Pitkin County, Colorado Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Pitkin 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 Top gradeAmong the top 5 healthiest counties in Colorado
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A
Income Above averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in Colorado
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A+
Education Top gradeAmong the top 5 best educated counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Pitkin County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,985 | 5,842,429 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 17.5 | 56.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.40% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 47.6 | 35.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,215 | 2,364,171 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Pitkin County grew by 10.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 16,985 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Pitkin County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 24.6% of residents. That is 4.8 points above Colorado as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,060 18.0% -4.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,846 22.6% -1.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,173 24.6% +4.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,630 21.4% +6.1 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 47.2% of the people living in Pitkin County and men 52.8%.
- Women 47.2% Colorado 49.4%
- Men 52.8% Colorado 50.6%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Pitkin County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Pitkin County has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Pitkin County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,712 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.62% | 5.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Pitkin County is about 5% higher than in Colorado.
Housing
| Metric | Pitkin County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $699,652 | $484,034 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,004 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Pitkin County is about 29.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,004 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Pitkin County spend about 35 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 146 hours, about 6.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Pitkin County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.5 | 22.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.9 | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 146 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,511 | $5,694 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 16.6% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,956 | 8,183 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 270 | 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 Pitkin County is 17 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
Pitkin County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Pitkin County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.2% | 40.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.83 | 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
Pitkin County has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Pitkin County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.4 | 80.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 7.7% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 11.4% | 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).
Pitkin County, CO Compared With Nearby Counties
Pitkin County, CO is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 16,985 residents against a local median of 31,017. Nothing separates Pitkin County, CO sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 4% below the local median at $100,712 against $104,738. Pitkin County, CO has the 3rd highest median household income of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitkin County, CO | 16,985 | $100,712 #3/4 | $699,652 #3/4 | 17.5 min #3/4 |
| Eagle County, CO | 55,135 | $104,738 | $1,803,212 | 20.2 min |
| Chaffee County, CO | 20,178 | $83,141 | $667,525 | 11.5 min |
| Summit County, CO | 31,017 | $111,746 | $721,081 | 17.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Pitkin County, Colorado.
How big is Pitkin County, Colorado by population?
About 16,985 people live in Pitkin County, Colorado, in 9,215 households of 1.8 people on average. The median age is 47.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 10 years.
Is Pitkin County, Colorado urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Pitkin County, Colorado has 17 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 20% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Pitkin County, Colorado?
The median home costs 6.9 times the median household income ($699,652 against $100,712), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,004 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Pitkin County, Colorado?
Unemployment in Pitkin County, Colorado is only 2.5%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Pitkin County, Colorado?
60.2% of adults in Pitkin County, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 6 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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