If you happen to or your partner is approaching retirement, congratulations. It’s possible you’ll be among the many rising variety of retirees contemplating a transfer to a brand new location to your post-career life. In that case, it’s important to plan for prices rigorously, notably given the restricted funds most retirees need to work with. Housing, healthcare, taxes, and every day dwelling bills all play a task in figuring out whether or not a spot is a good monetary and private match.
Fort Rock, Colorado, is a well-liked city for retirees in search of lovely landscapes, easy accessibility to outside leisure actions, and proximity to a significant city middle. Nevertheless, it’s additionally one of many dearer cities for retirees within the U.S.
Under, we’ll study the price of housing, native taxes, healthcare, and different elements you must think about in case you’re contemplating retiring in Fort Rock.
Key Takeaways
- Fort Rock is a well-liked retirement vacation spot due to its scenic setting and proximity to Denver.
- The city has a excessive general value of dwelling, with median dwelling costs of $674,000 in Douglas County.
- Social Safety advantages should not taxed in Colorado, however another types of retirement earnings could also be topic to tax.
- Retirees with frequent medical wants may also think about the influence of constructing frequent journeys to Denver for care, each logistically and financially.
Understanding the Prices
Property Costs
With a inhabitants of 86,434, Fort Rock is among the many largest cities in Colorado. Inhabitants development lately has fueled super development within the Fort Rock housing market, and median dwelling costs throughout Douglas County are actually a whopping $674,000. That is significantly increased than the U.S. median of round $400,000. On condition that median county family earnings is near $146,000, higher-than-average dwelling costs could also be a given.
House values in Fort Rock could also be as excessive as they’re as a result of the housing provide is proscribed, retirees are more and more within the space, and the city is simply half an hour away from Denver. Retirees trying to downsize to a smaller dwelling or one with only a single stage will discover it particularly tough to search out acceptable listings, and competitors will doubtless be intense.
Healthcare Prices
Fort Rock’s proximity to Denver—simply 38 miles from the Denver Worldwide Airport—is a significant draw, nevertheless it additionally implies that many retirees within the space depend on metropolitan medical services for superior care. This will improve journey time, prices, and waits for obtainable appointments.
Whereas Fort Rock and its rapid environs supply high quality medical companies at 17 services county-wide, specialised companies might solely be obtainable in Denver or farther afield.
Alternatively, retirees requiring common care or superior companies might discover that the proximity to Denver is a significant perk regardless of the upper prices.
Native Taxes
Fort Rock’s native gross sales tax rose to 4.2% in early 2025, which, when added to Colorado’s statewide gross sales tax of two.9%, brings the mixed price to 7.1%. That is reasonable in comparison with different U.S. cities.
Social Safety advantages should not taxed in Colorado, however another types of retirement earnings could also be topic to tax. Additional, property taxes in Fort Rock, although decrease in share in comparison with nationwide averages, might nonetheless be excessive in greenback quantity because of the correspondingly excessive worth of most houses within the space.
What Makes Fort Rock So Costly?
Scenic Location and Proximity to Denver
Fort Rock’s location between Denver and Colorado Springs completely balances small-town allure and easy accessibility to a giant metropolis. It takes lower than 45 minutes to drive to both of the bigger cities from Fort Rock.
Fort Rock can be identified for its scenic magnificence and open area, providing retirees a shocking setting that also maintains comfort. After all, this mixture of pure magnificence and accessibility comes at a price, because it will increase demand and actual property costs.
Fascinating Actual Property Market
Fort Rock can be among the many fastest-growing communities in Colorado. As such, housing demand has accelerated, and it’s more likely to proceed going ahead. That is exacerbated by the truth that many new developments cater to high-income patrons, which implies inexpensive dwelling choices are few and much between. Retirees might discover that even smaller houses or condos are priced past their means, notably if they’re shifting from a market that’s cheaper.
Word
Fort Rock can be among the many fastest-growing communities in Colorado.
Excessive Dwelling Requirements
Outside fanatics flock to Fort Rock for its intensive path programs, parks, recreation facilities, and different choices. The town can be identified for its public security and neighborhood engagement. After all, these attracts additionally carry increased value tags for houses within the space.
Retirement Concerns in Fort Rock, CO
Professionals: Excessive High quality of Life and Nature Entry
In case your dream is to have easy accessibility to lovely pure points of interest just like the Rocky Mountains, Castlewood Canyon State Park, Philip S. Miller Park, and Ridgeline Open Area, Fort Rock is probably going a prime vacation spot of yours.
Retirees’ high quality of life is additional boosted by the city’s proximity to Denver, which implies entry to a plethora of cultural choices, together with the Denver Artwork Museum, music venues, theaters, and top-ranked hospitals.
Lastly, Fort Rock retains a small-town ambiance, together with walkability in lots of neighborhoods, and infrastructure that may assist an lively life-style in retirement.
Cons: Excessive Price of Dwelling and Restricted Reasonably priced Housing
With median month-to-month housing prices of almost $2,400, month-to-month meals prices of greater than $700, and month-to-month transportation prices near $1,400, residents of Fort Rock pay a hefty value for the sweetness and allure of this rising city. The value of dwelling is effectively above the nationwide common, notably in housing, healthcare, and utilities. Retirees shifting to the realm will discover that inexpensive housing is briefly provide, with few low-cost choices being constructed by builders.
The Backside Line
Fort Rock is one in every of Colorado’s most beloved retirement locations, partly as a result of it combines a small-town really feel with easy accessibility to Denver and Colorado Springs.
Nevertheless, this scenic city is inaccessible to many retirees with strict spending limits resulting from fastened incomes, as housing and on a regular basis prices are typically fairly excessive. Though the city is rising shortly, many new residents have excessive incomes, and builders in Fort Rock are likely to cater to this clientele by constructing houses with hefty value tags.