A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Custer County, Colorado
Custer County’s Wet Mountain Valley is one of Colorado’s best-kept secrets — and one that is increasingly being found. Nestled between the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the gentler Wet Mountains to the west, the valley is a high-altitude paradise of ranches, meadows, and small mountain towns that has attracted a steady stream of in-migrants who have discovered what locals have long known: the Wet Mountain Valley offers a quality of life that rivals the state’s more famous mountain destinations at a fraction of the cost, with the added advantage of genuine rural character rather than resort-town infrastructure. With population growth of 38.57% since 2010 and an annual growth rate of 3.44% — among the highest of any county in Colorado — Custer County is quietly transforming from a forgotten agricultural backwater into a sought-after retirement and lifestyle destination.
The Development Constraint Model: Why It Matters for Landlords
Understanding Custer County’s real estate market requires understanding the deliberate policy choices that shape its supply. Agricultural leaders in the county recognized decades ago what was happening along Colorado’s Front Range — where large suburban housing developments were consuming farmland and fundamentally altering the character of communities — and resolved to prevent the same from happening in the Wet Mountain Valley. The result is a county with approximately 9,000 parcels and just under 4,500 homes, where a substantial portion of the land is subject to conservation easements that permanently remove development rights from landowners in exchange for state tax credits.
Outside the incorporated limits of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, significant residential subdivision is no longer possible. This means the county cannot experience the kind of rapid housing supply expansion that characterizes growing suburban markets, even as population growth continues. The practical consequence for landlords is structural: supply is constrained by design, demand is growing steadily, and property values have experienced consistent upward pressure that is unlikely to reverse as long as the county’s development policies remain intact. A landlord who owns a quality rental property in the Wet Mountain Valley is holding an asset whose scarcity is protected by county policy — a meaningful competitive advantage compared to markets where new supply can readily absorb demand increases.
Who Is Coming to Custer County
The in-migration that is driving Custer County’s growth is demographically distinctive. The county’s median age of approximately 47 years and Westcliffe’s median age of 54.4 reflect a population that skews heavily toward retirees and pre-retirees. These are primarily people from larger Colorado cities — Colorado Springs, Denver, Pueblo — and from other states, particularly Texas, California, and the Midwest, who are drawn by the valley’s combination of scenic grandeur, low cost of living, political conservatism, and the kind of small-town community character that is increasingly rare in the American West. Many arrive with retirement income — Social Security, pensions, 401(k) distributions — that is reliable and not dependent on local employment conditions.
Remote workers represent a growing secondary in-migration stream. With reliable internet connectivity increasingly available in the Wet Mountain Valley, professionals who can work from anywhere are discovering Westcliffe and the surrounding area as an alternative to the crowded, expensive mountain resort communities that have dominated Colorado’s lifestyle migration narrative. A remote worker earning a Denver-scale salary who rents a comfortable three-bedroom home in Westcliffe for $1,200–$1,500/month enjoys a standard of living that their income would not easily support in Aspen, Vail, or even Chaffee County. These tenants are among the most financially stable in the Custer County market.
The Construction Economy and Short-Term Rental Opportunity
Home building is the largest economic sector in Custer County by revenue, driven by the wave of retirees and lifestyle migrants who are building custom homes in the valley. This construction activity generates substantial demand for temporary housing from building professionals — project managers, skilled tradespeople, subcontractors — who relocate to the Wet Mountain Valley for multi-month construction assignments. Landlords who can offer quality short-term or month-to-month furnished rentals catering to this workforce segment have a genuine revenue opportunity that is less price-sensitive than the long-term rental market and less seasonal than traditional vacation rental demand. Colorado’s just-cause eviction law exempts short-term rentals, giving landlords who operate in this segment more operational flexibility.
Tourism, while not the economic powerhouse that local observers sometimes assume, does generate real seasonal demand for short-term rentals — primarily from summer visitors drawn by the valley’s hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and stargazing opportunities (the valley’s elevation and low light pollution make it one of the best dark sky locations in Colorado). The Sangre de Cristo Mountain range includes multiple 14,000-foot peaks accessible from the valley, attracting serious hikers and mountaineers who seek a quieter base than Chaffee County’s Salida or Buena Vista.
Custer County landlord-tenant matters are governed by CRS Title 38, Article 12 and CRS Title 13, Article 40. Nonpayment notice: 10 days (3 days for exempt agreements). Lease violation: 10 days to cure or quit. No-fault non-renewal: 90 days with qualifying reason. Late fee grace period: 7 days; maximum fee: $50 or 5% of past-due rent. Security deposit return: 30 days (60 days if agreed). No rent control statewide. High radon potential — testing strongly recommended. Development restrictions and conservation easements limit supply and support long-term property values. Evictions filed in Custer County Court. Consult a licensed Colorado attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
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