City · Las Animas County, Colorado

Trinidad, Colorado

Trinidad is a city in Las Animas County, Colorado. It has 8,286 residents. Trinidad, Colorado has a quality-of-life score of 35 out of 100 (low), ranking #10,135 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Colorado it ranks #179 of 220 cities and towns. It ranks best on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (low), hospital quality rating (high) and effective property tax rate (low). It ranks worst on mammography screening (low), flu vaccinations (low) and injury deaths (high).

35Low

Quality-of-life score: #10,135 of 15,651 cities and towns
Colorado: #179 of 220 in CO
Population: 8,286 (2020-2024)
Land area: 9 mi²
Density: 883.2 /mi²
FIPS code: 0878610

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 71 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

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

Safety25#11,789/15,637
Economy16#13,139/15,631
Housing35#9,732/14,977
Health23#12,082/15,609
Healthcare28#11,197/15,650
Environment81#2,886/15,453
Education38#9,625/15,649
Infrastructure73#4,224/15,650
Community30#10,973/15,651
Leisure & amenities78#3,376/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Trinidad, Colorado ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Las Animas 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

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 AgencyLas Animas County value
Hospital quality rating · high5.0
98/100Colorado 4.0United States 3.2Jul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesLas Animas County value
Effective property tax rate · low0.31%
97/100Colorado 0.50%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Child care cost burden · low19.9%
95/100Colorado 32.6%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLas Animas County value
Time spent in the emergency room · low107 min
94/100Colorado 136 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesLas Animas County value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Colorado 3.6 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataLas Animas County value

Weaknesses

Mammography screening · low29.0%
2/100Colorado 45.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLas Animas County value
Flu vaccinations · low26.0%
3/100Colorado 46.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLas Animas County value
Injury deaths · high148 /100k
4/100Colorado 97 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLas Animas County value
Average weekly wage · low$900
5/100Colorado $1,618United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsLas Animas County value
Drug overdose deaths · high32.8 /100k
6/100Colorado 28.0 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateProvisional dataLas Animas County value
Pharmacies · low0.7 /10k
6/100Colorado 0.9 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsLas Animas County value

Trends

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

New homes permittedImproving
0.5 /1k (2021) → 2.5 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+427%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
70.4% (2015-2019) → 91.0% (2020-2024)
+21 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Child poverty rateWorsening
17.7% (2015-2019) → 28.3% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Median household incomeImproving
$37,196 (2015-2019) → $52,273 (2020-2024)
+41%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherImproving
85.7% (2015-2019) → 92.6% (2020-2024)
+6.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
48.4% (2015-2019) → 52.5% (2020-2024)
+4.1 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, Trinidad, Colorado improved on 2 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 11 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.

Improved2

Broadband+21 points70.4% → 91.0%
Household income+41%$37,196 → $52,273

Declined1

Child poverty+11 points17.7% → 28.3%

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Trinidad, Colorado between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	16.7 min2015-2019	17.4 min2020-2024	+0.7 min	Within the margin of error	39%
Bachelor's degree or higher	16.5%2015-2019	18.8%2020-2024	+2.3 points	Within the margin of error	46%
Broadband subscriptions	70.4%2015-2019	91.0%2020-2024	+21 points	Improved	91%
Child poverty rate	17.7%2015-2019	28.3%2020-2024	+11 points	Declined	11%
Effective property tax rate	0.40%2015-2019	0.31%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	33%
High school diploma or higher	85.7%2015-2019	92.6%2020-2024	+6.9 points	Within the margin of error	89%
Home price to income ratio	3.6×2015-2019	4.3×2020-2024	+0.7×	Within the margin of error	35%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4842015-2019	0.4602020-2024	−0.024	Within the margin of error	71%
Median household income	$37,1962015-2019	$52,2732020-2024	+41%	Improved	75%
Poverty rate	20.2%2015-2019	21.1%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Within the margin of error	36%
Rent as share of income	29.5%2015-2019	30.8%2020-2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	45%
Rent-burdened households	48.4%2015-2019	52.5%2020-2024	+4.1 points	Within the margin of error	41%
Unemployment rate	7.7%2015-2019	7.3%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	58%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	11.5%2015-2019	9.1%2020-2024	−2.4 points	Within the margin of error	72%

“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 Trinidad, Colorado five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Trinidad, 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, Trinidad, Colorado itself moved +6.2 points in standing on average over the same 10 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

8,286 residents (±29)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79
60–69

Income

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

Household income

3,726 households (±219)

Trinidad, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $25k26%971
$25k–50k22%812
$50k–75k19%723

Homes

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

Owners and renters

3,726 households (±219)

Trinidad, Colorado
Colorado share

Own60%2,246
Rent40%1,480

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

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

3,776 workers (±254)

Trinidad, Colorado
Colorado share

Drive alone64%2,435
Carpool18%675
Public transit0.2%†6

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 Las Animas County, the county holding most of Trinidad's residents.

Las Animas County has 377 employer establishments, 262 for every 10,000 residents (1.06× the US rate of 248; 0.85× Colorado's), with 3,318 paid employees at an average annual pay of $39,340. The Census Bureau also counts 1,065 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 377; 1,065 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 262; US 248 · Colorado 309
Paid employees: 3,318
Average annual pay: $39,340; US $68,342

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

Restaurants and other eating places	39	27.1	1.48×More than typical	405	$23,356	5
Lessors of real estate	24	16.7	1.35×More than typical	49	$37,980	93
Specialty trade contractors	21	14.6	0.94×About typical	77	$43,065	109
Ambulatory health care services	20	13.9	0.67×Fewer than typical	163	$46,663	29
Full-service restaurants	19	13.2	1.72×More than typical	151	$29,040	3
Limited-service restaurants	17	11.8	1.47×More than typical	251	$20,036	—
Real estate agents and brokers	13	9	1.86×More than typical	20	$38,200	21
Automotive repair and maintenance	12	8.3	1.66×More than typical	36	$56,500	24
Traveler accommodation	12	8.3	4.62×More than typical	169	$21,728	4
Construction of buildings	10	6.9	0.92×About typical	65	$44,538	48
Insurance agencies and brokerages	10	6.9	1.58×More than typical	38	$27,737	8
Building equipment contractors	9	6.3	1.04×Too few to compare	47	$39,383	5

Rank places for an industry Open Las Animas County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 14,389 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 $7,768 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Trinidad, Colorado: $0.94 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $7,768; −53% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0.94; US $1,994
Sole-source: 6.2%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; 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

Federal Aviation Administration$4,09253%
Department of the Army$3,67647%

Top recipients

M. E. TAFOYA ENTERPRISES, INC.$4,09253%
TWIN LANDFILL CORPORATION$2,32230%
STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES & OCC$4806.2%
AAJ CONSTRUCTION INC$4485.8%
LATANYA SEACRETS LLC$3614.6%

Spending by fiscal year

4.4KFY2017
46.3KFY2018
27.6KFY2019
9.4KFY2020
10.7KFY2021
5.4KFY2022
-1.9KFY2023
108.7KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Building equipment contractors · 2382$4,09253%
Waste collection · 5621$2,32230%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$4806.2%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$4485.8%
Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair and maintenance · 8113$4255.5%

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 Trinidad, Colorado, so they do not add up across cities.

Trinidad, Colorado's figures are part of those of Las Animas County, CO ($1.3M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.6% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Trinidad is mostly in Las Animas County.

See federal money in Las Animas 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.

Trinidad, 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.

Las Animas County39100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Las Animas 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
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
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/0878610

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends