La Plata County, Colorado Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
La Plata 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.
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A
Health Above averageHealthier than 84% of counties in Colorado
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 76% of counties in Colorado
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A
Education Above averageBetter educated than 76% of counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,331 | 5,842,429 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 33.1 | 56.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.53% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.1 | 35.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 24,378 | 2,364,171 | 130,235,071 |
Population in La Plata County grew by 13.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 56,331 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in La Plata County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.0% of residents. That is 2.3 points above Colorado as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 11,762 20.9% -1.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 12,124 21.5% -2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 12,419 22.0% +2.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,867 19.3% +4.1 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 49.6% of the people living in La Plata County and men 50.4%.
- Women 49.6% Colorado 49.4%
- Men 50.4% Colorado 50.6%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in La Plata County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
La Plata County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,775 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.10% | 5.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in La Plata County is about 10% lower than in Colorado.
Housing
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $636,797 | $484,034 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,504 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.9% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in La Plata County is about 35.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,504 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in La Plata County spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 152 hours, about 6.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.2 | 22.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 36.4 | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 152 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,705 | $5,694 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 18.1% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,953 | 8,183 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 566 | 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 La Plata County is 18 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
La Plata County has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.1% | 40.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.24 | 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
La Plata County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.7 | 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).
La Plata County, CO Compared With Nearby Counties
How La Plata County, CO compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Plata County, CO | 56,331 | $85,775 #1/2 | $636,797 #1/2 | 18.2 min #2/2 |
| Montezuma County, CO | 26,412 | $65,016 | $275,000 | 15.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about La Plata County, Colorado.
What is the population of La Plata County, Colorado?
About 56,331 people live in La Plata County, Colorado, in 24,378 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 41.1, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
How densely populated is La Plata County, Colorado?
Averaged over its land area, La Plata County, Colorado has 33 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 38% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is La Plata County, Colorado an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 7.4 times the median household income ($636,797 against $85,775), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,504 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in La Plata County, Colorado?
Unemployment in La Plata County, Colorado is only 3.8%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in La Plata County, Colorado have a college degree?
43.1% of adults in La Plata County, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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