United States › Colorado › Otero County COUNTY
Otero County Colorado · 17,683 residents (2025 est.) · 1,262 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Otero County is a county of 18,321 people in Colorado. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. That trails the Colorado median by roughly 43%. Density works out to 15 people per square mile. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $168,900. The poverty rate is 22.1%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 20,311 in 2000
17,683 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 15 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
18K 19K 19K 20K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Otero County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,037
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,738 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,113 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.439 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.1%
Public administration 3.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.9%
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$168,900
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$839
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $372 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.1% in 2000
31.1% rent
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 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 59.2%(12,014)
Hispanic / Latino 37.6%(7,642)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 52.4%(9,597)
Hispanic / Latino 42%(7,695)
from 65 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 23 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 Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 75.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 19.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 32.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 83.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 14.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 34.9%(2,576)
Women 15+
Never married 24.6%(1,846)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 34.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.3% 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) 32.5%(301)
Gulf War (1990s) 27.2%(252)
Share of the 926 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 Otero County Head to head
Compare Otero County to nearby counties OTERO COUNTY VS
Crowley County
Income $48,826 −10%
Home value $116,200 −31%
Population 5,677 −68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Bent County
Income $50,179 −7%
Home value $146,900 −13%
Population 5,716 −68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Las Animas County
Income $52,074 −4%
Home value $237,600 +41%
Population 14,391 −19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTERO COUNTY VS
Pueblo County
Income $64,010 +18%
Home value $291,300 +72%
Population 169,277 +857%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Otero County, Colorado? Otero County, Colorado has about 18,321 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Otero County, Colorado? The typical household in Otero County, Colorado earns about $54,037 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Otero County, Colorado expensive? In Otero County, Colorado, the median home is worth about $168,900, and the typical rent is about $839 a month.
How educated are people in Otero County, Colorado? About 18.2% of adults age 25 and over in Otero County, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Otero County, Colorado? About 22.1% of people in Otero County, Colorado live below the federal poverty line.
Has Otero County, Colorado grown since 1990? Yes, Otero County, Colorado has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,864 residents, a change of about -9 percent over that period.
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