Otero County, Colorado

8 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 18,460
Median household income: $54,897
Median home value: $160,700

Otero County is a county in Colorado with a population of 18,460. 8 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $54,897 runs below the Colorado figure of $92,470.

From 2019 to 2023, Otero County's population held roughly steady from 18,282 to 18,460, while its median household income rose 43.8% from $38,169 to $54,897.

White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 52.2% of the population. 78.0% of workers drive to work alone.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 18,460
Median age: 40.9 yrs
Median household income: $54,897
Median home value: $160,700
Median gross rent: $796
Housing units: 8,725
Homeownership rate: 68.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 18.8%
Unemployment rate: 4.6%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

18,28218,460

Median household income

$38,169$54,897

Median home value

$94,900$160,700

Median gross rent

$675$796

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	18,282	$38,169	$94,900	$675
2020	18,284	$43,075	$101,000	$687
2021	18,665	$45,826	$107,500	$764
2022	18,580	$47,500	$132,600	$802
2023	18,460	$54,897	$160,700	$796

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.8%

5 to 1717.6%

18 to 248.3%

25 to 3411.2%

35 to 4412.4%

45 to 5410.5%

55 to 6413.1%

65 to 7412.3%

75 and over8.7%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,063	5.8%
5 to 17	3,252	17.6%
18 to 24	1,540	8.3%
25 to 34	2,073	11.2%
35 to 44	2,296	12.4%
45 to 54	1,933	10.5%
55 to 64	2,427	13.1%
65 to 74	2,267	12.3%
75 and over	1,609	8.7%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	9,627	52.2%
Black or African American	181	1.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	74	0.4%
Asian	134	0.7%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	249	1.3%
Two or more races	497	2.7%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	7,698	41.7%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma10.8%

High school graduate32.0%

Some college or associate's38.4%

Bachelor's degree11.9%

Graduate or professional degree6.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,361	10.8%
High school graduate	4,034	32.0%
Some college or associate's	4,840	38.4%
Bachelor's degree	1,501	11.9%
Graduate or professional degree	869	6.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 21 min

Drove alone78.0%

Carpooled10.9%

Public transit0.0%

Walked4.0%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home5.6%

Other means1.6%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	6,073	78.0%
Carpooled	846	10.9%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	309	4.0%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	435	5.6%
Other means	124	1.6%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	4,173	56.8%
15 to 29 min	1,718	23.4%
30 to 44 min	645	8.8%
45 to 59 min	197	2.7%
60+ min	619	8.4%

Households

Average household size: 2.35
Poverty rate: 23.6% (4,249 of 18,004)

	Count	Share
Family households	4,852	63.5%
Nonfamily households	2,791	36.5%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1957

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	7,643	87.6%
Vacant	1,082	12.4%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	5,264	68.9%
Renter-occupied	2,379	31.1%

1-unit, detached77.6%

1-unit, attached0.6%

2 to 4 units4.5%

5 to 19 units4.9%

20 or more units4.0%

Mobile home & other8.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	6,773	77.6%
1-unit, attached	53	0.6%
2 to 4 units	396	4.5%
5 to 19 units	425	4.9%
20 or more units	352	4.0%
Mobile home & other	726	8.3%

Geography

County GEOID: 08089
State: Colorado
Land area: 1,262 sq mi
Water area: 7.76 sq mi
Center point: 37.8842, -103.7213