Gunnison County is one of Colorado’s most geographically expansive and internally contrasting counties — the fifth-largest county by area in the state, covering 3,260 square miles of the central Rocky Mountains from the Continental Divide to the western plateau country bordering Mesa and Montrose counties. The county encompasses two economically and culturally distinct communities connected by a 28-mile stretch of State Highway 135: Gunnison, the county seat and home of Western Colorado University, a working ranch-and-college town at 7,703 feet; and Crested Butte, the former coal mining village turned premier ski destination at 8,885 feet in the Slate River Valley. Crested Butte holds two official designations that define its identity: “the Last Great Colorado Ski Town” and the “Wildflower Capital of Colorado” (the latter conferred by the Colorado General Assembly in 1990). Together, these two communities and their surrounding recreational landscapes — Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Blue Mesa Reservoir, the Curecanti National Recreation Area, West Elk and Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness areas — make Gunnison County one of Colorado’s most complete outdoor recreation destinations.
All landlord-tenant matters are governed by Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) Title 38, Article 12, including the 2024 reforms (HB 24-1098 just-cause eviction, SB 24-094 habitability). The county’s median property value is $621,800 (2024); Crested Butte’s median home value exceeds $1.4 million; 20.1% of the population faces severe housing problems. Gunnison city’s 22.1% poverty rate and 25.2-year median age reflect its student population at Western Colorado University. The county has no rent control. Evictions are filed in Gunnison County Combined Court in Gunnison (7th Judicial District).
SB 24-094: 72hr begin remedial action; 24hr life-safety
Late Fee Grace Period
7 days; max $50 or 5% past-due rent
Security Deposit Return
30 days; triple damages for wrongful withholding
Court
Gunnison County Combined Court — Gunnison (7th Judicial District)
HB 25-1249
Security deposit cap: 1 month’s rent (effective Jan 1, 2026)
Gunnison County Landlord Rules & Colorado Law
CRS Title 38 provisions and Gunnison County’s dual resort/university rental market considerations
Category
Details
Two Markets: Crested Butte vs. Gunnison
Gunnison County’s rental market is defined by two fundamentally different economies coexisting within 28 miles. Crested Butte (~1,700 permanent residents; median home $1.4M+; median rent in Crested Butte approximately $2,900/month) is a resort town whose rental market is dominated by STR demand, seasonal workers at the ski resort, and long-term professionals priced out of buying. Gunnison (~6,900 residents; median age 25.2 years; 22.1% poverty rate) is a university town whose rental market is driven by Western Colorado University’s ~3,500 students, with a large volume of smaller units, student-oriented leases, and income verification challenges typical of young renter populations. Both markets face severe housing shortages. Landlords who understand which market they’re in — and which tenant profile they’re screening for — will significantly outperform those who apply a generic approach to this county.
Gunnison: WCU Student Market
Western Colorado University, located in Gunnison, is a public four-year university with approximately 3,500 students. WCU’s enrollment makes student renters the dominant tenant profile in the city of Gunnison — responsible for the city’s 25.2-year median age, the 127 males per 100 females ratio, and the 22.1% poverty rate (which is largely a statistical artifact of students reporting low income rather than reflecting genuine economic distress). Student tenants in Gunnison typically need income co-signers or parental guarantors; verifying financial capability requires looking beyond the student’s own income to the guarantor’s. Leases structured around the academic year (August–May) are common. WCU also attracts a segment of outdoor recreation and adventure sports enthusiasts who choose the university specifically for access to Crested Butte, the Gunnison Gorge, and regional trails — a tenant profile that is passionate about the location but may have inconsistent long-term plans.
Crested Butte: STR & Workforce Housing
The Town of Crested Butte and the neighboring community of Mt. Crested Butte have both implemented STR licensing programs. Landlords operating STRs in either community must verify current licensing requirements before advertising. The housing crisis in Crested Butte is severe and structurally deepening: as the ski resort economy has grown and remote workers have discovered the town, housing has been progressively withdrawn from the long-term rental market in favor of STR platforms. The Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority (GVRHA) has been building deed-restricted workforce housing inventory since 2016 to address the shortfall. Landlords who offer quality long-term leases at reasonable rates to resort workers, tradespeople, and local employees serve a critically underserved need and will face essentially no vacancy risk in the current market.
