County · Colorado

Otero County, Colorado

Otero County, Colorado has a quality-of-life score of 32 out of 100 (low), ranking #2,142 of 3,143 US counties. Within Colorado it ranks #61 of 64 counties. It ranks best on effective property tax rate (low), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (low) and distance to an Amtrak station (low). It ranks worst on property crime rate (high), mental health care shortage (high) and suicide rate (high).

32Low

Quality-of-life score: #2,142 of 3,143 counties
Colorado: #61 of 64 in CO
Population: 17,683 (2025)
Land area: 1,262 mi²
Density: 14.0 /mi²
FIPS code: 08089

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map Federal contracts here

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US counties.

Safety24#2,350/3,096
Economy10#2,818/3,143
Housing29#2,215/3,140
Health24#2,397/3,144
Healthcare29#2,224/3,143
Environment70#947/3,108
Education42#1,824/3,144
Infrastructure44#1,757/3,144
Community61#1,231/3,144
Leisure & amenities55#1,400/3,143

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Otero County, Colorado ranks highest and lowest among US counties (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Effective property tax rate · low0.37%
93/100Colorado 0.50%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low5.0 µg/m³
92/100Colorado 5.8 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Distance to an Amtrak station · low7 mi
92/100Colorado 30 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau
Mental health providers · high428 /100k
87/100Colorado 518 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Preventable hospital stays · low1,997 /100k
81/100Colorado 1,686 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
Public EV charging ports · high7.3 /10k
79/100Colorado 13.0 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of Energy

Weaknesses

Property crime rate · high3,750 /100k
1/100Colorado 2,144 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2024Federal Bureau of Investigation
Mental health care shortage · high21.0
1/100Colorado 13.3United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services Administration
Suicide rate · high28.0 /100k
5/100Colorado 22.4 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateProvisional data
Job growth · low-5.3%
5/100Colorado -0.7%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Income adjusted for local prices · low$48,341
5/100Colorado $80,595United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Mammography screening · low31.0%
6/100Colorado 45.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute

Trends

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

PopulationFalling
18,659 (2020) → 17,683 (2025)
−5.2%5 yearsUS 331,578,104 → 341,784,857
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
52.9% (2010 & 2021) → 76.8% (2022 & 2024)
+24 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
New homes permittedWorsening
0.9 /1k (2021) → 0.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
New business applicationsImproving
7.0 /1k (2020) → 13.7 /1k (2025)
+97%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
71.7% (2015-2019) → 84.8% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
43.3 /100k (2021) → 21.4 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−51%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k

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, Otero County, Colorado improved on 7 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 17 moved within the margin of error and 3 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among counties: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved7

New businesses+97%7.0 /1k → 13.7 /1k
Inequality−0.0330.457 → 0.424
Broadband+13 points71.7% → 84.8%
Students / teacher−0.7×13.4× → 12.7×
Real income+31%$36,964 → $48,341

