Mesa County, Colorado Income Statistics
Mesa 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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C
Mesa County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Mesa County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $73,544 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $57,236 | $68,113 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.9% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.9% | 18.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.6% | 17.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Mesa County is about 23% lower than in Colorado. Income has been growing slower in Mesa County (4.9%/yr) than in Colorado (5.4%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Mesa 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 Mesa County, Colorado grew by 44.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $73,544 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Mesa County
| Metric | Mesa County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.528 | 0.524 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $66,834 | $78,863 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $54,563 | $64,818 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.4% | 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 Mesa County, it is 0.528, 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 22% more than women's income in Mesa County, Colorado. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $429,485 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mesa County, Colorado has narrowed from about 28% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2014, and was narrowest at 15% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $819 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Mesa County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 13.7% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 4,301 people are unemployed in Mesa County, Colorado.
The average commute time in Mesa County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Mesa County, Colorado has fallen from 6.5% to 5.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.2% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.1% in 2023.
Mesa County, CO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Mesa County, CO is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 158,600 residents against a local median of 31,598. Mesa County, CO's unemployment, at 5.4%, runs 72% above the 3.2% 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: 4.9%/yr against a local median of 4.2%/yr, 18% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Mesa County, CO is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.0% on unemployment, so Mesa County, CO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mesa County, CO has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa County, CO | 158,600 | $73,544 #3/6 | 4.9%/yr #3/6 | 5.4% #6/6 | 0.528 #4/6 |
| Delta County, CO | 31,598 | $57,769 | 4.2%/yr | 3.2% | 0.540 |
| Montrose County, CO | 43,807 | $70,739 | 6.1%/yr | 4.4% | 0.529 |
| Garfield County, CO | 62,477 | $92,123 | 5.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.501 |
| Rio Blanco County, CO | 6,544 | $69,725 | 2.4%/yr | 2.4% | 0.502 |
| San Miguel County, CO | 7,968 | $78,996 | 4.0%/yr | 2.7% | 0.479 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mesa County, Colorado has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than Colorado, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Mesa County, Colorado.
How Rich Is Mesa County, Colorado?
Mesa County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $73,544, about 23% lower than the Colorado average of $95,803.
Are incomes growing in Mesa County, Colorado?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Mesa County, Colorado rose 45%, from $50,742 to $73,544. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Colorado as a whole: +45% against +70%.
What was the median household income in Mesa County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Mesa County, Colorado was $70,777, up 6% from $66,823 in 2022. The Colorado median that year was $93,071.
What was the median household income in Mesa County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Mesa County, Colorado was $57,502. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $73,544.
What is the Gini coefficient in Mesa County, Colorado?
The Gini coefficient in Mesa County is 0.528. 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 Mesa County, Colorado?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mesa County, Colorado has narrowed from about 28% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2014, and was narrowest at 15% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $819 since 2009.
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