Ouray County, Colorado Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Ouray 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 80% of counties in Colorado
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 71% of counties in Colorado
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A+
Education Top gradeBetter educated than 92% of counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Ouray County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,087 | 5,842,429 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 9.4 | 56.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.13% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 55.9 | 35.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,623 | 2,364,171 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Ouray County grew by 12.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 5,087 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Ouray County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 31.2% of residents. That is 15.9 points above Colorado as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 680 13.4% -9.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 858 16.9% -7.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,297 25.5% +5.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,585 31.2% +15.9 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 50.3% of the people living in Ouray County and men 49.7%.
- Women 50.3% Colorado 49.4%
- Men 49.7% Colorado 50.6%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Ouray County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Ouray County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Ouray County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $90,204 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.40% | 5.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Ouray County is about 6% lower than in Colorado.
Housing
| Metric | Ouray County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $374,999 | $484,034 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,786 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.5% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Ouray County is about 17.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,786 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Ouray County spend about 37 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 155 hours, about 6.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Ouray County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.6 | 22.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.3 | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 155 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,813 | $5,694 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 19.9% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,033 | 8,183 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 992 | 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 Ouray County is 19 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
Ouray County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Ouray County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.0% | 40.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.94 | 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
Ouray County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Ouray County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.2 | 80.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.7% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 12.5% | 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).
Ouray County, CO Compared With Nearby Counties
How Ouray County, CO compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouray County, CO | 5,087 | $90,204 #1/3 | $374,999 #1/3 | 18.6 min #3/3 |
| Montrose County, CO | 43,807 | $70,739 | $113,235 | 15.1 min |
| Delta County, CO | 31,598 | $57,769 | $344,148 | 16.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Ouray County, Colorado.
How big is Ouray County, Colorado by population?
About 5,087 people live in Ouray County, Colorado, in 2,623 households of 1.9 people on average. The median age is 55.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 19 years.
How densely populated is Ouray County, Colorado?
Averaged over its land area, Ouray County, Colorado has 9 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 11% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Ouray County, Colorado an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 4.2 times the median household income ($374,999 against $90,204), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,786 a month takes about 24% 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 Ouray County, Colorado?
Unemployment in Ouray County, Colorado is only 3.5%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Ouray County, Colorado?
48.0% of adults in Ouray 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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