Declined2

Commute+5.0 min16.2 min → 21.2 min
Price / income+0.6×2.5× → 3.1×

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of Otero County, Colorado between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.7 /10k2020	2.3 /10k2025	−16%	Within the margin of error	16%
Average commute time	16.2 min2015-2019	21.2 min2020-2024	+5.0 min	Declined	4%
Average weekly wage	$7642020	$9362025	+23%	Improved	40%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.6%2015-2019	18.2%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	11%
Broadband subscriptions	71.7%2015-2019	84.8%2020-2024	+13 points	Improved	72%
Child poverty rate	33.6%2019	26.1%2024	−7.5 points	Within the margin of error	96%
Distance to an airport	78 mi2020	78 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	24.1 /100k2020	21.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−11%	Within the margin of error	35%
Effective property tax rate	0.49%2015-2019	0.37%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	55%
Firearm deaths	19.1 /100k2020	23.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+24%	Within the margin of error	20%
Grocery stores	2.1 /10k2020	2.3 /10k2025	+5.5%	Within the margin of error	72%
High school diploma or higher	87.2%2015-2019	88.7%2020-2024	+1.5 points	Within the margin of error	41%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	3.1×2020-2024	+0.6×	Declined	26%
Homicide rate	9.9 /100k2020	6.9 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−30%	Within the margin of error	53%
Income adjusted for local prices	$36,9642019	$48,3412024	+31%	Improved	44%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4572015-2019	0.4242020-2024	−0.033	Improved	90%
Median household income	$43,7232019	$51,2252024	+17%	Improved	14%
New business applications	7.0 /1k2020	13.7 /1k2025	+97%	Improved	91%
Pharmacies	1.1 /10k2020	1.1 /10k2025	+5.5%	Within the margin of error	85%
Poverty rate	24.2%2019	19.0%2024	−5.2 points	Within the margin of error	99%
Public libraries	2.2 /10k2019	2.2 /10k2024	+2%	Within the margin of error	69%
Rent as share of income	28.9%2015-2019	29.0%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	52%
Rent-burdened households	46.0%2015-2019	46.3%2020-2024	+0.4 points	Within the margin of error	52%
Restaurants and bars	10.7 /10k2020	10.2 /10k2025	−5%	Within the margin of error	35%
Students per teacher	13.4×2019	12.7×2024	−0.7×	Improved	51%
Traffic deaths	19.7 /100k2015-2019	14.2 /100k2020-2024	−28%	Within the margin of error	85%
Unemployment rate	6.1%2020	5.4%2025	−0.7 points	Little change	9%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	11.4%2019	11.4%2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	26%
Violent crime rate	360 /100k2020	302 /100k2025	−16%	Within the margin of error	51%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 2303 counties 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; Small Area Health Insurance Estimates; Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Common Core of Data; 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 3144 counties 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.

Counties like Otero County, Colorado five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Otero County, 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, Otero County, Colorado itself moved +0 points in standing on average over the same 30 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

18,321 residents

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

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 50–59 women (−2.4 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 B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

18,321 residents

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

White52%9,597
Black1.1%197
Hispanic or Latino42%7,695

Education

12,561 residents (±104)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

No high school diploma11%1,423
High school or GED30%3,711
Some college25%3,126

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

7,584 households (±236)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $25k21%1,622
$25k–50k25%1,908
$50k–75k17%1,300
$75k–100k13%972
$100k–150k17%1,256
$150k–200k4.4%337
$200k or more2.5%†189

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−14.1 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

7,584 households (±236)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

Own69%5,229
Rent31%2,355

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+5.0 points).

Table view

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

Rent paid

2,237 households (±285)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $75043%970
$750–1,00022%†503
$1,000–1,50026%†587

Home values

5,229 homes (±297)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $150k42%2,173
$150k–250k31%1,603
$250k–400k20%1,023

Age of homes

8,746 homes (±23)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

2010 or later2.8%†249
2000–20096.3%†548
1980–199914%1,263

Size of homes

8,746 homes (±23)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

Studio1.7%†145
1 bedroom8.8%772
2 bedrooms25%2,164

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

7,437 workers (±375)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

Drive alone78%5,822
Carpool9.7%†724
Public transit0.0%0
Walk5.3%†395
Bike0.0%0
Work from home6.1%†455
Other0.6%†41

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Other (−3.2 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

6,982 workers (±392)

Otero County, Colorado
Colorado share

Under 15 min55%3,813
15–29 min24%1,696
30–44 min9.4%659

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.

Otero County has 403 employer establishments, 222 for every 10,000 residents (0.90× the US rate of 248; 0.72× Colorado's), with 4,508 paid employees at an average annual pay of $43,022. The Census Bureau also counts 1,184 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 403; 1,184 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 222; US 248 · Colorado 309
Paid employees: 4,508
Average annual pay: $43,022; US $68,342

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

Ambulatory health care services	35	19.3	0.93×About typical	636	$30,134	33
Restaurants and other eating places	31	17.1	0.93×About typical	525	$17,589	7
Specialty trade contractors	24	13.2	0.86×About typical	64	$37,109	118
Religious organizations	19	10.5	1.89×More than typical	47	$11,660	—
Building equipment contractors	15	8.3	1.38×More than typical	39	$40,462	38
Full-service restaurants	15	8.3	1.08×About typical	180	$15,406	—
Offices of other health practitioners	14	7.7	1.27×More than typical	57	$37,246	16
Limited-service restaurants	13	7.2	0.89×About typical	332	$19,036	—
Banks and credit unions	12	6.6	2.05×More than typical	109	$74,422	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	11	6.1	1.21×About typical	36	$43,694	35
Gasoline stations	11	6.1	1.87×More than typical	132	$28,545	—
Truck transportation	9	5	0.98×Too few to compare	31	$55,452	30

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 18,117 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 contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $202.9K on contracts performed in Otero County, Colorado: $11.47 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $202.9K; −50% vs FY2025
Per resident: $11.47; US $1,995
Sole-source: 14%; US 30%
Single offer: 6.7%; 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$86.5K43%
Forest Service$75.3K37%
Defense Health Agency$27.5K14%
Federal Aviation Administration$13.6K6.7%

Top recipients

EMPRISE PARTNERS LLC$86.5K43%
DIGITCOM ELECTRONICS, INC.$75.3K37%
IMMUCOR INC$27.5K14%
MCNEAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, INC.$13.6K6.7%

Spending by fiscal year

869.1KFY2017
463KFY2018
364.9KFY2019
677.5KFY2020
1.6MFY2021
225.1KFY2022
745.1KFY2023
-230.9KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Building equipment contractors · 2382$86.5K43%
Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing · 3362$75.3K37%
Medical and diagnostic laboratories · 6215$27.5K14%
Utility system construction · 2371$13.6K6.7%

Largest awards

INSTALLATION OF NEW STUCCO SYSTEM, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF NEW SHELTER DOOR, RODENT MITIGATION, AND INTERIOR RODENT WASTE CLEANING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SOW, SPECS AND DRAWINGS$174.4K
MCNEAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, INC.· Otero County, CO· Construction & real property· Apr 21, 2025 – Mar 26, 2026· 6973GH25C00128
IMMUCOR REAGENTS$110K
IMMUCOR INC· Otero County, CO· Health & medical· Jan 31, 2023 – Mar 10, 2026· HT001423P0027
EO 14398 - REPLACE HVAC AT ADMIN AND ARCHIVE BUILDINGS$86.5K
EMPRISE PARTNERS LLC· Otero County, CO· Construction & real property· Sep 18, 2026 – Sep 18, 2026· 140P6426P0075
FIRE COMMAND TRUCKS RED LIGHTS-SIREN-STRIPING UPFITTING OF 8 TRUCKS 0212-4182, 0212-4277, 0212-4278, 0212-4279, 0212-4280, 0212-4281, 0212-4286, 0212-4288

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026.

Explore contracts in Otero County, Colorado

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 $128.6M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Otero County, Colorado: $7,273 per resident (US $12,957).

Assistance · FY2026: $128.6M; −7.5% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,273; US $12,957
Loan face value: $4.7M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 2.0%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$64.1M50%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$13.9M11%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$11.1M8.7%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$7.9M6.1%
57.001 · Social Insurance for Railroad Workers$7.4M5.7%
20.205 · Highway Planning and Construction$6M4.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$5.7M4.4%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$1.7M1.3%

Top recipients (organizations)

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$7.8M6.0%
DENVER, CO
STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION$6.1M4.7%
LA JUNTA, CO
LA JUNTA HOUSING CORPORATION, INC.$527.9K0.4%
LA JUNTA, CO
OTERO COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY$483K0.4%
LA JUNTA, CO
ROCKY FORD HOUSING AUTHORITY

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$88.8M69%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$15.8M12%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$7.8M6.0%
Department of Transportation
Railroad Retirement Board$7.4M5.7%
Farm Service Agency$2.5M1.9%

Assistance by fiscal year

161.3MFY2021
138.3MFY2022
137.6MFY2023
138.4MFY2024
139.1MFY2025
128.6MFY2026

County aggregates

87%

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 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Explore grants in Otero County, Colorado

Public money & outcomes

Federal money per resident by fiscal year next to how the place changed, and, when its money jumped, how it compares with similar counties. A comparison, not cause and effect.

How Otero County, Colorado compares: the federal money it received per resident, and how jobs, income, housing and other outcomes moved, each next to the United States.

Money per resident

By federal fiscal year (October to September, named by the year it ends), obligations per resident. A year with no record counts as $0.

Otero County, Colorado
United States
partial year

Federal contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Otero County, Colorado and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Otero County, Colorado	United States
FY2017	$47.38	$1,436
FY2018	$25.22	$1,552
FY2019	$20.00	$1,654
FY2020	$36.31	$1,880
FY2021	$86.75	$1,810
FY2022	$12.34	$1,917
FY2023	$41.13	$2,079
FY2024	-$12.91	$2,047
FY2025	$22.88	$2,165
FY2026	$11.47 (partial year)	$1,912
FY2027	$0 (partial year)	—

Construction contractsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Otero County, Colorado and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Otero County, Colorado	United States
FY2017	$32.71	$93.28
FY2018	$14.57	$105
FY2019	$6.61	$128
FY2020	$3.19	$145
FY2021	$39.27	$117

Contracts and grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Otero County, Colorado and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Otero County, Colorado	United States
FY2021	$2,237	$5,748
FY2022	$675	$5,221
FY2023	$965	$5,364
FY2024	$1,006	$5,501
FY2025	$677	$5,732
FY2026	$568

Transportation grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Otero County, Colorado and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Otero County, Colorado	United States
FY2021	$968	$298
FY2022	$40.42	$357
FY2023	$554	$301
FY2024	$217	$319
FY2025	$105	$360
FY2026	$440

Housing assistanceUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Otero County, Colorado and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Otero County, Colorado	United States
FY2021	$185	$239
FY2022	$183	$185
FY2023	$133	$229
FY2024	$141	$229
FY2025	$125	$249
FY2026	$111

HHS grantsUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Otero County, Colorado and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Otero County, Colorado	United States
FY2021	$675	$2,304
FY2022	$512	$2,197
FY2023	$294	$2,274
FY2024	$216	$2,267
FY2025	$257	$2,397
FY2026	$95.92

SBA lending volumeUS dollars per resident

Table view

Money per resident, Otero County, Colorado and the United States, by fiscal year
Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)	Otero County, Colorado	United States
FY2021	$922	$1,186
FY2022	$106	$465
FY2023	$50.67	$76.52
FY2024	$15.43	$120
FY2025	$0.28	$148
FY2026	$152

Fiscal years (FY2024 = October 2023 to September 2024)

How outcomes moved

Calendar years. Charts share the same years as the money above. Levels are shown as percent change since 2016; rates are shown as the rate itself.

Otero County, Colorado
United States
Years with money loaded

Job growthpercent

Table view

Job growth, Otero County, Colorado and the United States, by year
Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	−3.1%	2.0%
2015

When its money jumped

A county-year with at least 10,000 residents whose money per resident is at least twice its earlier average counts as a jump. Each is compared with up to five similar counties in the same region whose money did not jump.

No jump in federal money met the criteria in the years loaded, so there is no comparison for this place.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Business Formation Statistics, Building Permits Survey, Cartographic Boundary Files, Gazetteer and metro delineations, Population Estimates Program, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission), Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System), Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordability. JSON · /api/v1/outcomes/places/08089

See all comparisons

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.

Otero County, 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

Cities and towns in Otero County

Places whose residents live mostly in Otero County, largest first.

Neighboring counties

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar counties

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
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
National Risk IndexFederal Emergency Management Agency · release v1.20.0
Health Professional Shortage AreasHealth Resources and Services Administration · release 2026-10-06
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
Common Core of DataNational Center for Education Statistics · release 2024
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
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/08089

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	−1.9%	−4.2%
2015	+0.5%	−1.3%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+4.1%	+3.3%
2018	+8.0%	+6.8%
2019	+14.2%	+10.5%
2020	+20.5%	+19.4%
2021	+21.5%	+26.1%
2022	+27.3%	+30.6%
2023	+33.4%	+35.0%
2024	+40.7%	+41.0%
2025	+47.6%	+46.8%

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	−2.0%	−5.5%
2015	+2.5%	−1.9%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+0.2%	+4.1%
2018	+6.0%	+8.9%
2019	+9.9%	+13.5%
2020	+20.5%	+20.8%
2021	+29.3%	+32.1%
2022	+30.5%	+35.4%
2023	+36.6%	+42.9%
2024	+43.9%	+49.5%

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	0.1/1k	3.3/1k
2015	0.2/1k	3.7/1k
2016	0.2/1k	3.7/1k
2017	0.2/1k	3.9/1k
2018	0.3/1k	4.1/1k
2019	0.3/1k	4.2/1k
2020	0.3/1k	4.4/1k
2021	0.9/1k	5.2/1k
2022	1.8/1k	5.0/1k
2023	0.6/1k	4.5/1k
2024	2.6/1k	4.3/1k
2025	0.5/1k	4.2/1k

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	−10.1%	−6.9%
2015	−4.9%	−3.2%
2016	0.0%	0.0%
2017	+3.1%	+4.7%
2018	+8.9%	+7.5%
2019	+18.9%	+14.0%
2020	+25.7%	+16.9%
2021	+24.2%	+21.0%
2022	+26.7%	+29.7%
2023	+41.9%	+34.9%
2024	+39.3%	+41.6%

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	26.0%	15.5%
2015	20.6%	14.7%
2016	23.6%	14.0%
2017	23.5%	13.4%
2018	20.8%	13.1%
2019	24.2%	12.3%
2020	17.6%	11.9%
2021	19.7%	12.8%
2022	23.2%	12.6%
2023	20.1%	12.5%
2024	19.0%	12.1%

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	7.6%	6.2%
2015	5.5%	5.3%
2016	4.8%	4.9%
2017	4.1%	4.4%
2018	5.0%	3.9%
2019	4.2%	3.7%
2020	6.1%	8.1%
2021	7.1%	5.4%
2022	4.5%	3.7%
2023	4.5%	3.6%
2024	5.3%	4.0%
2025	5.4%	4.3%

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	−14.0% (Dec 2014)	−10.8% (Dec 2014)
2015	−9.8% (Dec 2015)	−5.2% (Dec 2015)
2016	0.0% (Dec 2016)	0.0% (Dec 2016)
2017	+7.1% (Dec 2017)	+6.4% (Dec 2017)
2018	+19.8% (Dec 2018)	+12.6% (Dec 2018)
2019	+29.3% (Dec 2019)	+18.1% (Dec 2019)
2020	+54.8% (Dec 2020)	+29.3% (Dec 2020)
2021	+82.0% (Dec 2021)	+49.8% (Dec 2021)
2022	+105.9% (Dec 2022)	+64.7% (Dec 2022)
2023	+88.9% (Dec 2023)	+69.0% (Dec 2023)
2024	+100.3% (Dec 2024)	+73.4% (Dec 2024)
2025	+90.8% (Dec 2025)	+73.7% (Dec 2025)

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	14.0%	13.5%
2015	12.4%	10.9%
2016	10.5%	10.0%
2017	10.8%	10.2%
2018	10.6%	10.4%
2019	11.4%	10.8%
2020	12.3%	10.4%
2021	10.8%	10.2%
2022	10.0%	9.5%
2023	10.3%	9.5%
2024	11.4%	9.8%

Calendar years	Otero County, Colorado	United States
2014	5.8/1k	8.5/1k
2015	5.3/1k	8.7/1k
2016	6.8/1k	9.1/1k
2017	5.9/1k	9.8/1k
2018	6.1/1k	10.7/1k
2019	7.2/1k	10.6/1k
2020	7.0/1k	13.1/1k
2021	8.6/1k	16.2/1k
2022	10.3/1k	15.1/1k
2023	13.3/1k	16.2/1k
2024	11.1/1k	15.4/1k
2025	13.7/1k	16.6/1k

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved7

Declined2

Counties like Otero County, Colorado five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

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

Public money & outcomes

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Representation in Congress

House

Senate

Cities and towns in Otero County

Neighboring counties

Similar counties

Data and sources

Improved7

Declined2

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

House

Senate

Money per resident

How outcomes moved

When its money jumped

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type