Rangely, Colorado
14 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1907 and the latest in 1979. It stands in the Rangely census division. It lies in ZIP code area 81648. It lies near Dead Dog Draw. The Survey maps it on the Rangely quadrangle. 2,299 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 5,297 feet above sea level.
Population over time
3 figuresRangely grew from 2,096 to 2,299 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,096 | |
| 2010 | 2,365 | +269 (+13%) |
| 2020 | 2,299 | -66 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 14 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1907 USGS Rangely quadrangle1:125000
- 1910 USGS Rangely quadrangle1:125000, 2 printings
- 1954 USGS Vernal quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1958 USGS Vernal quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Vernal quadrangle1:250000
- 1962 USGS Rangely quadrangle1:24000, 4 printings
- 1979 USGS Rangely quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
130 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 130 fires within 5 miles of Rangely between 1992 and 2020, burning about 19,270 acres in total. 67 started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 67 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 37 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 15 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 5 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 3 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 2017 | Natural | under an acre | Rangely Rural Fire Protection District | UNKNOWN |
| 9 September 2017 | Natural | under an acre | Rangely Rural Fire Protection District | UNKNOWN |
| 9 September 2017 | Natural | under an acre | Northwest District, Craig | FILES |
| 9 September 2015 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | under an acre | Northwest District, Craig | CAMEL RIDGE |
| 8 September 1999 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | 8.0 acres | Northwest District, Craig | HAIRPIN |
| 7 September 1995 | Natural | under an acre | Northwest District, Craig | GILLIAM |
| 4 September 1995 | Natural | under an acre | Northwest District, Craig | JACKS BOOT |
| 29 September 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 44 acres | Northwest District, Craig | COLUMBINE PARK |
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 11 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 11 workings within 5 miles of Rangely: 6 unknowns, 5 occurrences. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Fire Clay (Refractory). Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Fire Clay (Refractory) | Occurrence | ||
| Unknown | Fire Clay (Refractory) | Occurrence | ||
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Occurrence | Gravel | |
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Occurrence | Gravel | |
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Occurrence | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
48 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Rangely in 48 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 13 flash flood, 12 wildfire, 9 thunderstorm wind, 6 heavy rain. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1997 | Hail | Rangely | $1,000,000 | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | $150,000 | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | $100,000 | A microburst initially struck the ground about a quarter mile southwest of the Northwest Colorado Community College Campus and spread out generally to the northeast from that point. A significant portion of a roof on North Nichols Residence Hall was lifted up and blown completely over the structure. Debris from North Nichols Residence Hall was found up to a quarter mile away on the northeast end of the campus. A dozen mature Russian Olive trees on the campus were uprooted, and large limbs and branches were snapped off many other trees. One of the uprooted trees fell against the CNCC presidents house, causing some damage to the roof. Other wind damage to property on the CNCC campus was observed during the NWS storm survey. Further away from the CNCC campus, additional wind damage also occurred, although it was generally a little less destructive than the CNCC damage, with estimated wind gusts ranging from 55 to 70 mph. There was an observed wind speed measurement of 54 knots (62 mph) from the AWOS at the Rangely Airport (4V0) where a section of wooden fence was blown down and a swamp cooler blown from the roof of the terminal. Many trees within the town of Rangely were uprooted or lost large limbs or branches. A few trees were snapped off a few feet above the ground, including ash trees with trunk bases generally ranging from 6 to 10 inches in diameter. A wood frame carport was ripped off an apartment building on East Main Street. A large trampoline in the northeast part of Rangely was blown into the air and landed about 75 yards away in a neighbors yard, while a 400 pound water tank was blown across a road. |
| August 2009 | Hail | Rangely | $10,000 | Golf ball sized hail struck the town of Rangely. Minor damage was reported, including shingle damage, dents in cars and a few broken windows. |
| September 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | $3,000 | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | $2,000 | no account filed |
| August 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | $1,000 | no account filed |
| May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | $500 | no account filed |
| October 2025 | Debris Flow | Rangely | - | Heavy rain resulted in a rock slide on Douglas Pass along Highway 139 at mile marker 33, 29 miles north of Loma, Colorado. Highway 139 closed at 531 MST. |
| May 2023 | Hail | Rangely | - | Hail estimated to be one inch in diameter fell near Rangely. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | - | A peak wind gust of 58 mph was measured by the Dragon Road automated weather station. |
| August 2017 | Funnel Cloud | Rangely | - | A short-lived funnel cloud was observed by a traveler who was driving south on Highway 139. |
| August 2014 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | Fllash flooding was reported along Highway 139, which was closed along a section south of Rangely due to fast moving water and debris over the roadway. |
| August 2010 | Heavy Rain | Rangely | - | Heavy rainfall caused minor flooding to occur over low water crossings along Highway 64 near Rangely. |
| August 2008 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | Rushing water up to 3 feet deep was roaring down normally dry drainages south of Rangely. |
| September 2007 | Heavy Rain | Rangely | - | Heavy rain producing thunderstorms caused minor flooding in a number of locations along Highway 64 between Rangely and Meeker. |
| September 2007 | Heavy Rain | Rangely | - | Rainfall of .60 inches fell in 20 minutes. |
| October 2006 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | Runoff from heavy rain caused water, mud, and debris to flow across Highway 139 between mile markers 54 and 55. It was estimated that water and debris was about 12 inches deep across the highway making it impassable. When flood waters receded, mud and rock about 6 inches in depth covered a 50 foot stretch of the highway. | |
| September 2006 | Heavy Rain | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Heavy Rain | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Heavy Rain | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2002 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| September 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| September 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| August 2000 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| August 2000 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| November 1998 | Funnel Cloud | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Funnel Cloud | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| July 1998 | Wildfire | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Funnel Cloud | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Flash Flood | Rangely | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angora | 13.6 miles | 12 | |
| White River City | 30.8 miles | 11 | |
| Meeker | 47.4 miles | 16 | |
| Rio Blanco | 51.5 miles | 18 | |
| Thornburgh | 59.3 miles | 17 | |
| Buford | 63.3 miles | 17 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Rangely | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2019434 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 171670. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.






