San Miguel County, Colorado Income Statistics
San Miguel 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.
-
B
San Miguel County Around averageWealthier than 89% of counties in Colorado
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $78,996 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $62,342 | $68,113 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.0% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 20.1% | 18.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 20.1% | 17.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in San Miguel County is about 18% lower than in Colorado. Income has been growing slower in San Miguel County (4.0%/yr) than in Colorado (5.4%/yr).
About 20% of adults in San Miguel County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Colorado average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in San Miguel County, Colorado grew by 30.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $78,996 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in San Miguel County
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.479 | 0.524 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $72,249 | $78,863 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $66,149 | $64,818 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 8.4% | 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 San Miguel County, it is 0.479, lower than Colorado's 0.524, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 9% more than women's income in San Miguel County, Colorado. Over a 35-year career, a 9% wage gap accumulates to roughly $213,500 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Miguel County, Colorado has narrowed from about 19% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 21% in 2014, and in 2021 women out-earned men by 10%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,193 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | San Miguel County | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.8% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 143 people are unemployed in San Miguel County, Colorado.
The average commute time in San Miguel County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in San Miguel County, Colorado has fallen from 4.9% to 2.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 2.5% in 2019.
San Miguel County, CO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
San Miguel County, CO is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,968 residents against a local median of 5,087. The measure that sets San Miguel County, CO apart most is income growth: 4.0%/yr, 34% below the local median of 6.1%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 2.7% against a local median of 3.9%, 30% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so San Miguel County, CO is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 5.1%/yr on income growth, so San Miguel County, CO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. San Miguel County, CO has the 6th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Miguel County, CO | 7,968 | $78,996 #2/6 | 4.0%/yr #6/6 | 2.7% #2/6 | 0.479 #1/6 |
| Dolores County, CO | 2,432 | $65,131 | 9.5%/yr | 2.5% | 0.521 |
| Montrose County, CO | 43,807 | $70,739 | 6.1%/yr | 4.4% | 0.529 |
| Ouray County, CO | 5,087 | $90,204 | 4.4%/yr | 3.5% | 0.489 |
| Montezuma County, CO | 26,412 | $65,016 | 5.7%/yr | 3.9% | 0.538 |
| San Juan County, CO | 724 | $76,167 | 7.7%/yr | 9.4% | 0.507 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, San Miguel County, Colorado has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Colorado, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in San Miguel County, Colorado.
How Rich Is San Miguel County, Colorado?
San Miguel County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $78,996, about 18% lower than the Colorado average of $95,803.
How fast is household income rising in San Miguel County, Colorado?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in San Miguel County, Colorado rose 31%, from $60,368 to $78,996. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Colorado as a whole: +31% against +70%.
What was the median household income in San Miguel County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in San Miguel County, Colorado was $81,936, up 13% from $72,387 in 2022. The Colorado median that year was $93,071.
What was the median household income in San Miguel County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in San Miguel County, Colorado was $68,010. By 2024 it had risen 16% to $78,996.
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 Colorado rate of 4.6%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in San Miguel County, Colorado?
The Gini coefficient in San Miguel County is 0.479. 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 San Miguel County, Colorado?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in San Miguel County, Colorado has narrowed from about 19% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 21% in 2014, and in 2021 women out-earned men by 10%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,193 since 2009.
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 →