Rio Grande County, CO

County

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2024 Population

11,321

US Senator

Michael Bennet

Democratic Party

US Senator

John Hickenlooper

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

41.7

3.47% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

18%

20.8% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$64,411

3.61% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$239,500

11.2% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

5,180

0.538% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Rio Grande 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.

96.8% of the residents in Rio Grande County, CO are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Rio Grande County, CO was $239,500, and the homeownership rate was 67.1%.

Most people in Rio Grande County, CO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Rio Grande County, CO was 2 cars per household.

Rio Grande County, CO borders Alamosa County, CO, Archuleta County, CO, Conejos County, CO, Mineral County, CO, and Saguache County, CO.

United States Colorado

Population & Diversity

Rio Grande County, CO is home to a population of 11.3k people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.84% of Rio Grande County, CO residents were born outside of the country (435 people).

In 2024, there were 2.98 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (6.19k people) in Rio Grande County, CO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.08k White (Hispanic) and 1.16k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.8%

2024 Citizenship

95.8%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.8% of Rio Grande County, CO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Rio Grande County, CO was 95.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rio Grande County, CO

White (Non-Hispanic)
6.19k ± 58
White (Hispanic)
2.08k ± 563
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
1.16k ± 444

40.7%

Hispanic Population

4.61k people

40.7% of the people in Rio Grande County, CO are hispanic (4.61k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Rio Grande 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
203,143 ± 10,870 people
India
22,453 ± 3,672 people
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.

Foreign-Born Population

3.84%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

435 people

4.85%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

553 people

As of 2024, 3.84% of Rio Grande County, CO residents (435 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rio Grande County, CO was 4.85%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
247 ± 90
Gulf War (1990s)
86 ± 44
Korea
42 ± 38

Rio Grande County, CO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.87 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Rio Grande County, CO.

Economy

The economy of Rio Grande County, CO employs 5.18k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Rio Grande County, CO were Health Care & Social Assistance (869 people), Educational Services (556 people), and Retail Trade (538 people), and the highest paying industries were Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($118,421), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($86,283), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($85,391).

Employment

Occupations

5.18k

2024 Value

± 572

−0.538%

1 Year decline

± 15.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Rio Grande County, CO declined at a rate of −0.538%, from 5.21k employees to 5.18k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rio Grande County, CO, are Management Occupations (921 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (555 people), and Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations (513 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rio Grande County, CO.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

5.18k

2024 Value

± 572

−0.538%

1 Year decline

± 15.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Rio Grande County, CO declined at a rate of −0.538%, from 5.21k employees to 5.18k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rio Grande County, CO, are Health Care & Social Assistance (869 people), Educational Services (556 people), and Retail Trade (538 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rio Grande County, CO, though some of these residents may live in Rio Grande County, CO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,553

Median earning men ± $5,152

$46,784

Median earning women ± $5,815

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($87,083), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($65,072), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($63,500).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($212,963), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($85,522), and Public Administration ($64,619).

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

42
Construction
30
Other Services (except Public Administration)
25
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$20.5k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$16.2k
Wholesale Trade
$14.3k
Retail Trade

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

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

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Rio Grande County, CO. Showing the available data for Colorado.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (54.1%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (43.1%)
Republican Party
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.

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Rio Grande County, CO was $239,500 in 2024, which is 0.72 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $215,400 to $239,500, a 11.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Rio Grande County, CO is 67.1%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Rio Grande County, CO have an average commute time of 19.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rio Grande County, CO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 10.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rio Grande County, CO. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.81%.

Housing

Property

$239,500

Median Property Value 2024

±$11,591

$3,444

Median Property Taxes

±$406

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

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

Rent vs Own

67.1%

Homeownership

2024

61.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 67.1% of the housing units in Rio Grande County, CO were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.4%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$64,411

Median Household Income

± $8,434

5.13k

Number of Households

± 554

In 2024, the median household income of the 5.13k households in Rio Grande County, CO grew to $64,411 from the previous year's value of $62,166.

The following chart displays the households in Rio Grande 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 Rio Grande 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (73.7%)
Carpooled (12.5%)
Worked At Home (9.3%)

In 2024, 73.7% of workers in Rio Grande County, CO drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.5%) and those who worked at home (9.3%).

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

19.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rio Grande County, CO have a shorter commute time (19.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.47% of the workforce in Rio Grande County, CO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 10.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rio Grande County, CO. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.81%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

18% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rio Grande County, CO (1.99k out of 11k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 35 - 44, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rio Grande 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 2025, 24.5% of the children was living in poverty in Rio Grande County, CO. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 7.8%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 201 in Rio Grande County, CO. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 34.7 per 100,000 population.

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

Health

89.3% of the population of Rio Grande County, CO has health coverage, with 34.2% on employee plans, 26.2% on Medicaid, 16.1% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 0.969% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Rio Grande County, CO see 1,037 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,037 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2265 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1865 patients per year.

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

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,037 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Rio Grande County, CO

Primary care physicians in Rio Grande County, CO see an average of 1,037 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,037 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21% under 18 years, 16.8% between 18 and 34 years, 40.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.1% over 64 years.

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

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

Uninsured People

10.7%

Uninsured

34.2%

Employer Coverage

26.2%

Medicaid

16.1%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

0.969%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rio Grande County, CO declined by 22.6% from 13.8% to 10.7%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 119 in Rio Grande County, CO.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 26.4% in Rio Grande County, CO.

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