged $942,200 per acre in 2022, compared to $343,800 in 2012, according to an analysis from Cinch Home Services, a provider of home warranty and repair services based in Boca Raton, Fla. The value of residential land in Colorado rose 174% in those 10 years, one of the fastest gains of any state.
“America’s most expensive land markets are being shaped by intense competition, limited supply, and concentrated pockets of investment. What stands out in this data is just how dramatically prices can climb within a single state,” Cinch said in its study.
That was the case in Colorado, where Boulder was the most expensive residential market studied, with an average land value of $1.69 million per acre. Edwards was next at $1.6 million, followed by Denver at $1.2 million.
The study used property values from the Federal Housing Finance Agency for Core-Based Statistical Areas, which have a population of 10,000 or more. That cut-off excludes the state’s priciest enclaves like Aspen, Vail and Telluride. The study assumed four residential lots per acre, although developers in Denver are packing them in tighter than that.
At the other extreme were Montrose at $150,100 per acre and Pueblo at $115,200 per acre.
Although the 2022 estimates are somewhat dated, most housing markets in Colorado have seen prices stay stable since that year.
Hawaii had the most expensive residential land of any state at an estimated value per acre of $3.49 million, with Honolulu being the most expensive urban area in the state. California was next at $3.3 million, with Manhattan Beach carrying the highest value. New York was third at $2.98 million per acre, with Brooklyn having the highest residential values.
New Jersey, Massachusetts and Washington were the other states ahead of Colorado in terms of how much residential land cost.
The cheapest residential land was located in Mississippi, a relative steal at $67,300 per acre. West Virginia was also near the bottom at $76,700 per acre.
Colorado ranked seventh among states for the size of its increase of 174%, which tied with Washington. Idaho experienced a tripling of its residential land value in the 10 years studied, while Nevada was close with a 293% increase. Arizona had a gain of 220%, while Florida was up 211% and Utah was up 202%.
Consumer prices in metro Denver rose 27.4% over the same period, indicating that residential land inflation, as captured in the Cinch study, was 6.3 times the rate of overall inflation.
Land has also become a larger share of total property values in Colorado, the study found, rising from around 35% in 2012 to closer to 40% in 2022.
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Damage assessments are still ongoing for homes and businesses affected by the Aspen Acres Fire in southern Colorado, but over 200 homes have been confirmed destroyed so far. The United Way of Southern Colorado is working to raise relief funds for those affected and says it’s making progress towards its fundraising goal.
In an update on Wednesday afternoon, Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero said they’ve assessed approximately 67% of the properties affected in the county. Authorities have confirmed the loss of 192 homes and four commercial structures so far and are working to contact property owners as quickly as possible.
Lucero urged everyone affected by the fire to use the survivor portal for more information on assistance.
Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith says they’ve lost approximately 83 homes so far, almost 2% of the county’s homes. The worst hit area is along the Highway 165 corridor, Smith added. He said that authorities don’t expect any new evacuation areas, but are not yet ready to release the existing evacuation orders.
Smith said a hotline is available during business hours for affected Custer County Residents to ask questions. He urged residents to contact them at (719) 467-0271 and advised they may need to leave a voicemail if the line is busy due to the high number of calls.
A flash flood watch is in effect for areas near the burn scar, which could affect nearby homes.
The President of the United Way of Southern Colorado, Shanna Farmer, said the organization is working to raise wildfire relief funds for those affected. Over the last few days, they have reached just over $417,000 of their $10 million goal.
“It has been incredible, the number of individuals and companies who have come out to support, to provide matches, and to provide innovative ways to raise those funds,” said Farmer. “And so, I encourage anyone who is willing to work with us on a corporate, business, or individual level to please reach out because it is going to take all of us to help rebuild.”
Farmer said that the community not only needs help with their immediate needs but also long-term support. She urged anyone interested in donating to visit their website.
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office says anyone who has evacuated needs to contact the Disaster Assistance Center located at 29 Lehigh Ave. in Pueblo. The center is open between 9 a.m and 6 p.m. and provides multiple resources for those forced to evacuate.
Residents must also visit the center to obtain a re-entry pass, which will allow them to return home once evacuation orders have been lifted. A photo ID and proof of residency are required. Visitors can sign up online to reserve a place in line for faster service.
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Colorado
Julian Lewis Says Deion Sanders’ Colorado ‘Wasn’t Really Looking at Defenses Much’ Last Season
Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis made a stunning admission that could explain the team’s 3-9 finish to the 2025 season.
While speaking to ESPNU at Big 12 media days, Lewis was asked what the biggest difference was between last year and this year, and he revealed that the Deion Sanders-coached Buffaloes typically didn’t watch film during his first season with the team.
“My play, I’m actually looking at the defenses now,” Lewis said. “Last year, we wasn’t really looking at defenses much, just kind of high school free-balling, just out there playing football. But it’s a lot bigger than that now, so it should be fun.”
Before taking a redshirt year, Lewis played in four games as a true freshman with two starts and threw for 589 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 55.3 percent of his passes. He should fare even better this season with the benefit of film study.
Lewis will enter the 2026 campaign as Colorado’s starting quarterback, so he will have the opportunity to show his improvements when the Buffaloes open the year against Georgia Tech on Sept. 3.
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