Town · Garfield County, Colorado

New Castle, Colorado

New Castle is a town in Garfield County, Colorado, part of the Rifle, CO metro area. It has 4,880 residents. New Castle, Colorado has a quality-of-life score of 79 out of 100 (high), ranking #3,327 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Colorado it ranks #76 of 220 cities and towns. It ranks best on preventable hospital stays (low), broadband subscriptions (high) and hot days (low). It ranks worst on distance to an airport (high), drought exposure (high) and suicide rate (high).

79High

Quality-of-life score: #3,327 of 15,651 cities and towns
Colorado: #76 of 220 in CO
Population: 4,880 (2020-2024)
Land area: 2 mi²
Density: 1,955.0 /mi²
FIPS code: 0853395

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety40#9,408/15,637
Economy82#2,881/15,631
Housing25#11,211/14,977
Health80#3,049/15,609
Healthcare53#7,340/15,650
Environment84#2,430/15,453
Education51#7,745/15,649
Infrastructure83#2,718/15,650
Community87#2,106/15,651
Leisure & amenities88#1,876/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where New Castle, Colorado ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Garfield County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Preventable hospital stays · low1,126 /100k
99/100Colorado 1,686 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteGarfield County value
Broadband subscriptions · high100.0%
99/100Colorado 93.5%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Hot days · low0 days
99/100Colorado 23 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationGarfield County value
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.4 µg/m³
98/100Colorado 5.8 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyGarfield County value
Public EV charging ports · high23.3 /10k
97/100Colorado 13.0 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyGarfield County value
Adult obesity · low23.1%
97/100Colorado 27.1%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Weaknesses

Distance to an airport · high155 mi
2/100Colorado 40 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauGarfield County value
Drought exposure · high99%
2/100Colorado 70%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAGarfield County value
Suicide rate · high27.1 /100k
6/100Colorado 22.4 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataGarfield County value
Rent-burdened households · high70.2%
8/100Colorado 52.9%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Distance to an emergency room · high14.4 mi
8/100Colorado 5.2 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesGarfield County value
Pharmacies · low0.9 /10k
12/100Colorado 0.9 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsGarfield County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
28.8% (2015-2019) → 70.1% (2020-2024)
+41 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
20.7% (2015-2019) → 32.0% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
88.8% (2015-2019) → 100.0% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
4.0× (2015-2019) → 5.7× (2020-2024)
+42%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×
Income inequality (Gini index)Worsening
0.302 (2015-2019) → 0.413 (2020-2024)
+37%5 yearsCensus table B19083US 0.482 → 0.483
Bachelor's degree or higherWorsening
38.7% (2015-2019) → 32.1% (2020-2024)
−6.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, New Castle, Colorado improved on 1 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 4. 6 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Broadband+11 points88.8% → 100.0%

Declined4

Rent burden+41 points28.8% → 70.1%
Inequality+0.1110.302 → 0.413
Price / income+1.7×4.0× → 5.7×
Rent / income+11 points20.7% → 32.0%

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of New Castle, Colorado between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	31.5 min2015-2019	33.7 min2020-2024	+2.1 min	Within the margin of error	26%
Bachelor's degree or higher	38.7%2015-2019	32.1%2020-2024	−6.6 points	Within the margin of error	4%
Broadband subscriptions	88.8%2015-2019	100.0%2020-2024	+11 points	Improved	65%
Effective property tax rate	0.41%2015-2019	0.39%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	19%
High school diploma or higher	93.7%2015-2019	94.9%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Within the margin of error	49%
Home price to income ratio	4.0×2015-2019	5.7×2020-2024	+1.7×	Declined	7%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3022015-2019	0.4132020-2024	+0.111	Declined	3%
Median household income	$91,6592015-2019	$80,0842020-2024	−13%	Within the margin of error	2%
Rent as share of income	20.7%2015-2019	32.0%2020-2024	+11 points	Declined	8%
Rent-burdened households	28.8%2015-2019	70.1%2020-2024	+41 points	Declined	1%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	13.8%2015-2019	19.4%2020-2024	+5.6 points	Within the margin of error	9%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like New Castle, Colorado five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of New Castle, Colorado in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, New Castle, Colorado itself moved −22.6 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

4,880 residents (±17)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 women (−4.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

4,880 residents (±17)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

White61%2,978
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino35%1,731

Education

3,236 residents (±285)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

No high school diploma5.1%†164
High school or GED34%1,103
Some college14%†444

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,027 households (±236)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $25k16%†317
$25k–50k17%†336
$50k–75k15%†306
$75k–100k12%†253
$100k–150k14%†293
$150k–200k12%†237
$200k or more14%†285

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $100k–150k (−12.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,027 households (±236)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

Own73%1,481
Rent27%†546

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

546 households (±192)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $7501.8%†10
$750–1,0004.4%†24
$1,000–1,50044%†242

Home values

1,481 homes (±283)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $150k5.7%†85
$150k–250k11%†168
$250k–400k21%†306

Age of homes

2,056 homes (±238)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

2010 or later11%†222
2000–200949%998
1980–199926%†534

Size of homes

2,056 homes (±238)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom5.2%†106
2 bedrooms14%†281

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

2,135 workers (±361)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

Drive alone74%1,587
Carpool9.4%†201
Public transit1.4%†29
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home15%†318
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Walk (−3.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,817 workers (±385)

New Castle, Colorado
Colorado share

Under 15 min17%†302
15–29 min56%1,019
30–44 min5.9%†108

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Rifle, CO

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Garfield County, the county holding most of New Castle's residents.

Garfield County has 2,705 employer establishments, 428 for every 10,000 residents (1.72× the US rate of 248; 1.39× Colorado's), with 21,223 paid employees at an average annual pay of $61,478. The Census Bureau also counts 7,546 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 2,705; 7,546 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 428; US 248 · Colorado 309
Paid employees: 21,223
Average annual pay: $61,478; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Garfield County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	465	73.6	4.75×More than typical	2,778	$69,565	960
Building equipment contractors	171	27.1	4.50×More than typical	1,021	$68,674	120
Lessors of real estate	167	26.4	2.14×More than typical	346	$57,734	976
Restaurants and other eating places	151	23.9	1.30×More than typical	2,302	$30,295	24
Ambulatory health care services	134	21.2	1.02×About typical	1,002	$70,597	318
Construction of buildings	134	21.2	2.80×More than typical	538	$87,621	421
Building finishing contractors	120	19	4.99×More than typical	391	$62,665	387
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	101	16	5.07×More than typical	715	$64,182	228
Services to buildings and dwellings	100	15.8	2.35×More than typical	339	$78,091	586
Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors	89	14.1	4.26×More than typical	532	$69,421	63
Architectural, engineering and related services	85	13.4	3.86×More than typical	428	$87,577	94
Full-service restaurants	85	13.4	1.75×More than typical	1,214	$33,989	11

Rank places for an industry Open Garfield County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 63,215 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: New Castle is mostly in Garfield County.

See federal money in Garfield County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

New Castle, Colorado is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Jeff HurdR-CO-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 96%Missed 0.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Garfield County80100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Rifle, CO92

Other cities and towns in Garfield County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

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