Otero County, Colorado Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Otero 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.
-
C
Health Below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Colorado
-
D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Colorado
-
D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 85% of counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Otero County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,321 | 5,842,429 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 14.4 | 56.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.08% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.2 | 35.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 7,584 | 2,364,171 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Otero County declined by 2.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 18,321 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Otero County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 20.6% of residents. That is 1.9 points below Colorado as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,781 20.6% -1.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,421 18.7% -5.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,466 18.9% -0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,613 19.7% +4.5 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 50.1% of the people living in Otero County and men 49.9%.
- Women 50.1% Colorado 49.4%
- Men 49.9% Colorado 50.6%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Otero County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Otero County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Otero County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,410 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.95% | 5.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Otero County is about 43% lower than in Colorado.
Housing
| Metric | Otero County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $309,184 | $484,034 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $839 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.9% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Otero County is about 30.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $839 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Otero County spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 104 hours, about 4.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Otero County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.5 | 22.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 24.9 | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 104 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,216 | $5,694 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,928 | 8,183 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 189 | 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 Otero County is 12 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
Otero County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Otero County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 40.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | 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
Otero County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Otero County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.9 | 80.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 19.6% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.7% | 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).
Otero County, CO Compared With Nearby Counties
How Otero County, CO compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otero County, CO | 18,321 | $54,410 #2/2 | $309,184 #1/2 | 12.5 min #1/2 |
| Pueblo County, CO | 169,356 | $64,867 | $228,671 | 17.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Otero County, Colorado.
How many people live in Otero County, Colorado?
About 18,321 people live in Otero County, Colorado, in 7,584 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 42.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is Otero County, Colorado mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Otero County, Colorado has 14 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 17% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Otero County, Colorado?
The median home costs 5.7 times the median household income ($309,184 against $54,410), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $839 a month takes about 19% 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 Otero County, Colorado?
Unemployment in Otero County, Colorado is 6.7%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Otero County, Colorado have a college degree?
17.0% of adults in Otero County, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →