Population 18,321 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Otero County
Household size in Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.15 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Otero County run small, averaging 2.47 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has climbed from 2.32 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the north and smallest 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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.8 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.3 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.2 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.0 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Otero County are younger than 41.0 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.
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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Otero County (12.9%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Otero County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Colorado counties.
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 Otero County
Renters in Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.0% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.1% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Otero County own their homes; 31.1% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (48.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the west. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.9 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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.4% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.6% of the housing in Otero 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.
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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Otero County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1959, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1956 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the north. Few Colorado counties have older homes: only two of 64.
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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $584 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $597 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $675 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $862 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$278 | +$912 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Otero County costs $862 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $278 a month from 2006–10, a 48% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.9% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the south.
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 Otero County
Bachelor's degrees in Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.3% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.6% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.0% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Otero County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 3.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the north.
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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.2% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.3% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.0% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.8% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Otero County is close to the national rate: 88.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Colorado as a whole (92.8%). The share with a diploma is up 8.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Otero County
| Period | Otero County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Otero County: 6.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.5 points, 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).
Otero 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otero County | 2.47 | 41.0 | 12.9% | 31.1% | 14.6% | 1959 | $862 | 20.0% | 88.8% | 6.8% |
| Crowley County | 3.58 | 39.1 | 9.2% | 30.5% | 13.5% | 1955 | $1,041 | 10.1% | 78.6% | 4.5% |
| Bent County | 2.28 | 42.7 | 14.6% | 34.8% | 12.8% | 1963 | $1,203 | 16.0% | 83.6% | 6.0% |
| Prowers County | 2.51 | 37.4 | 11.5% | 32.9% | 14.5% | 1968 | $865 | 19.2% | 86.8% | 5.0% |
| Custer County | 2.08 | 53.4 | 5.1% | 14.7% | 43.7% | 1994 | $1,025 | 43.3% | 93.9% | 3.3% |
| Hamilton County | 3.28 | 33.7 | 20.1% | 22.9% | 24.0% | 1970 | $773 | 20.7% | 80.1% | 3.0% |
| Saguache County | 1.98 | 50.1 | 10.4% | 23.1% | 13.4% | 1987 | $940 | 30.9% | 91.8% | 9.2% |
| Kearny County | 2.69 | 36.2 | 12.0% | 28.3% | 11.6% | 1973 | $1,039 | 18.5% | 81.7% | 2.2% |
| Finney County | 2.92 | 33.3 | 15.9% | 35.1% | 10.0% | 1978 | $1,069 | 18.5% | 70.8% | 3.8% |
| Hinsdale County | 1.96 | 48.5 | 16.4% | 23.9% | 62.0% | 1984 | $1,171 | 47.7% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Hodgeman County | 2.38 | 49.0 | 7.5% | 20.9% | 15.5% | 1957 | $937 | 30.2% | 95.5% | 0.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Parmer County, TX · McCormick County, SC · McCreary County, KY · McIntosh County, GA · McLean County, KY · Meeker County, MN · Menominee County, MI · Mercer County, KY · Page County, VA · Palo Alto County, IA
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 Otero 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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