La Plata County, Colorado Income Statistics
La Plata 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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B
La Plata County Around averageWealthier than 76% of counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $85,775 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $61,695 | $68,113 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.5% | 18.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 12.8% | 17.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in La Plata County is about 10% lower than in Colorado. Income has been growing slower in La Plata County (4.1%/yr) than in Colorado (5.4%/yr).
About 16% of adults in La Plata 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 La Plata County, Colorado grew by 59.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $85,775 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in La Plata County
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.527 | 0.524 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $68,652 | $78,863 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $61,318 | $64,818 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.7% | 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 La Plata County, it is 0.527, about the same as Colorado's 0.524, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 12% more than women's income in La Plata County, Colorado. Over a 35-year career, a 12% wage gap accumulates to roughly $256,690 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in La Plata County, Colorado has narrowed from about 17% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $219 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | La Plata County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 18.1% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 1,163 people are unemployed in La Plata County, Colorado.
The average commute time in La Plata County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in La Plata County, Colorado has fallen from 6.0% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.1% in 2023.
La Plata County, CO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
La Plata County, CO is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 56,331 residents against a local median of 2,432. La Plata County, CO's unemployment, at 3.8%, runs 54% above the 2.5% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.1%/yr against a local median of 7.7%/yr, 47% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: La Plata County, CO reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 8.4% on unemployment, so La Plata County, CO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. La Plata County, CO has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Plata County, CO | 56,331 | $85,775 #1/6 | 4.1%/yr #6/6 | 3.8% #4/6 | 0.527 #4/6 |
| San Juan County, CO | 724 | $76,167 | 7.7%/yr | 9.4% | 0.507 |
| Montezuma County, CO | 26,412 | $65,016 | 5.7%/yr | 3.9% | 0.538 |
| Hinsdale County, CO | 1,005 | $75,741 | 6.3%/yr | 1.0% | 0.467 |
| Archuleta County, CO | 13,900 | $82,475 | 7.7%/yr | 1.3% | 0.532 |
| Dolores County, CO | 2,432 | $65,131 | 9.5%/yr | 2.5% | 0.521 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, La Plata County, Colorado has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Colorado, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in La Plata County, Colorado.
How Rich Is La Plata County, Colorado?
La Plata County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $85,775, about 10% lower than the Colorado average of $95,803.
Are incomes growing in La Plata County, Colorado?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in La Plata County, Colorado rose 60%, from $53,757 to $85,775. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Colorado as a whole: +60% against +70%.
What was the median household income in La Plata County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in La Plata County, Colorado was $84,826, up 4% from $81,917 in 2022. The Colorado median that year was $93,071.
What was the median household income in La Plata County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in La Plata County, Colorado was $69,582. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $85,775.
What is the Gini coefficient in La Plata County, Colorado?
The Gini coefficient in La Plata County is 0.527. 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 La Plata County, Colorado?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in La Plata County, Colorado has narrowed from about 17% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $219 since 2009.
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