Population 56,331 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in La Plata County
Household size in La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
La Plata County is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.37 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the north.
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 La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.0 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.1 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.0 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.1 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of La Plata County is 43.0 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.0, 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 La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.7% of households in La Plata County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 La Plata County
Renters in La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.9% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.3% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in La Plata County own their homes; 29.1% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Just over four in ten owners (41.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.8 points, 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 La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.6% of the housing in La Plata County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.7 points, in line with the national trend.
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 La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in La Plata County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the west.
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 La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $956 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,131 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,196 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,421 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$465 | +$912 | +$606 |
Rent in La Plata County runs $1,421 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $465 a month from 2006–10, a 49% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.6% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 La Plata County
Bachelor's degrees in La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.6% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.5% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.9% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in La Plata County: 48.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 8.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.4% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.7% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.4% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in La Plata County: 96.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. La Plata County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Colorado counties.
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 La Plata County
| Period | La Plata County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in La Plata County than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.4 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
La Plata County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Plata County | 2.27 | 43.0 | 6.7% | 29.1% | 13.6% | 1991 | $1,421 | 48.9% | 96.4% | 3.9% |
| Archuleta County | 2.36 | 51.2 | 5.4% | 19.9% | 36.4% | 1996 | $1,433 | 39.4% | 95.8% | 1.1% |
| Montezuma County | 2.37 | 45.9 | 10.2% | 23.8% | 9.5% | 1984 | $1,029 | 32.0% | 91.2% | 3.7% |
| Conejos County | 2.41 | 40.3 | 7.5% | 23.5% | 17.1% | 1981 | $781 | 26.6% | 91.1% | 4.0% |
| Costilla County | 2.21 | 52.1 | 10.6% | 21.0% | 32.4% | 1981 | $891 | 24.3% | 90.1% | 3.3% |
| Las Animas County | 2.11 | 47.2 | 9.6% | 31.4% | 18.7% | 1969 | $991 | 20.4% | 90.6% | 5.3% |
| Kane County | 2.31 | 43.4 | 4.9% | 19.6% | 24.2% | 1993 | $1,083 | 28.7% | 93.4% | 2.6% |
| Baca County | 2.05 | 46.5 | 8.5% | 28.5% | 15.7% | 1969 | $646 | 24.4% | 88.1% | 0.7% |
| Washington County | 2.88 | 40.4 | 6.5% | 28.4% | 13.7% | 2002 | $1,750 | 35.5% | 94.7% | 3.5% |
| Stevens County | 2.79 | 39.2 | 15.7% | 25.5% | 16.6% | 1974 | $946 | 22.4% | 76.2% | 3.7% |
| Meade County | 2.56 | 39.6 | 15.1% | 26.0% | 20.9% | 1958 | $826 | 26.5% | 88.7% | 1.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Worcester County, MD · Ashland County, OH · Nacogdoches County, TX · Logan County, OK · Monroe County, WI · Mifflin County, PA · Mercer County, WV · McMinn County, TN · Maverick County, TX · Marshall County, IN
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 La Plata County. 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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