United States › Colorado › Cortez CITY
Cortez Colorado · 9,126 residents (2025 est.) · 6.23 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 8,976 people, Cortez is a city in Colorado. That trails the Colorado median by roughly 43%. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 15 minutes on average. About 27% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The median household earns $54,247, about 34% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 74%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 7,977 in 2000
9,126 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,441 / sq mi
+7%since 2009
from 1,352 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 8K 8K 9K 9K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Cortez Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,247
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,776 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,040 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.447 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 4.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$272,900
+74%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$984
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $464 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.7% in 2000
34.4% rent
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.37 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 74.7%(5,959)
Hispanic / Latino 13.3%(1,061)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 62.1%(5,576)
Hispanic / Latino 19.7%(1,768)
from 65 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 18.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 33.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 23.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 67.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 83.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.9%(1,473)
Women 15+
Never married 27.3%(1,030)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 23.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 39.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 36.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 53.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 19.2%(121)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.1%(158)
Share of the 630 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Cortez, Colorado? Cortez, Colorado has about 8,976 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Cortez, Colorado? The typical household in Cortez, Colorado earns about $54,247 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Cortez, Colorado expensive? In Cortez, Colorado, the median home is worth about $272,900, and the typical rent is about $984 a month.
How educated are people in Cortez, Colorado? About 26.6% of adults age 25 and over in Cortez, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Cortez, Colorado? About 15.0% of people in Cortez, Colorado live below the federal poverty line.
Has Cortez, Colorado grown since 1990? Yes, Cortez, Colorado has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,692 residents, a change of about 23 percent over that period.
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