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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Otero County

Colorado · 20,185 residents · 1,262 sq mi
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The short version

With 20,185 people, Otero County is a county in Colorado. Households here earn about 40% less than in Colorado as a whole. Median home value sits at $37,800. The poverty rate is 23.9%, above the 13.2% national rate. The median household earns $18,178, about 40% below the national median. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 35.0
US median: 33.0
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

20,185
−1%vs 2000
vs 20,311 in 2000
1990 – 2025
35.0
−7%vs 2000
vs 37.7 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
1,262 sq mi
Population, 19902024
18K19K19K20K21K19902000201020202024Otero County
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.2%(1,453)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.3%(1,670)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 148.4%(1,692)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.9%(1,585)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 244.6%(928)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3413.8%(2,776)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4413.3%(2,685)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.3%(2,077)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.5%(1,919)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.6%(1,740)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 846.4%(1,291)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.8%(369)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$18,178
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $29,738 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$9,573
−37%vs 2000
vs $15,113 in 2000
US average: $14,340
23.9%
+5.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 18.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$37,800
−26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $67,700 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$288
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $372 in 2000
US average: $450
66.9%
−2.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 69.1% in 2000
33.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic59.2%(12,014)
Black0.5%(111)
Hispanic / Latino37.6%(7,642)
Asian0.7%(134)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic82.7%(16,699)
Black0.5%(98)
Hispanic / Latino35.2%(7,102)
Asian0.9%(173)
Other15.9%(3,215)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican34.3%(6,280)
Spaniard1%(185)
Ecuadorian0.6%(106)
Costa Rican0.1%(26)
Peruvian0.1%(25)
Puerto Rican0.1%(19)
Panamanian0.1%(12)
Cuban0%(5)
Asian origin
Pakistani0.3%(51)
Korean0.1%(26)
Mongolian0.1%(16)
Filipino0.1%(16)
Japanese0.1%(13)
Chinese0%(7)
Ancestry
German15.6%(2,862)
English11.5%(2,116)
Irish8.2%(1,497)
American4.3%(784)
Italian3.5%(640)
French3.1%(559)
Scottish2.1%(387)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(207)
Dutch1%(179)
Swedish0.9%(173)
Arab0.7%(120)
Norwegian0.6%(115)
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.5%(89)
British0.5%(86)
Welsh0.3%(64)
Polish0.3%(50)
Greek0.3%(46)
Finnish0.2%(44)
Lebanese0.2%(43)
Czech0.2%(31)
Ukrainian0.2%(28)
Swiss0.1%(23)
Portuguese0.1%(21)
Russian0%(1)
Section 05

Education

13.0%
−2.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.4% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
69.4%
−6.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 75.7% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
4.5%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 5.4% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

17.3 min
+30%vs 2000
vs 13.3 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married34.9%(2,576)
Married47%(3,468)
Widowed7.6%(560)
Divorced10.6%(780)
Women 15+
Never married24.6%(1,846)
Married49.3%(3,697)
Widowed12.4%(931)
Divorced13.7%(1,024)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

6.6%
−13.1 ptssince 2013
from 19.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
40.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 41.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
23.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 22.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
38.9%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
from 34.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.1%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
50.5%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
55.9%
+4.6 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.2%(252)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.1%(353)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.3%(21)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Otero County, Colorado?

Otero County, Colorado has about 20,185 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Otero County, Colorado?

The typical household in Otero County, Colorado earns about $18,178 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 $37,800, and the typical rent is about $288 a month.

How educated are people in Otero County, Colorado?

About 13.0% 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 23.9% of people in Otero County, Colorado live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →