Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety21#729/924
Economy10#836/925
Housing76#221/925
Health32#632/925
Healthcare58#389/923
Environment100#5/917
Education54#423/925
Infrastructure53#437/925
Community35#606/925
Leisure & amenities64#330/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Alamosa, CO micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Mental health providers · high914 /100k
98/100Colorado 518 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.2 µg/m³
98/100Colorado 5.8 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Hot days · low0 days
98/100Colorado 23 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Preventable hospital stays · low1,270 /100k
98/100Colorado 1,686 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Public libraries · high2.2 /10k
97/100Colorado 0.5 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
New business applications · high20.3 /1k
94/100Colorado 23.9 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Mammography screening · low28.9%
2/100Colorado 45.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Income adjusted for local prices · low$47,646
2/100Colorado $80,595United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisEstimated from related areas or data (see the source notes)Aggregated from counties
Injury deaths · high153 /100k
3/100Colorado 97 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Premature death · high15,154 /100k
4/100Colorado 7,305 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Drug overdose deaths · high37.8 /100k
5/100Colorado 28.0 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Flu vaccinations · low29.5%
7/100Colorado 46.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

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

New business applicationsImproving
9.5 /1k (2020) → 20.3 /1k (2025)
+112%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
72.1% (2015-2019) → 89.0% (2020-2024)
+17 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
New homes permittedImproving
5.5 /1k (2021) → 9.1 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+64%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Preventable hospital staysImproving
3,262 /100k (2019) → 1,270 /100k (2023)
−61%4 yearsUS 3,767 /100k → 2,769 /100k
Grocery storesWorsening
3.3 /10k (2020) → 1.4 /10k (2025)
−56%5 yearsUS 1.7 /10k → 1.7 /10k
Drought exposureWorsening
52% (2021) → 63% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+11 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%

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, Alamosa, CO micropolitan area improved on 11 of 17 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 0 moved within the margin of error and 5 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2020 with 2025); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved11

Broadband+17 points72.1% → 89.0%
New businesses+112%9.5 /1k → 20.3 /1k
Rent burden−10 points48.8% → 38.7%
Bachelor's++6.3 points23.1% → 29.4%
High school++3 points86.4% → 89.4%

Declined1

Grocery stores−56%3.3 /10k → 1.4 /10k

All 17 measures

Change of every measure of Alamosa, CO micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.7 /10k2020	3.9 /10k2025	+7.8%	Improved	47%
Average commute time	18.2 min2015-2019	18.7 min2020-2024	+0.5 min	Little change	46%
Bachelor's degree or higher	23.1%2015-2019	29.4%2020-2024	+6.3 points	Improved	97%
Broadband subscriptions	72.1%2015-2019	89.0%2020-2024	+17 points	Improved	94%
Distance to an airport	117 mi2020	117 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	90%
Grocery stores	3.3 /10k2020	1.4 /10k2025	−56%	Declined	0%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.1 /10k2020	1.1 /10k2025	−2%	Little change	35%
High school diploma or higher	86.4%2015-2019	89.4%2020-2024	+3 points	Improved	81%
Homicide rate	7.6 /100k2020	4.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−39%	Improved	66%
Income adjusted for local prices	$39,0082019	$47,6462024	+22%	Improved	2%
New business applications	9.5 /1k2020	20.3 /1k2025	+112%	Improved	97%
Pharmacies	1.1 /10k2020	1.1 /10k2025	−2%	Little change	65%
Public libraries	2.1 /10k2019	2.2 /10k2024	+1.3%	Little change	72%
Rent-burdened households	48.8%2015-2019	38.7%2020-2024	−10 points	Improved	97%
Restaurants and bars	9.5 /10k2020	10.4 /10k2025	+9.3%	Improved	78%
Traffic deaths	26.0 /100k2015-2019	24.6 /100k2020-2024	−5.5%	Improved	72%
Unemployment rate	6.3%2020	4.7%2025	−1.6 points	Improved	12%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. 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 925 metro and micro areas 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.

Metro and micro areas like Alamosa, CO micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Alamosa, CO micropolitan area 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, Alamosa, CO micropolitan area itself moved +3.5 points in standing on average over the same 17 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

27,718 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59

Income

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

Household income

11,463 households (±220)

Alamosa, CO micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k25%2,817
$25k–50k25%2,819
$50k–75k18%2,009
$75k–100k

Homes

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

Owners and renters

11,463 households (±220)

Alamosa, CO micropolitan area
United States share

Own65%7,445
Rent35%4,018

Table view

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

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

12,191 workers (±439)

Alamosa, CO micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone72%8,796
Carpool13%1,556
Public transit0.0%†6

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Alamosa, CO micropolitan area.

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.

Alamosa, CO has 659 employer establishments, 237 for every 10,000 residents (0.95× the US rate of 248), with 7,154 paid employees at an average annual pay of $46,471. The Census Bureau also counts 2,537 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 659; 2,537 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 237; US 248
Paid employees: 7,154
Average annual pay: $46,471; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Alamosa, CO by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	47	16.9	0.92×About typical	700	$22,014	10
Ambulatory health care services	41	14.7	0.71×Fewer than typical	685	$65,362	100
Specialty trade contractors	38	13.7	0.88×About typical	270	$57,674	278
Full-service restaurants	25	9	1.17×About typical	322	$23,935	—
Building equipment contractors	22	7.9	1.31×More than typical	102	$64,078	52
Construction of buildings	21	7.6	1.00×About typical	65	$42,969	144
Lessors of real estate	18	6.5	0.53×Fewer than typical	94	$51,085	227
Truck transportation	17	6.1	1.21×About typical	46	$45,435	83
Individual and family services	15	5.4	1.93×More than typical	192	$37,359	23
Limited-service restaurants	15	5.4	0.67×Fewer than typical	331	$20,233	—
Religious organizations	15	5.4	0.97×About typical	83	$15,952	—
Traveler accommodation	15	5.4	2.99×More than typical	182	$22,291	8

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 27,813 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.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
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 contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $4.6M on contracts performed in Alamosa, CO micropolitan area: $166 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $4.6M; −71% vs FY2025
Per resident: $166; US $1,994
Sole-source: 9.2%; US 30%
Single offer: 40%; 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

National Park Service$2.2M48%
Bureau of Land Management$1.6M35%
Bureau of Reclamation$578.5K12%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service$154.9K3.3%
Federal Acquisition Service$45.2K1.0%
Department of the Army$40K0.9%
U.S. Geological Survey$5,1000.1%
Forest Service$3,6950.1%

Top recipients

DHM DESIGN CORPORATION$1.7M36%
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT & PLANNING SOLUTIONS LLC$1.6M34%
PLANATE MANAGEMENT GROUP LLC$441.6K9.5%
SAN LUIS VALLEY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC$299.3K6.5%
GOLD WAVE INC$115.4K2.5%

Spending by fiscal year

2.2MFY2017
3.5MFY2018
1.5MFY2019
3.3MFY2020
2.7MFY2021
15.1MFY2022
6.4MFY2023
3.1M

Top industries (NAICS)

Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$2M44%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$1.7M37%
Electric power generation, transmission and distribution · 2211$389.3K8.4%
Remediation and other waste management services · 5629$128.6K2.8%
Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors · 2381$115.3K2.5%

Largest awards

GRSA 315541 REHAB EMPLOYEE HOUSING AT GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK$13.3M
HPM, INC.· Alamosa County, CO· Construction & real property· Aug 6, 2025 – Aug 24, 2026· 140P2025C0056
SLV-CB REC POWER FOR PROJECT$1.7M
SAN LUIS VALLEY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC· Alamosa County, CO· Facilities & utilities· Jul 1, 2020 – May 21, 2026· 140R4020C0009
GRSA 307658 - ENTRY SIGN, FEE COLLECTION, EXPAND THE DUNES PARKING LOT, MEDNO ROAD PARKING AND PARKING AT THE HORSE TRAILER PARKING LOT$1.7M
DHM DESIGN CORPORATION· Alamosa County, CO· Construction & real property· Jun 22, 2026 – Jun 22, 2026· 140P2026F0158
SLVFO RESOURCE MANG. PLAN REVISION- EIS

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.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $200.2M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Alamosa, CO micropolitan area: $7,176 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $200.2M; −3.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,176; US $12,955
Loan face value: $9.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 7.7%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$96.1M48%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$17.8M8.9%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$14.7M7.3%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$10.9M5.4%
93.224 · Health Center Program$8.1M4.0%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$7.9M3.9%
10.991 · Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers$6.9M3.5%
20.901 · Payments for Essential Air Services$5.6M2.8%

Top recipients (organizations)

VALLEY-WIDE HEALTH SYSTEMS$8.1M4.0%
ALAMOSA, CO
ADAMS STATE UNIVERSITY$5.8M2.9%
ALAMOSA, CO
KEY LIME AIR CORPORATION$5.6M2.8%
ENGLEWOOD, CO
COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$3.9M1.9%
DENVER, CO
THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$129.6M65%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$19.7M9.8%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Farm Service Agency$13.1M6.6%
Department of Agriculture
Health Resources and Services Administration$8.3M4.1%
Department of Health and Human Services
Immediate Office of the Secretary of Transportation

Assistance by fiscal year

220.6MFY2021
182.3MFY2022
189.1MFY2023
197.5MFY2024
208.2MFY2025
200.2MFY2026

County aggregates

75%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Alamosa, CO

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

AlamosaPrincipal city9,879

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Colorado

Areas based in Colorado, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

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.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
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
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M10480

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved11

Declined1

Metro and micro areas like Alamosa, CO micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Alamosa, CO

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Colorado

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved11

Declined1

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought