Costilla County, Colorado Income Statistics
Costilla 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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D
Costilla County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Costilla County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $37,752 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,203 | $68,113 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.1% | 18.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.1% | 17.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Costilla County is about 61% lower than in Colorado. Income has been growing slower in Costilla County (4.5%/yr) than in Colorado (5.4%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Costilla 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 Costilla County, Colorado grew by 63.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $37,752 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Costilla County
| Metric | Costilla County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.546 | 0.524 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,708 | $78,863 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,512 | $64,818 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 31.5% | 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 Costilla County, it is 0.546, higher than Colorado's 0.524, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 46% more than women's income in Costilla County, Colorado. Over a 35-year career, a 46% wage gap accumulates to roughly $636,860 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Costilla County, Colorado has widened from about 17% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2022, and in 2018 women out-earned men by 26%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $13,065 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Costilla County widened by 14.1 points while Colorado's narrowed by 3.6 points.
Employment
| Metric | Costilla County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 16.1% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 47 people are unemployed in Costilla County, Colorado.
The average commute time in Costilla County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Costilla County, Colorado has fallen from 10.8% to 3.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.9% in 2013.
Costilla County, CO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Costilla County, CO is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,607 residents against a local median of 7,530. Costilla County, CO's income growth, at 4.5%/yr, runs 33% below the 6.7%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $37,752 against a local median of $54,796, 31% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Costilla County, CO is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.5%/yr on income growth, so Costilla County, CO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Costilla County, CO has the 6th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costilla County, CO | 3,607 | $37,752 #6/6 | 4.5%/yr #6/6 | 3.5% #1/6 | 0.546 #4/6 |
| Alamosa County, CO | 16,581 | $54,796 | 6.7%/yr | 3.7% | 0.535 |
| Huerfano County, CO | 6,972 | $53,887 | 6.3%/yr | 8.0% | 0.557 |
| Taos County, NM | 34,542 | $59,024 | 6.7%/yr | 7.6% | 0.535 |
| Conejos County, CO | 7,530 | $50,814 | 5.1%/yr | 4.8% | 0.493 |
| Custer County, CO | 5,247 | $72,416 | 8.6%/yr | 3.7% | 0.555 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Costilla County, Colorado has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it worse than Colorado, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Costilla County, Colorado.
How Rich Is Costilla County, Colorado?
Costilla County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $37,752, about 61% lower than the Colorado average of $95,803.
How fast is household income rising in Costilla County, Colorado?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Costilla County, Colorado rose 64%, from $23,080 to $37,752. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Colorado as a whole: +64% against +70%.
What was the median household income in Costilla County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Costilla County, Colorado was $37,330, up 9% from $34,322 in 2022. The Colorado median that year was $93,071.
What was the median household income in Costilla County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Costilla County, Colorado was $34,855. By 2024 it had risen 8% to $37,752.
Is it hard to find a job in Costilla County, Colorado?
Unemployment in Costilla County, Colorado is only 3.5%, well below the Colorado rate of 4.6%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Costilla County, Colorado?
The Gini coefficient in Costilla County is 0.546. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Costilla County, Colorado?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Costilla County, Colorado has widened from about 17% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2022, and in 2018 women out-earned men by 26%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $13,065 since 2009.
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