Otero County, Colorado Population 2024

17,961

Otero County, Colorado's estimated 2024 population is 17,961 with a growth rate of -0.96% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Otero County, Colorado is the 28th largest county in Colorado. The 2010 population was 18,857 and has seen a growth of -4.75% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

31 Rows

Year
Population
Growth
Change
202917,086-175-1.01%
202817,261-175-1%
202717,436-175-0.99%
202617,611-175-0.98%
202517,786-175-0.97%
202417,961-175-0.96%
202318,136-175-0.96%
202218,311-216-1.17%
202118,527-137-0.73%
202018,6644212.31%
201918,243-111-0.6%
201818,354100.05%
201718,344650.36%
201618,279970.53%
201518,182-152-0.83%
201418,334-115-0.62%
201318,449-182-0.98%
201218,631-206-1.09%
201118,837-20-0.11%
201018,85700%
199020,185-2,382-10.56%
198022,567-956-4.06%
197023,523-605-2.51%
196024,128-1,147-4.54%
195025,2751,7047.23%
194023,571-819-3.36%
193024,3901,7677.81%
192022,6232,42211.99%
191020,2018,67975.33%
190011,5227,330174.86%
18904,192-12,894-75.47%
2024 Growth Rate
-0.96% (-175)
County Website
Otero County
County Seat
La Junta
2020 Population
18,664
Area
1262 mi²
Density
14 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
-3.77% (-703)
Founded
March 25, 1889

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White13,78874.21%
Two or more races2,24112.06%
Other race1,7989.68%
Native American3561.92%
Black or African American2361.27%
Asian1520.82%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander90.05%

White

Two or more races

Other race

Native American

Black or African American

Asian

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Otero County, Colorado Population by Race

Otero County, Colorado Population Pyramid 2024

Otero County, Colorado Median Age

40.5

Total

39.3

Male

42.5

Female

Otero County, Colorado Adults

There are 14,240 adults, (3,920 of whom are seniors) in Otero County, Colorado.

Otero County, Colorado Age Dependency

80

Age Dependency Ratio

38

Old Age Dependency Ratio

42.1

Child Dependency Ratio

Otero County, Colorado Sex Ratio

Female9,17149.36%
Male9,40950.64%

Otero County, Colorado Population by Age

Otero County, Colorado Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All7,5942.3969.630.4
Married3,2943.0778.421.6
Non Family2,8751.2163.236.8
Female8963.2654.945.1
Male5293.0574.325.7

3.03

Average Family Size

2.39

Average Household Size

69.6%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Otero County, Colorado Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade1,0378.2%
Associates Degree1,72013.61%
Bachelors Degree1,39911.07%
Graduate Degree9177.25%
High School Graduate4,12032.59%
Less Than 9th Grade4753.76%
Some College2,97323.52%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Otero County, Colorado Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Otero County, Colorado Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White7,1546,8481,929
Hispanic4,7313,545243
Other Race1,22480549
2+ Races1,1071,072111
Native American21914228
Black17016371
Asian1381380
Islander995

The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 55.56%.

Otero County, Colorado Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$47,115$47,931$45,909
Graduate Degree$68,005$63,657$68,337
High School Graduate$33,266$38,953$25,019
Less Than 9th Grade$29,771$32,850$16,379
Overall$35,172$40,609$30,291
Some College$32,462$43,250$29,206

$35,172

Average Earnings

$40,609

Average Male

$30,291

Average Female

Otero County, Colorado Earnings by Educational Attainment

Otero County, Colorado Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Otero County, Colorado Language

85.62% of Otero County, Colorado residents speak only English, while 14.38% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 13.78% of the population.

Otero County, Colorado Language

Otero County, Colorado Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Hispanic7,8522,84536.23%
White9,2221,26313.7%
Multiple2,19668731.28%
Other1,77752229.38%
Native35527878.31%
Black2084823.08%
Asian1482315.54%

23.99%

Overall Poverty Rate

23.82%

Male Poverty Rate

24.17%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Otero County, Colorado

The race most likely to be in poverty in Otero County, Colorado is Native, with 78.31% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Otero County, Colorado is White, with 13.7% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 7.75%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.45%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 30.37%.

Otero County, Colorado Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade44.99%
Some College17.75%
High School17.66%
Bachelors or Greater8.48%

Otero County, Colorado Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed74.53%
Male Unemployed27.59%
Female Employed12.03%
Male Employed9.29%

Otero County, Colorado Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Otero County, Colorado Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$62,013$74,024
Households$47,500$61,974
Married Families$71,136$-999,999,999
Non Families$28,830$37,829

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Otero County, Colorado Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

46.5%

Overall Marriage Rate

46.8%

Male Marriage Rate

46.3%

Female Marriage Rate

Otero County, Colorado Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Otero County, Colorado Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Otero County, Colorado Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Otero County, Colorado Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

1,316

Number of Veterans

1,188

Male Veterans

128

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam422
First Gulf War377
Second Gulf War311
Korea81
World War II12

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74402
35 to 54330
75+256
55 to 64177
18 to 34151

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White1,0160.09354571402264984
Hispanic3240.05805411216627845
2+ Races1670.11485557083906466
Other Race810.05934065934065934
Black420.22105263157894736
Native American100.045662100456621

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by Race

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

12.59%

Veteran Poverty Rate

36.68%

Veteran Disability Rate

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

51.6%

Labor Force Participation

48.6%

Employment Rate

5.9%

Unemployment Rate

Otero County, Colorado Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Otero County, Colorado Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Otero County, Colorado Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

67.32%

Born in Otero County, Colorado

95.88%

Native Born

4.12%

Foreign Born

1.9%

Non Citizen

2.22%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

95.88% of Otero County, Colorado residents were born in the United States, with 67.32% having been born in Colorado. 1.9% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Otero County, Colorado Place of Birth

Sources