How Do Home Prices Compare in Montrose, Ridgway and Ouray?

by Kelsey Loftis

Montrose is the most affordable and by far the largest of the three. Redfin shows a median sale price of $458,782 in Montrose (three months ending September 2026), about $850,000 in Ridgway (three months ending September 2026) and about $800,000 in Ouray (three months ending August 2026). Ridgway and Ouray are small markets, so a few sales can swing their numbers.

Measure	Montrose	Ridgway	Ouray
Median sale price (3 months)	$458,782	about $850,000	about $800,000
Year-over-year change	up 5.5%	up 17.6%	up 23.1%
Homes sold (latest month)	93 (Sept.)	11 (Sept.)	5 (Aug.)
Redfin Compete Score	47	51	15

Sources: Redfin city pages, pulled November 1, 2026. Redfin's Ridgway and Ouray pages also show summary-card figures that conflict with their median prices, so I did not use those cards.

What do the numbers say?

Ridgway and Ouray cost roughly $350,000 to $400,000 more at the median than Montrose, and both rose faster. Ouray's Compete Score of 15 ("not very competitive") reflects a 12-month view, and Redfin says its homes sold about 8 percent below list. Ridgway's sold about 5.8 percent below list, with 11 sales in September.

How far apart are they?

Wikivoyage describes Ouray as about a 45-minute drive south of Montrose. I did not verify Ridgway's drive time, so check a map app.

What else should I compare?

Size and services. Montrose is a city of about 21,500 with a hospital and airport; the others are smaller.
Winter. The mountain towns are higher and colder.
Commute. Test the drive in winter before you decide.
Taxes and insurance. Get quotes on specific homes.
Lifestyle. Visit each in more than one season.

What is the bottom line?

Montrose offers more homes at lower prices; Ridgway and Ouray offer smaller-town mountain settings at higher prices. Look at specific homes, not just medians.

Is Montrose cheaper than Ouray?

By median sale price, yes: about $458,782 versus about $800,000.

How far is Ouray from Montrose?

About 45 minutes, per Wikivoyage.

Which has the most sales?

Montrose, by a wide margin.

Are prices rising in Ridgway?

Redfin shows the median up 17.6 percent, based on a small number of sales.

Connect with a great real estate agent in Montrose, Kelsey Loftis with Crystal Peak Properties. Phone: (970) 784-6768 · Email: kelseyloftis@gmail.com · Website: crystalpeakproperties.com

Sources: Redfin Montrose (Sept. 2026), Ridgway (3 months to Sept. 2026) and Ouray (3 months to Aug. 2026), pulled Nov. 1, 2026; Wikivoyage, Montrose. Small sample sizes. General information only.