San Miguel County, Colorado Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
San Miguel 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 85% of counties in Colorado
-
B
Income Around averageWealthier than 89% of counties in Colorado
-
A+
Education Top gradeAmong the top 5 best educated counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,968 | 5,842,429 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 6.2 | 56.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.32% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.3 | 35.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,604 | 2,364,171 | 130,235,071 |
Population in San Miguel County grew by 7.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 7,968 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in San Miguel County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 27.1% of residents. That is 2.8 points above Colorado as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,369 17.2% -5.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,156 27.1% +2.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,039 25.6% +5.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,307 16.4% +1.2 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 45.3% of the people living in San Miguel County and men 54.7%.
- Women 45.3% Colorado 49.4%
- Men 54.7% Colorado 50.6%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in San Miguel County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
San Miguel County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,996 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.02% | 5.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in San Miguel County is about 18% lower than in Colorado.
Housing
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,250,000 | $484,034 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,149 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.0% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in San Miguel County is about 163.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,149 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in San Miguel County spend about 26 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 107 hours, about 4.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.9 | 22.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 25.7 | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 107 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,323 | $5,694 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.8% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,047 | 8,183 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 329 | 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 San Miguel County is 13 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
San Miguel County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.3% | 40.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.73 | 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
San Miguel County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.4 | 80.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 8.7% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 12.9% | 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).
San Miguel County, CO Compared With Nearby Counties
How San Miguel County, CO compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Miguel County, CO | 7,968 | $78,996 #1/3 | $2,250,000 #1/3 | 12.9 min #1/3 |
| Montrose County, CO | 43,807 | $70,739 | $113,235 | 15.1 min |
| Montezuma County, CO | 26,412 | $65,016 | $275,000 | 15.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about San Miguel County, Colorado.
How big is San Miguel County, Colorado by population?
About 7,968 people live in San Miguel County, Colorado, in 4,604 households of 1.7 people on average. The median age is 42.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is San Miguel County, Colorado mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, San Miguel County, Colorado has 6 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 7% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in San Miguel County, Colorado?
The median home costs 28.5 times the median household income ($2,250,000 against $78,996), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,149 a month takes about 17% 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 San Miguel County, Colorado?
Unemployment in San Miguel County, Colorado is only 2.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in San Miguel County, Colorado have a college degree?
59.3% of adults in San Miguel County, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 6 in 10), well above 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 →