There are many reasons people move to Norwood – whether it be to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, to work in Telluride while enjoying a lower cost of living, the opportunity to start a business or work remotely, or its freeing wide-open spaces – Norwood is ripe with potential for those seeking a better quality of life in Western Colorado.
Rich in history and culture with its century old ranching heritage, there is something very unique and special about this little-known community perched in the center of Wright’s Mesa, in the southwest corner of Colorado. From its locally owned businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as community visionaries, Norwood is attracting families, small business owners, start ups and remote workers from across the country (and different places around the world) to live, work and play on Wright’s Mesa.
Quick stats about Norwood
Situated along Western Colorado’s Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic Byway, Norwood is conveniently located just 40 minutes west of the resort town of Telluride, Colorado, 90 miles east of Moab, Utah and approximately two hours south of Grand Junction, Colorado. Wright’s Mesa boasts all day sun and spectacular, 360 panoramic views of Lone Cone Mountain, the San Juan Mountains, the Uncompahgre Plateau and the La Sal Mountains of Utah. Norwood averages 245 days of sun each year with the warmest month being July, and the coldest months being December and January. The Town of Norwood’s population hovers around 700 friendly faces, while Wright’s Mesa is home to roughly 2,000 people. Want to learn more about Norwood? Click here!
Norwood’s small town living is a lifestyle of its own
Residents who move to Norwood choose to leave behind the daily grind of the city to enjoy its laid-back, relaxed atmosphere. Norwood’s friendly community is rich in tradition, history and culture with its century-old ranching heritage and abundance of farming and ranching opportunities.
Residents of Wright’s Mesa consider Norwood to be a self-sustaining community, with its locally owned businesses at the forefront of its success. Norwood’s businesses provide the community with a variety of everyday goods and services from groceries, supplies, and gas to restaurants and hotels, veterinary services, medical care and emergency services, and a variety of amenities, all of which contribute to a comfortable way of life. Check out Norwood’s local amenities in our Business Directory!
One of the benefits to living in the small farming and ranching community of Norwood is the opportunity for healthy eating, which is provided by a continuous supply of fresh, organic, locally grown produce and locally raised meat. The local food cooperative, the FRESH Food HUB, positioned at the forefront of Norwood’s local food initiative, is a grassroots program that brings fresh, organic and locally grown produce to Norwood and surrounding communities through partnerships with local farms and ranches. Norwood’s producers pride themselves on supplying quality fresh produce and meat to local restaurants and grocery stores around the region.
As the popularity of becoming self-reliant increases across the country, gardening, farming, and ranching are becoming a way of the future. Those opting to become less reliant on genetically modified produce and processed food shipped from around the country are turning to the homesteading lifestyle by growing and raising their own produce and livestock. With its deep agricultural roots, Norwood has always been a community that values this tradition, and Wright’s Mesa provides ample opportunities for farming and ranching on its fertile soil.
So much to see and do
In addition to healthy eating comes healthy living. Norwood is an active community with an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities. The region boasts large amounts of public lands, with endless opportunities for hiking, camping, boating, hunting, mountain biking, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, wind sports, climbing, off-roading, jeeping and 4x4ing. Other activities include basketball and pickleball, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and world-class downhill skiing at Telluride Ski Resort.
Paved roads provide easy year round access, making Norwood an all-season outdoor playground. Excellent lakes and the San Miguel River offer highly acclaimed fishing opportunities, as well as attracting some of the best bird watching in the region. Wildlife on Wright’s Mesa is abundant with elk, mule deer, bears, mountain lions, hummingbirds, eagles, and hawks. Norwood and Colorado’s West End just happen to feature some of the best mountain biking opportunities outside of Grand Junction and Moab. Recently designated an International Dark Sky Association Dark Sky Community, stargazers from around the world visit Wright’s Mesa to marvel at the brilliant night sky.
Education is key Norwood to Norwood’s success
The Norwood School District provides some of the best K-12 education in the state, having been accredited with distinction by the Colorado Department of Education for the past two years, in addition to achieving a 100 percent graduation rate over four years. Education in Norwood doesn’t stop there. The newest edition to Norwood’s community is the Lone Cone Library, which reopened in its new building in May of 2019. The library offers 10,000+ volumes, 1700+ dvd items and 600+ audio books, and also offers references, fax & copy services, computer workstations, free WiFi, high-speed internet access, programs for all ages, meeting room spaces, and study rooms.
Remote work and commuting from Norwood
Norwood’s proximity to Telluride, combined with its affordable cost of living, make it an ideal community for those looking to earn a living and benefit from Telluride’s vibrant tourism economy – while maintaining a quality work, life balance. The recent addition of high speed fiber internet allows for more remote and work from home opportunities, as well as greater opportunities for internet-based businesses in Norwood.
For those who need to live outside of the box canyon while continuing to work in Telluride, commuting can be a deal breaker. Fortunately, Norwood is located just 40 minutes from Telluride and there are plenty of opportunities for residents to join forces and carpool from Norwood. Additionally, the San Miguel Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) makes commuting from Norwood easy by providing daily bus services from Norwood to Telluride and back.
An update on Norwood’s real estate market
Norwood’s real estate market is booming as people look to relocate to Wright’s Mesa from more congested communities. One of the biggest reasons for relocation comes from the local Telluride workforce, which has been pushed to live farther and farther away from the box canyon. High home prices and a lack of available housing in Telluride have locals choosing to relocate to Norwood for its more affordable cost of living and the local amenities.
Local real estate broker, Linda Avery of Avery Land, says she sees a very positive outlook in Norwood’s real estate. “Everyone is looking for more space and to escape from the congestion and traffic in larger cities – both near and far,” she says. “There are several larger multi-million dollar ranches that have sold fairly recently, and there is a tremendous interest in purchasing acreage (generally speaking, the county minimum acreage is 35 acres).” These 35 acre land prices today range from about $150,000 – $250,000. Avery also says the most popular prices for homes have been under $350,000, which have sold rapidly in the past year, leaving very little inventory in that price range.
For more information about Norwood, Colorado, check out Visit Norwood and the pages within our Visit Norwood menu tab!