Just-Cause Eviction (HB 24-1098)
Effective April 19, 2024. Landlords must have cause to evict or non-renew residential tenants who have occupied a unit for 12+ months. 90 days’ written notice required for no-fault non-renewals. Valid causes: nonpayment, material lease violations, criminal activity, nuisance, landlord/family occupancy, sale, substantial renovation, withdrawal from market. Exemptions: owner-occupied SFH/duplex/triplex, sub-12-month tenancies, STRs, employer housing. In the student market: academic-year leases that end in May and are not renewed before 12 months are exempt; students who renew into a second year trigger just-cause protections. Plan lease terms carefully.
Habitability at High Elevation (SB 24-094)
Effective May 3, 2024. Gunnison sits at 7,703 feet; Crested Butte at 8,885 feet. At these elevations, Gunnison is known for some of the coldest temperatures in the continental United States — the city regularly records temperatures below −30°F in January, and the valley is occasionally colder than points in Alaska. Heating system failures are life-safety emergencies requiring 24-hour landlord response. Pipe freeze is a near-certainty in inadequately heated units at these temperatures. Roof load from heavy snowfall is a maintenance concern. Landlords must establish local emergency heating contractor relationships before each winter season and build lease clauses that specify minimum heat requirements during tenant absences.
Security Deposits & HB 25-1249
Effective January 1, 2026, HB 25-1249 caps security deposits at one month’s rent. In Crested Butte where rents run $2,900+/month, the cap is meaningful. In Gunnison where student units may rent for $1,200–$1,800/month, it is manageable. Move-in documentation is essential in both markets: student renters in Gunnison and seasonal workers in Crested Butte can create significant interior wear. Return within 30 days; triple damages for wrongful withholding. Late fees: 7-day grace; max $50 or 5% of past-due rent.
CRS Title 38, Article 12 — statutes, procedures, and landlord rights applicable in Gunnison County
⚡ Quick Overview
10
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
10
Days Notice (Violation)
30-50
Avg Total Days
$85
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type10-Day Demand for Compliance or Possession
Notice Period10 days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes
Days to Hearing7-14 days
Days to Writ48 hours after judgment days
Total Estimated Timeline30-50 days
Total Estimated Cost$150-$500
⚠️ Watch Out
HB 24-1098 (2024) increased notice period from 3 to 10 days for nonpayment. Tenant can cure by paying full rent owed. Late fees cannot be charged during the 10-day period. Landlord must accept partial payment if offered during notice period in some cases.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the County Court. Pay the filing fee (~$85).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Colorado eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Colorado attorney or local legal aid organization.
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reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding
tenant screening in Colorado —
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Crested Butte = “Last Great Colorado Ski Town” + “Wildflower Capital of Colorado.” Gunnison = Western Colorado University college town, median age 25.2, coldest city in the continental US. Jokerville Mine explosion (1884): 59 killed. The “Red Lady” mountain saved from molybdenum mining by community activism (1977). Mountain Bike Hall of Fame founded in Crested Butte. Cattlemen’s Days rodeo est. 1900. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Blue Mesa Reservoir — Colorado’s largest body of water. Gothic ghost town / Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.
Gunnison County
Know Your Market
Crested Butte: STR licensing required (Town of CB + Mt. CB) — verify before advertising. Long-term workforce units face near-zero vacancy; target ski resort staff, local tradespeople, healthcare workers at Gunnison Valley Health. Gunnison: student market — require cosigners/guarantors for WCU students with no verifiable income. Academic-year leases (Aug–May) under 12 months are HB 24-1098 exempt. Both markets: heating system maintenance before each winter is non-negotiable at these elevations. Gunnison can hit −30°F — frozen pipe liability is your risk, not the tenant’s, if heating fails.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Gunnison County, Colorado
Gunnison County contains two communities so different in character, economy, and tenant profile that understanding one tells you almost nothing useful about renting in the other. Gunnison — a working college and ranch town in a wide high-altitude valley, home to Western Colorado University and one of the coldest regularly inhabited places in the continental United States — operates on entirely different rental dynamics than Crested Butte, a former coal mining village 28 miles north that has transformed into one of Colorado’s most coveted ski and outdoor recreation destinations. The landlord who understands both markets will find Gunnison County to be one of the most interesting and opportunity-rich rental environments in western Colorado.
Crested Butte: The Last Great Colorado Ski Town
The phrase “last great Colorado ski town” is not casual marketing language for Crested Butte — it is a carefully chosen claim that reflects a specific thesis: that Crested Butte is the last major Colorado ski resort town that has not yet been fully priced out of authenticity, where the historic Victorian downtown remains populated by local businesses rather than national chain stores, where the terrain is genuinely extreme and attracts a different kind of skier than the groomed-run crowd, and where the community retains an identity independent of and older than the ski resort that now dominates its economy. The ski resort, opened in 1961 on the former Malensek Ranch on the slopes of Crested Butte Mountain, was built on the ruins of a coal mining economy that had anchored the town since the 1880s and collapsed in 1952 when the Big Mine closed.
That coal mining history is significant for understanding the town’s character. The Jokerville Mine explosion of 1884 killed 59 workers in what remains one of the deadliest mining disasters in Colorado history. The community that survived the mine’s eventual closure and rebuilt itself around skiing has retained a working-class, independent-minded identity that is deliberately distinct from the more polished resort experiences at Vail or Aspen. The Wildflower Festival, the Wildflower Capital of Colorado designation (awarded by the Colorado General Assembly in 1990), the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame (founded in Crested Butte before relocating to California in 2014), and the annual Cattlemen’s Days rodeo (established 1900 in Gunnison) all reflect a community that embraces its non-resort heritage even as resort economics increasingly dominate its housing market.
The Red Lady and Community Activism
One of Crested Butte’s defining moments came in 1977, when mining company AMAX (now Freeport-McMoRan) announced plans to build a billion-dollar molybdenum mine on Mount Emmons — a peak visible from Crested Butte’s historic downtown that the community calls the “Red Lady” for its reddish flanks. Mayor W. Mitchell led a community campaign that stopped the mine, and the High Country Citizens’ Alliance formed that same year to defend the region’s natural environment. The mine has never been built, though Freeport-McMoRan still holds the mineral rights and the issue resurfaces periodically. The Red Lady campaign established Crested Butte’s identity as a community willing to fight for its landscape against economic interests — an identity that now extends to the fight for workforce housing against the STR market forces that are transforming the town.
Gunnison: The Coldest City, the College Town
Gunnison’s character is shaped by two forces that pull in different directions: the ranch and rodeo tradition of the Gunnison Valley (Cattlemen’s Days, established in 1900 and billed as Colorado’s oldest rodeo, is held every July and defines the community’s agricultural identity) and Western Colorado University, which fills the city with students whose age, income levels, and lifestyle preferences create a rental market that requires a different approach than the resort market 28 miles north. WCU’s enrollment of approximately 3,500 students in a city of 6,900 means that students constitute a substantial fraction of Gunnison’s total population — enough to drag the city’s median age to 25.2 years and its reported poverty rate to 22.1%, both figures that reflect the student population more than the community’s underlying economic health. For landlords in Gunnison, student tenants require parental cosigners or guarantors, academic-year lease structures, and clear lease provisions about occupancy limits and property care.
Gunnison County landlord-tenant matters are governed by CRS Title 38, Article 12. Just-cause eviction (HB 24-1098): 90-day no-fault non-renewal notice required; sub-12-month academic-year leases exempt; STRs exempt; owner-occupied SFH/duplex/triplex exempt. Habitability (SB 24-094): 72-hour begin remedial action; 24-hour for life-safety; Gunnison regularly hits −30°F — heating failures are 24-hour emergencies; pipe freeze liability on landlord if heating system fails. Student tenants: require cosigners/guarantors for students without verifiable income. STR licensing: verify with Town of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte before advertising. Security deposits: HB 25-1249 caps at 1 month’s rent effective January 1, 2026; return within 30 days. Late fees: 7-day grace; max $50 or 5% past-due rent. Evictions filed in Gunnison County Combined Court in Gunnison (7th Judicial District). Consult a licensed Colorado attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Gunnison County, Colorado and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current STR licensing requirements and other local requirements with a licensed Colorado attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
