United States › Colorado › La Plata County COUNTY
La Plata County Colorado · 56,898 residents (2025 est.) · 1,690 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
La Plata County is a county of 56,331 people in Colorado. Few US counties rank higher on income. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $591,500. At a median age of 43.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.2
US median: 38.9
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 86%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 43,941 in 2000
56,898 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 29 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K 37K 44K 52K 59K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 La Plata County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $86,056
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,159 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $21,534 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 34.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.419 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Education & health services 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
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$591,500
+86%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $174,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,504
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $655 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 68.4% in 2000
29.1% rent
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 6.1 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 82.3%(36,168)
Hispanic / Latino 10.4%(4,571)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 76.1%(42,847)
Hispanic / Latino 12.9%(7,244)
from 41 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 17 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data from 36.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 91.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 12.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 67.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 69.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 37.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 89.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 6.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 29.8%(7,265)
Women 15+
Never married 25.8%(6,192)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 17.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 68.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 35.0% 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) 28.8%(890)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.5%(634)
Share of the 3,091 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
Places similar to La Plata County Head to head
Compare La Plata County to nearby counties LA PLATA COUNTY VS
San Juan County
Income $77,824 −10%
Home value $432,500 −27%
Population 813 −99%
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LA PLATA COUNTY VS
Montezuma County
Income $65,244 −24%
Home value $331,400 −44%
Population 26,678 −53%
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LA PLATA COUNTY VS
Archuleta County
Income $83,065 −3%
Home value $478,100 −19%
Population 14,306 −75%
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LA PLATA COUNTY VS
Hinsdale County
Income $75,972 −12%
Home value $437,900 −26%
Population 753 −99%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in La Plata County, Colorado? La Plata County, Colorado has about 56,331 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in La Plata County, Colorado? The typical household in La Plata County, Colorado earns about $86,056 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is La Plata County, Colorado expensive? In La Plata County, Colorado, the median home is worth about $591,500, and the typical rent is about $1,504 a month.
How educated are people in La Plata County, Colorado? About 49.3% of adults age 25 and over in La Plata County, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in La Plata County, Colorado? About 11.7% of people in La Plata County, Colorado live below the federal poverty line.
Has La Plata County, Colorado grown since 1990? Yes, La Plata County, Colorado has grown since 1990. The population has added about 24,047 residents, a change of about 74 percent over that period.
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