Mesa County, CO

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

157,316

0.759% 1-year growth

US Senator

Michael Bennet

Democratic Party

US Senator

John Hickenlooper

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

40.8

0.493% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

11.2%

2.52% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$71,485

5.01% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$349,400

11.8% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

74,658

0.612% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Mesa County, CO had a population of 157k people with a median age of 40.8 and a median household income of $71,485. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Mesa County, CO grew from 156,131 to 157,316, a 0.759% increase and its median household income grew from $68,077 to $71,485, a 5.01% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Mesa County, CO are White (Non-Hispanic) (79%), Two+ (Hispanic) (7.18%), White (Hispanic) (5.71%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.27%), and Other (Hispanic) (2.01%).

None of the households in Mesa County, CO reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.4% of the residents in Mesa County, CO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Mesa County, CO are Colorado Mesa University (1,939 degrees awarded in 2022) and Intellitec College-Grand Junction (656 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Mesa County, CO was $349,400, and the homeownership rate was 71.9%.

Most people in Mesa County, CO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Mesa County, CO was 2 cars per household.

Mesa County, CO borders Delta County, CO, Garfield County, CO, Gunnison County, CO, Montrose County, CO, Pitkin County, CO, Grand County, UT, and San Juan County, UT.

United States Colorado Grand Junction, CO

Population & Diversity

Mesa County, CO is home to a population of 157k people, from which 97.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 4.11% of Mesa County, CO residents were born outside of the country (6.47k people).

In 2023, there were 11 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (124k people) in Mesa County, CO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 11.3k Two+ (Hispanic) and 8.99k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.4%

2023 Citizenship

97.8%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.4% of Mesa County, CO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Mesa County, CO was 97.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Mesa County, CO compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mesa County, CO

White (Non-Hispanic)
124k ± 587
Two+ (Hispanic)
11.3k ± 1.55k
White (Hispanic)
8.99k ± 1.31k

15.2%

Hispanic Population

24k people

15.2% of the people in Mesa County, CO are hispanic (24k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Mesa County, CO as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Colorado.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
206,571 ± 10,957 people
India
22,427 ± 3,670 people
China
17,909 ± 3,280 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Colorado was Mexico, the natal country of 206,571 Colorado residents, followed by India with 22,427 and China with 17,909.

Foreign-Born Population

4.11%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

6.47k people

3.9%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

6.1k people

As of 2023, 4.11% of Mesa County, CO residents (6.47k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Mesa County, CO was 3.9%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Mesa County, CO compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,142 ± 475
Gulf War (2001-)
2,502 ± 397
Gulf War (1990s)
1,626 ± 316

Mesa County, CO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.66 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Mesa County, CO employs 74.7k people. The largest industries in Mesa County, CO are Health Care & Social Assistance (12,639 people), Retail Trade (9,234 people), and Construction (7,254 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($100,034), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($97,157), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($78,618).

Males in Colorado have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $67,859. The income inequality in Colorado (measured using the Gini index) is 0.464, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

74.7k

2023 Value

± 2,368

0.612%

1 Year growth

± 4.41%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mesa County, CO grew at a rate of 0.612%, from 74.2k employees to 74.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Mesa County, CO, are Management Occupations (8,739 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (7,742 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (7,125 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Mesa County, CO.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Colorado (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

74.7k

2023 Value

± 2,368

0.612%

1 Year growth

± 4.41%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Mesa County, CO grew at a rate of 0.612%, from 74.2k employees to 74.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Mesa County, CO, are Health Care & Social Assistance (12,639 people), Retail Trade (9,234 people), and Construction (7,254 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Mesa County, CO, though some of these residents may live in Mesa County, CO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,695

Median earning men ± $1,675

$36,252

Median earning women ± $1,249

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($86,000), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($69,931), and Public Administration ($66,994).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($60,515), Public Administration ($57,768), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,229).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

Y-Axis

1.73%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.87M people employed in Colorado. This represents a 1.73% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Colorado.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

392
Construction
388
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
331
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$700k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$357k
Construction
$338k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mesa County, CO went to Donald J. Trump with 62.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (34.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.44%).

Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are the senators currently representing the state of Colorado. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Colorado is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (62.8%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (34.8%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.44%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Mesa County, CO went to Donald J. Trump with 62.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (34.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.44%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mesa County, CO for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Colorado

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

Michael Bennet

Senator from Colorado

Assumed office on January 21, 2009
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Ken Salazar, who had become Secretary of the Interior.

John Hickenlooper

Senator from Colorado

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are the senators currently representing Colorado.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Colorado over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Colorado

Colorado is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Colorado have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Mesa County, CO awarded 2,595 degrees. The student population of Mesa County, CO in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 4,573 male students and 5,437 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mesa County, CO are White (1,681 and 65.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (615 and 24%), Unknown (66 and 2.57%), and Two or More Races (65 and 2.53%).

The largest universities in Mesa County, CO by number of degrees awarded are Colorado Mesa University (1,939 and 74.7%) and Intellitec College-Grand Junction (656 and 25.3%).

The most popular majors in Mesa County, CO are General Business Administration & Management (201 and 7.75%), Registered Nursing (182 and 7.01%), and Automobile Mechanics Technology (179 and 6.9%).

The median tuition cost in Mesa County, CO for a public four year colleges is $8,261 for in-state students and $21,983 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Mesa County, CO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 81.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 10,010 (45.7% men and 54.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 10,010 students enrolled in Mesa County, CO, 45.7% men and 54.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,422 records, of which 54.2% were women and 45.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
188 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
157 degrees awarded
Kinesiology & Exercise Science
100 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mesa County, CO was General Business Administration & Management with 188 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Mesa County, CO according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Colorado Mesa University
1,939 degrees awarded
Intellitec College-Grand Junction
656 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Colorado Mesa University with 1,939 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 1,082 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mesa County, CO, which is 0.715 times less than the 1,513 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,681 degrees mean that there were 2.73 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 615 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($8,261) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,036) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,560) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

Measure

In 2022, 0.886% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.84% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Bachelors Degree (1.16M), Some college (997k), and High School or Equivalent (997k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Mesa County, CO was $349,400 in 2023, which is 1.15 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $312,600 to $349,400, a 11.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Mesa County, CO is 71.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Mesa County, CO have an average commute time of 19.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Mesa County, CO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Mesa County, CO is $71,485. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Mesa County, CO was Census Tract 16 with a value of $120,694, followed by Census Tract 14.03 and Census Tract 14.02, with respective values of $118,021 and $106,801.

In 2023, 16.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mesa County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.843%.

Housing

Property

$349,400

Median Property Value 2023

±$6,475

$46,413

Median Property Taxes

±$1,662

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Mesa County, CO the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Mesa County, CO compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71.9%

Homeownership

2023

71.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 71.9% of the housing units in Mesa County, CO were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 71.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Mesa County, CO compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 16
Census Tract 14.03
Census Tract 14.02

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Mesa County, CO was Census Tract 16 with a value of $120,694, followed by Census Tract 14.03 and Census Tract 14.02, with respective values of $118,021 and $106,801.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Mesa County, CO colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$71,485

Median Household Income

± $1,848

64.6k

Number of Households

± 2,102

In 2023, the median household income of the 64.6k households in Mesa County, CO grew to $71,485 from the previous year's value of $68,077.

The following chart displays the households in Mesa County, CO distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mesa County, CO is from Colorado.

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in Colorado

0.465

2021 Wage GINI in Colorado

In 2022, the income inequality in Colorado was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.265% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Colorado was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Colorado in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Colorado across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (72.7%)
Worked At Home (13.1%)
Carpooled (7.93%)

In 2023, 72.7% of workers in Mesa County, CO drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.1%) and those who carpooled to work (7.93%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

19.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Mesa County, CO have a shorter commute time (19.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.68% of the workforce in Mesa County, CO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Mesa County, CO compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Mesa County, CO distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Mesa County, CO have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 16.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mesa County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.843%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Mesa County, CO (17.1k out of 153k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Mesa County, CO is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 14.4% of the children was living in poverty in Mesa County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 5.7%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

90.2% of the population of Mesa County, CO has health coverage, with 40.3% on employee plans, 20.3% on Medicaid, 14.7% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 2.54% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mesa County, CO see 850 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.41% decrease from the previous year (871 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1345 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 280 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

850 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mesa County, CO

Primary care physicians in Mesa County, CO see an average of 850 patients per year. This represents a 2.41% decrease from the previous year (871 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Mesa County, CO in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.3% under 18 years, 20% between 18 and 34 years, 37.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.82%

Uninsured

40.3%

Employer Coverage

20.3%

Medicaid

14.7%

Medicare

12.4%

Non-Group

2.54%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Mesa County, CO declined by 1.31% from 9.95% to 9.82%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Mesa County, CO changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 41.9 in Mesa County, CO.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mesa County, CO.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 28.2% in Mesa County, CO.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Mesa County, CO.