Mesa County, CO

County

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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 Races Including Other (Hispanic) (6.17%), White (Hispanic) (5.71%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (2.3%), 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 (2,113 degrees awarded in 2023) and Intellitec College-Grand Junction (621 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.

United StatesColoradoGrand 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 12.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (124k people) in Mesa County, CO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.71k Two Races Including Other (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.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Mesa County, CO
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    124k ± 587
  2. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    9.71k ± 1.47k
  3. White (Hispanic)
    8.99k ± 1.31k
15.2%
Hispanic Population
24k people

In 2023, there were 12.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (124k people) in Mesa County, CO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.71k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 8.99k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

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

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Mesa County, CO as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Colorado.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    203,143 ± 10,870 people
  2. India
    22,453 ± 3,672 people
  3. China
    17,281 ± 3,223 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Colorado was Mexico, the natal country of 203,143 Colorado residents, followed by India with 22,453 and China with 17,281.

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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 approximately the same as 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.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    4,142 ± 475
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    2,502 ± 397
  3. 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.

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Economy

The economy of Mesa County, CO employs 74.7k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Mesa County, CO were Health Care & Social Assistance (12,639 people), Retail Trade (9,234 people), and Construction (7,254 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($100,034), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($97,157), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($78,618).

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.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

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.

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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).

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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.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 392
    Construction
  2. 388
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  3. 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.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $700k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. $357k
    Construction
  3. $338k
    Retail Trade

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

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Colorado went to Kamala Harris with 54.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.1%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.12%).

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

Voting results are not available for Mesa County, CO. Showing the available data for Colorado.
2024 Election Results
  1. Kamala Harris (54.1%)
    Democratic Party
  2. Donald J. Trump (43.1%)
    Republican Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (1.12%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Colorado went to Kamala Harris with 54.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.1%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.12%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Colorado for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Colorado

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.
Michael Bennet
Senator from Colorado3
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 Colorado2
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.

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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.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Mesa County, CO awarded 2,734 degrees. The student population of Mesa County, CO in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 4,631 male students and 5,524 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Mesa County, CO are White (1,804 and 66.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (650 and 24%), Two or More Races (70 and 2.58%), and Unknown (58 and 2.14%).

The largest universities in Mesa County, CO by number of degrees awarded are Colorado Mesa University (2,113 and 77.3%) and Intellitec College-Grand Junction (621 and 22.7%).

The most popular majors in Mesa County, CO are General Business Administration & Management (220 and 8.05%), Automobile Mechanics Technology (160 and 5.85%), and Registered Nursing (147 and 5.38%).

The median tuition cost in Mesa County, CO for a public four year colleges is $8,592 for in-state students and $23,192 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Mesa County, CO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 81.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 10,155 (45.6% men and 54.4% 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.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 10,155 students enrolled in Mesa County, CO, 45.6% men and 54.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,504 records, of which 54.6% were women and 45.4% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Kinesiology & Exercise Science
    98 degrees awarded
  2. General Business Administration & Management
    201 degrees awarded
  3. Registered Nursing
    146 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Mesa County, CO was Kinesiology & Exercise Science with 98 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Colorado Mesa University
    2,113 degrees awarded
  2. Intellitec College-Grand Junction
    621 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Colorado Mesa University with 2,113 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 1,139 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Mesa County, CO, which is 0.714 times less than the 1,595 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,804 degrees mean that there were 2.78 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 650 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($8,592) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,120) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,440) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

In 2023, 0.981% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.906% of women were in the same situation.

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

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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 2023 were Bachelors Degree (1.19M), High School or Equivalent (993k), and Some college (989k).

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.

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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 higher than 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, Mesa County, CO with a value of $120,694, followed by Census Tract 14.03, Mesa County, CO and Census Tract 14.02, Mesa County, CO, with respective values of $118,021 and $106,801.

In 2024, 16.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mesa County, CO. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator grew 0.835%.

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.

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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.

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Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 16, Mesa County, CO
  2. Census Tract 14.03, Mesa County, CO
  3. Census Tract 14.02, Mesa County, CO

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

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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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Mesa County, CO is from Colorado.
0.462
2023 Wage GINI in Colorado
0.464
2022 Wage GINI in Colorado

In 2023, the income inequality in Colorado was 0.462 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.304% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Colorado was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023
  1. Drove Alone (72.7%)
  2. Worked At Home (13.1%)
  3. 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.

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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.

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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.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 16.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Mesa County, CO. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator grew 0.835%.

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

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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.

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Children in Poverty

In 2024, 13.3% of the children was living in poverty in Mesa County, CO. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 6.8%.

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

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 348 in Mesa County, CO. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 55.5 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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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 855 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.588% increase from the previous year (850 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1344 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 269 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

855 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Mesa County, CO

Primary care physicians in Mesa County, CO see an average of 855 patients per year. This represents a 0.588% increase from the previous year (850 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.

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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, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

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

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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.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 48.9 in Mesa County, CO.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, 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 28.9% in Mesa County, CO.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 11% in Mesa County, CO.

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

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