Bent County, CO

County

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2023 Population

5,524

0.665% 1-year decline

US Senator

Michael Bennet

Democratic Party

US Senator

John Hickenlooper

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

41.7

2.46% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

31.7%

17.1% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$49,194

7.47% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$137,900

24.6% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

1,592

5.35% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Bent County, CO had a population of 5.52k people with a median age of 41.7 and a median household income of $49,194. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Bent County, CO declined from 5,561 to 5,524, a −0.665% decrease and its median household income grew from $45,776 to $49,194, a 7.47% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bent County, CO are White (Non-Hispanic) (54.7%), White (Hispanic) (15.5%), Other (Hispanic) (8.45%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (7.33%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (6.92%).

None of the households in Bent 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.

97.6% of the residents in Bent County, CO are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Bent County, CO was $137,900, and the homeownership rate was 66.1%.

Most people in Bent County, CO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Bent County, CO was 2 cars per household.

Bent County, CO borders Baca County, CO, Kiowa County, CO, Las Animas County, CO, Otero County, CO, and Prowers County, CO.

United States Colorado

Population & Diversity

Bent County, CO is home to a population of 5.52k people, from which 97.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 2.79% of Bent County, CO residents were born outside of the country (154 people).

In 2023, there were 3.53 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.02k people) in Bent County, CO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 855 White (Hispanic) and 467 Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.6%

2023 Citizenship

96.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.6% of Bent County, CO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Bent County, CO was 96.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bent County, CO

White (Non-Hispanic)
3.02k ± 112
White (Hispanic)
855 ± 118
Other (Hispanic)
467 ± 136

32.2%

Hispanic Population

1.78k people

32.2% of the people in Bent County, CO are hispanic (1.78k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Bent 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

2.79%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

154 people

3.65%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

203 people

As of 2023, 2.79% of Bent County, CO residents (154 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 Bent County, CO was 3.65%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (1990s)
98 ± 82
Vietnam
66 ± 61
Gulf War (2001-)
59 ± 51

Bent County, CO has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (1990s), 1.48 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bent County, CO employs 1.59k people. The largest industries in Bent County, CO are Health Care & Social Assistance (232 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (181 people), and Public Administration (180 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($118,618), Transportation & Warehousing ($71,091), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,714).

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

1.59k

2023 Value

± 231

−5.35%

1 Year decline

± 22%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bent County, CO declined at a rate of −5.35%, from 1.68k employees to 1.59k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bent County, CO, are Management Occupations (167 people), Production Occupations (158 people), and Healthcare Support Occupations (106 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bent 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.59k

2023 Value

± 231

−5.35%

1 Year decline

± 22%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Bent County, CO declined at a rate of −5.35%, from 1.68k employees to 1.59k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bent County, CO, are Health Care & Social Assistance (232 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (181 people), and Public Administration (180 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bent County, CO, though some of these residents may live in Bent County, CO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$35,577

Median earning men ± $4,936

$31,932

Median earning women ± $5,359

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($143,125), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,615), and Manufacturing ($53,571).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($82,750), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($43,750), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($37,083).

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

8
Retail Trade
6
Other Services (except Public Administration)
5
Retail Trade

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

$3.73k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$3.09k
Retail Trade
$3.02k
Finance and Insurance

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Bent County, CO went to Donald J. Trump with 66.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (32.2%), followed by Other (1.06%).

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 (66.1%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (32.2%)
Democratic Party
Other (1.06%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Bent County, CO went to Donald J. Trump with 66.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (32.2%), followed by Other (1.06%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Bent 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

Completions

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.

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 Bent County, CO was $137,900 in 2023, which is 0.455 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $110,700 to $137,900, a 24.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Bent County, CO is 66.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Bent County, CO have an average commute time of 22.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bent County, CO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2023, 17.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bent County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.764%.

Housing

Property

$137,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$26,527

$1,239

Median Property Taxes

±$173

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 Bent County, CO the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

66.1%

Homeownership

2023

58.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 66.1% of the housing units in Bent County, CO were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.6%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

The following map shows all of the tracts in Bent 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.

$49,194

Median Household Income

± $4,596

1.88k

Number of Households

± 231

In 2023, the median household income of the 1.88k households in Bent County, CO grew to $49,194 from the previous year's value of $45,776.

The following chart displays the households in Bent 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 Bent 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 (77.7%)
Carpooled (10.3%)
Worked At Home (7.45%)

In 2023, 77.7% of workers in Bent County, CO drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.3%) and those who worked at home (7.45%).

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

22.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bent County, CO have a shorter commute time (22.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.86% of the workforce in Bent County, CO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bent 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 Bent County, CO distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bent County, CO have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 17.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Bent County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.764%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

31.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bent County, CO (1.35k out of 4.25k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 35 - 44, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bent County, CO is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

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, 28.8% of the children was living in poverty in Bent County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 6.8%.

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

91.8% of the population of Bent County, CO has health coverage, with 28.1% on employee plans, 34.5% on Medicaid, 12.6% on Medicare, 15.2% on non-group plans, and 1.36% on military or VA plans.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.4% were men and 49.6% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.4% under 18 years, 16.3% between 18 and 34 years, 40.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.4% were men and 49.6% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.18%

Uninsured

28.1%

Employer Coverage

34.5%

Medicaid

12.6%

Medicare

15.2%

Non-Group

1.36%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bent County, CO grew by 16.3% from 7.04% to 8.18%.

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