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
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)
White13,10470.99%
Two or more races2,53613.74%
Other race2,19111.87%
Native American3041.65%
Black or African American1881.02%
Asian1340.73%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander30.02%

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

40.9

Total

40.4

Male

42.1

Female

Otero County, Colorado Adults

There are 14,145 adults, (3,876 of whom are seniors) in Otero County, Colorado.

Otero County, Colorado Age Dependency

79.8

Age Dependency Ratio

37.7

Old Age Dependency Ratio

42

Child Dependency Ratio

Otero County, Colorado Sex Ratio

Female9,28150.28%
Male9,17949.72%

Otero County, Colorado Population by Age

Otero County, Colorado Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All7,6432.3568.931.1
Married3,4682.9681.518.5
Non Family2,7911.1760.639.4
Female9813.394852
Male4032.796931

2.96

Average Family Size

2.35

Average Household Size

68.9%

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 Grade1,0057.97%
Associates Degree1,70013.49%
Bachelors Degree1,50111.91%
Graduate Degree8696.89%
High School Graduate4,03432%
Less Than 9th Grade3562.82%
Some College3,14024.91%

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
White7,2967,0042,013
Hispanic4,5903,547266
2+ Races1,4451,363129
Other Race1,35589753
Native American17912923
Black11110324
Asian1051050
Islander330

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

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 27.59%.

Otero County, Colorado Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$49,000$51,602$46,723
Graduate Degree$67,759$67,250$70,125
High School Graduate$37,006$53,159$24,721
Less Than 9th Grade$35,046$35,768$0
Overall$37,345$47,989$31,018
Some College$34,712$41,662$30,035

$37,345

Average Earnings

$47,989

Average Male

$31,018

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

85.86% of Otero County, Colorado residents speak only English, while 14.14% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 13.7% of the population.

Otero County, Colorado Language

Otero County, Colorado Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Hispanic7,5862,59634.22%
White9,3431,39614.94%
Other2,17794343.32%
Multiple2,51065125.94%
Native30323477.23%
Black1434027.97%
Asian1291813.95%

23.6%

Overall Poverty Rate

22.73%

Male Poverty Rate

24.46%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Otero County, Colorado

The race most likely to be in poverty in Otero County, Colorado is Native, with 77.23% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Otero County, Colorado is Asian, with 13.95% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 7.12%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.15%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 30.21%.

Otero County, Colorado Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade43.35%
Some College18.55%
High School14.84%
Bachelors or Greater9.74%

Otero County, Colorado Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed57.52%
Male Unemployed25.11%
Female Employed14.78%
Male Employed7.6%

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$70,964$82,420
Households$54,897$68,583
Married Families$79,367$-999,999,999
Non Families$31,223$40,037

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Otero County, Colorado Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

48.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

48.5%

Male Marriage Rate

48.2%

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

1,236

Number of Veterans

1,122

Male Veterans

114

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam458
Second Gulf War334
First Gulf War302
Korea68
World War II9

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74386
35 to 54260
75+234
18 to 34184
55 to 64172

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White9809.36%
Hispanic2775.14%
2+ Races1337.79%
Other Race764.98%
Black3926.71%
Native American84.47%

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by Race

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

8.99%

Veteran Poverty Rate

35.54%

Veteran Disability Rate

Otero County, Colorado Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

56.6%

Labor Force Participation

54%

Employment Rate

4.6%

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

67.82%

Born in Otero County, Colorado

96.01%

Native Born

3.99%

Foreign Born

1.66%

Non Citizen

2.33%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

96.01% of Otero County, Colorado residents were born in the United States, with 67.82% having been born in Colorado. 1.66% 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