Population 12,649 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cortez
Household size in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.50 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.15 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Cortez run a little small, averaging 2.50 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.35, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.6 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.8 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Cortez are younger than 40.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in Colorado overall, where the median age is 39.1. The median age has climbed from 37.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Cortez than nationally: 13.9%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 11 of the 133 Colorado cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cortez
Renters in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.9% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.5% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Cortez rent their homes (27.5%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among owners, 46.1% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Cortez is close to the national rate: 8.8% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy has risen 3.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Cortez are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Colorado as a whole, where the median home dates to 1988. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $721 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $750 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $865 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $951 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$229 | +$912 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cortez pays $951 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $229 a month from 2006–10, a 32% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 37.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cortez
Bachelor's degrees in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.0% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.9% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.4% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Cortez (26.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.6% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.0% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.6% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Cortez is close to the national rate: 90.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Colorado overall (92.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.1 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cortez
| Period | Cortez | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Cortez has been low: just 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 5.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cortez compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortez | 2.50 | 40.8 | 13.9% | 27.5% | 8.8% | 1977 | $951 | 26.8% | 90.6% | 3.4% |
| Lebanon | 2.25 | 47.5 | 6.8% | 20.1% | 7.9% | 1990 | $1,369 | 38.8% | 93.6% | 4.5% |
| Dolores | 2.33 | 49.8 | 6.4% | 22.1% | 10.2% | 1988 | $1,271 | 36.8% | 93.5% | 2.8% |
| Mesa Verde National Park | 2.10 | 56.2 | 5.6% | 13.5% | 8.9% | 1993 | $864 | 33.5% | 94.9% | 4.5% |
| Towaoc | 2.54 | 45.1 | 29.6% | 33.5% | 3.7% | 1979 | $451 | 15.6% | 80.8% | 8.5% |
| Mancos | 2.06 | 56.7 | 2.6% | 18.1% | 9.6% | 1996 | $1,049 | 43.4% | 95.4% | 5.0% |
| Hesperus | 2.55 | 45.4 | 3.8% | 13.2% | 15.6% | 1994 | $1,256 | 48.5% | 98.1% | 2.0% |
| Aneth | 3.33 | 32.2 | 21.5% | 17.5% | 28.5% | 1992 | $806 | 8.8% | 80.5% | 21.8% |
| Montezuma Creek | 3.36 | 31.6 | 22.7% | 16.7% | 29.6% | 1992 | $819 | 8.6% | 81.0% | 20.9% |
| Durango | 2.15 | 42.1 | 6.2% | 35.4% | 12.9% | 1990 | $1,461 | 54.5% | 97.0% | 3.5% |
| Hermosa | 2.31 | 53.4 | 9.8% | 5.9% | 22.4% | 2001 | $1,173 | 55.7% | 98.5% | 9.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Wayland, MI · Ellisville, MS · Elizabeth, CO · Elberton, GA · South Boston, VA · Duson, LA · Dudley, MA · Vineyard Haven, MA · Clay, AL · Chipley, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cortez. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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