Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety32#10,642/15,637
Economy23#12,092/15,631
Housing31#10,382/14,977
Health21#12,360/15,609
Healthcare6#14,636/15,650
Environment98#302/15,453
Education49#8,045/15,649
Infrastructure56#6,938/15,650
Community86#2,260/15,651
Leisure & amenities89#1,696/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Monte Vista, Colorado ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Rio Grande County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Time spent in the emergency room · low45 min
100/100Colorado 136 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesRio Grande County value
Hot days · low0 days
100/100Colorado 23 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationRio Grande County value
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.2 µg/m³
99/100Colorado 5.8 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyRio Grande County value
Grocery stores · high4.5 /10k
99/100Colorado 1.0 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsRio Grande County value
Public EV charging ports · high19.8 /10k
96/100Colorado 13.0 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyRio Grande County value
Public libraries · high2.7 /10k
95/100Colorado 0.5 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesRio Grande County value

Weaknesses

Unemployment rate · high20.7%
1/100Colorado 4.0%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Primary care shortage · high20.0
1/100Colorado 4.0United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationRio Grande County value
Flu vaccinations · low24.0%
2/100Colorado 46.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteRio Grande County value
Drug overdose deaths · high40.0 /100k
3/100Colorado 28.0 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateProvisional dataRio Grande County value
Injury deaths · high149 /100k
3/100Colorado 97 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteRio Grande County value
Math scores · low2.50
4/100Colorado 3.06United States 3.032019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteRio Grande County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Broadband subscriptionsImproving
56.8% (2015-2019) → 90.5% (2020-2024)
+34 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
17.6% (2015-2019) → 37.2% (2020-2024)
+20 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Child poverty rateWorsening
21.1% (2015-2019) → 38.3% (2020-2024)
+17 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Median household incomeImproving
$35,588 (2015-2019) → $61,684 (2020-2024)
+73%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
4.4% (2015-2019) → 18.7% (2020-2024)
+14 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
53.0% (2015-2019) → 41.8% (2020-2024)
−11 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Monte Vista, Colorado improved on 3 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Broadband+34 points56.8% → 90.5%
Bachelor's++20 points17.6% → 37.2%
Household income+73%$35,588 → $61,684

Declined1

Child poverty+17 points21.1% → 38.3%

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of Monte Vista, Colorado between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	18.0 min2015-2019	16.0 min2020-2024	−2.0 min	Within the margin of error	71%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.6%2015-2019	37.2%2020-2024	+20 points	Improved	99%
Broadband subscriptions	56.8%2015-2019	90.5%2020-2024	+34 points	Improved	99%
Child poverty rate	21.1%2015-2019	38.3%2020-2024	+17 points	Declined	6%
Effective property tax rate	0.46%2015-2019	0.60%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	5%
High school diploma or higher	84.8%2015-2019	81.9%2020-2024	−2.8 points	Within the margin of error	11%
Home price to income ratio	3.2×2015-2019	3.6×2020-2024	+0.4×	Within the margin of error	54%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4352015-2019	0.3972020-2024	−0.039	Within the margin of error	79%
Median household income	$35,5882015-2019	$61,6842020-2024	+73%	Improved	95%
Poverty rate	21.8%2015-2019	30.9%2020-2024	+9.1 points	Within the margin of error	5%
Rent-burdened households	53.0%2015-2019	41.8%2020-2024	−11 points	Within the margin of error	84%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Monte Vista, Colorado five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Monte Vista, Colorado in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Monte Vista, Colorado itself moved +17.3 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

4,141 residents (±14)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

4,141 residents (±14)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

White25%1,021
Black0.3%†13
Hispanic or Latino70%2,880

Education

2,760 residents (±223)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

No high school diploma18%†499
High school or GED27%†756
Some college13%

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,784 households (±208)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $25k29%†514
$25k–50k13%†237
$50k–75k20%†363
$75k–100k8.7%†156
$100k–150k26%†465
$150k–200k2.7%†49
$200k or more0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $100k–150k (+21.9 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,784 households (±208)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

Own60%1,075
Rent40%709

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

692 households (±199)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $75050%†348
$750–1,00010%†70
$1,000–1,50024%†

Home values

1,075 homes (±207)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $150k28%†297
$150k–250k39%†418
$250k–400k33%†360

Age of homes

1,929 homes (±196)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

2010 or later0.0%0
2000–20099.0%†173
1980–199925%†473

Size of homes

1,929 homes (±196)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

Studio0.5%†9
1 bedroom9.0%†174
2 bedrooms28%†544

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,633 workers (±329)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

Drive alone75%1,220
Carpool18%†286
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.7%12
Bike0.0%0
Work from home6.4%†104
Other0.7%†11

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Walk (−3.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,529 workers (±318)

Monte Vista, Colorado
Colorado share

Under 15 min55%†839
15–29 min36%†548
30–44 min2.4%†36

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Rio Grande County, the county holding most of Monte Vista's residents.

Rio Grande County has 374 employer establishments, 334 for every 10,000 residents (1.35× the US rate of 248; 1.08× Colorado's), with 2,894 paid employees at an average annual pay of $42,119. The Census Bureau also counts 1,243 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 374; 1,243 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 334; US 248 · Colorado 309
Paid employees: 2,894
Average annual pay: $42,119; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Rio Grande County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	42	37.5	2.42×More than typical	134	$47,567	123
Restaurants and other eating places	26	23.2	1.26×More than typical	295	$20,549	13
Lessors of real estate	21	18.8	1.52×More than typical	64	$44,719	104
Full-service restaurants	16	14.3	1.86×More than typical	145	$24,455	3
Ambulatory health care services	15	13.4	0.64×Fewer than typical	104	$43,029	50
Building equipment contractors	15	13.4	2.23×More than typical	42	$48,119	17
Religious organizations	13	11.6	2.09×More than typical	50	$17,640	—
Traveler accommodation	13	11.6	6.43×More than typical	89	$15,933	7
Other specialty trade contractors	12	10.7	4.27×More than typical	32	$80,656	56
Construction of buildings	10	8.9	1.18×About typical	30	$32,833	86
RV parks and recreational camps	9	8	33.9×Too few to compare	37	$68,811	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	9	8	1.19×Too few to compare	19	$20,789	91

Rank places for an industry Open Rio Grande County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 11,196 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $9,307 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Monte Vista, Colorado: $2.25 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $9,307; −49% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2.25; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 27%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

11.2KFY2017
20.1KFY2018
19.7KFY2019
35.6KFY2020
11.1KFY2021
9.9KFY2022
97KFY2023
-3.1KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Utility system construction · 2371$4,51448%
Support activities for forestry · 1153$2,22324%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$1,03611%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$8649.3%
Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing · 3331$3503.8%
Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment rental and leasing · 5324

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Monte Vista, Colorado, so they do not add up across cities.

Monte Vista, Colorado's figures are part of those of Rio Grande County, CO ($1.8M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.5% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Monte Vista is mostly in Rio Grande County.

See federal money in Rio Grande County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Monte Vista, Colorado is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Jeff HurdR-CO-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 96%Missed 0.6%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Rio Grande County61100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Rio Grande County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/0851635

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends