Gunnison County, Colorado Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Gunnison County, CO Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
A
Health Above averageHealthier than 79% of counties in Colorado
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B
Income Around average
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A+
Education Top gradeBetter educated than 85% of counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Gunnison County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,241 | 5,842,429 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 5.3 | 56.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.03% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 35.5 | 35.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,494 | 2,364,171 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Gunnison County grew by 15.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 17,241 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Gunnison County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 29.6% of residents. That is 7.0 points above Colorado as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,098 29.6% +7.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,749 21.7% -2.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,526 20.5% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,555 14.8% -0.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Colorado, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 46.1% of the people living in Gunnison County and men 53.9%.
- Women 46.1% Colorado 49.4%
- Men 53.9% Colorado 50.6%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Gunnison County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Gunnison County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Gunnison County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,977 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.24% | 5.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Gunnison County is about 14% lower than in Colorado.
Housing
| Metric | Gunnison County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $474,999 | $484,034 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,252 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.8% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Gunnison County is about 31.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,252 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Gunnison County spend about 26 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 108 hours, about 4.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Gunnison County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.0 | 22.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 26.0 | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 108 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,361 | $5,694 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 18.5% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,634 | 8,183 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 254 | 1,277 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Colorado:
Hinsdale County (6.6 min), Prowers County (7.6 min), Cheyenne County (7.7 min).
Slowest:
Park County (42.5 min), Elbert County (41.5 min), Teller County (31.3 min).
The average commute time in Gunnison County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Gunnison County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Gunnison County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.3% | 40.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.89 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Colorado:
Boulder County (0.5), Douglas County (0.4), Broomfield County (0.4).
Lowest:
Crowley County (0.2), Bent County (0.2), Lincoln County (0.2).
Health
Gunnison County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Gunnison County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.7 | 80.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.5% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.4% | 16.1% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Colorado:
Douglas County (0.9), Boulder County (0.8), Broomfield County (0.8).
Lowest:
Costilla County (0.8), Otero County (0.8), Bent County (0.8).
Gunnison County, CO Compared With Nearby Counties
How Gunnison County, CO compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunnison County, CO | 17,241 | $81,977 #2/3 | $474,999 #2/3 | 13.0 min #2/3 |
| Chaffee County, CO | 20,178 | $83,141 | $667,525 | 11.5 min |
| Delta County, CO | 31,598 | $57,769 | $344,148 | 16.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Gunnison County, Colorado.
How many people live in Gunnison County, Colorado?
About 17,241 people live in Gunnison County, Colorado, in 8,494 households of 1.9 people on average. The median age is 35.5, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 2 years.
Is Gunnison County, Colorado urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Gunnison County, Colorado has 5 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 6% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Gunnison County, Colorado?
The median home costs 5.8 times the median household income ($474,999 against $81,977), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,252 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Gunnison County, Colorado?
51.3% of adults in Gunnison County, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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