Bent County, Colorado Income Statistics
Bent County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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F
Bent County Well below averageLeast wealthy county in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Bent County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $50,068 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,911 | $68,113 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.1% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.0% | 18.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.5% | 17.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Bent County is about 48% lower than in Colorado. Income has been growing slower in Bent County (5.1%/yr) than in Colorado (5.4%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Bent County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Colorado average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Bent County, Colorado grew by 41.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $50,068 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Bent County
| Metric | Bent County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.662 | 0.524 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,260 | $78,863 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,848 | $64,818 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 25.2% | 17.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Bent County, it is 0.662, higher than Colorado's 0.524, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 34% more than women's income in Bent County, Colorado. Over a 35-year career, a 34% wage gap accumulates to roughly $504,420 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bent County, Colorado has widened from about 5% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2023, and in 2017 women out-earned men by 16%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,872 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Bent County widened by 20.6 points while Colorado's narrowed by 3.6 points.
Employment
| Metric | Bent County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.4% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 106 people are unemployed in Bent County, Colorado.
The average commute time in Bent County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Bent County, Colorado has fallen from 12.4% to 5.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.8% in 2012 and fell as low as 4.4% in 2020.
Bent County, CO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Bent County, CO is typical in size for this group, 5,549 residents against a local median of 5,647, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Bent County, CO breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 48% above the local median of 3.9% at 5.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income inequality tells the same story from another angle: 0.662 against a local median of 0.528, 25% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Bent County, CO reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.7% on unemployment, so Bent County, CO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Bent County, CO has the 5th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bent County, CO | 5,549 | $50,068 #4/6 | 5.1%/yr #4/6 | 5.8% #5/6 | 0.662 #5/6 |
| Kiowa County, CO | 1,376 | $57,980 | 5.6%/yr | 1.0% | 0.497 |
| Otero County, CO | 18,321 | $54,410 | 6.0%/yr | 6.7% | 0.528 |
| Prowers County, CO | 11,910 | $54,516 | 3.7%/yr | 4.1% | 0.547 |
| Crowley County, CO | 5,647 | $47,960 | 5.6%/yr | 3.9% | 0.727 |
| Baca County, CO | 1,363 | $45,903 | 1.9%/yr | 1.0% | 0.518 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bent County, Colorado has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it worse than Colorado, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Bent County, Colorado.
How Rich Is Bent County, Colorado?
Bent County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $50,068, about 48% lower than the Colorado average of $95,803.
How has median household income changed in Bent County, Colorado?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Bent County, Colorado rose 41%, from $35,521 to $50,068. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Colorado as a whole: +41% against +70%.
What was the median household income in Bent County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Bent County, Colorado was $48,653, up 5% from $46,350 in 2022. The Colorado median that year was $93,071.
What was the median household income in Bent County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Bent County, Colorado was $37,604. By 2024 it had risen 33% to $50,068.
Is unemployment high in Bent County, Colorado?
Unemployment in Bent County, Colorado is 5.8%, well above the Colorado rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Bent County, Colorado?
The Gini coefficient in Bent County is 0.662. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Bent County, Colorado?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Bent County, Colorado has widened from about 5% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2023, and in 2017 women out-earned men by 16%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,872 since 2009.
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