La Plata County vs Mesa County
A side-by-side comparison of La Plata County and Mesa County: population, income, housing, and more.
La Plata County and Mesa County are counties in Colorado. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Mesa County has the higher population (157,316 vs 56,088 in La Plata County). La Plata County has the higher median household income ($85,296 vs $71,485 in Mesa County). La Plata County has the higher median home value ($549,100 vs $349,400 in Mesa County).
Population, income & housing
| La Plata County | Mesa County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,088 | 157,316 |
| Median age | 42.3 yrs | 40.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $85,296 | $71,485 |
| Median home value | $549,100 | $349,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,409 | $1,154 |
| Housing units | 28,613 | 68,861 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.0% | 71.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.3% | 30.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 5.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| La Plata County | Mesa County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 55,617 → 56,088 (+0.8%) | 151,218 → 157,316 (+4.0%) |
| Median household income | $68,685 → $85,296 (+24.2%) | $55,379 → $71,485 (+29.1%) |
| Median home value | $395,600 → $549,100 (+38.8%) | $227,000 → $349,400 (+53.9%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,147 → $1,409 (+22.8%) | $963 → $1,154 (+19.8%) |
La Plata County
55,61756,088
$68,685$85,296
$395,600$549,100
$1,147$1,409
Mesa County
151,218157,316
$55,379$71,485
$227,000$349,400
$963$1,154
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| La Plata County | Mesa County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.2% | 5.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.7% | 15.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.2% | 8.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.9% | 12.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.1% | 12.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 11.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.5% | 13.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.3% | 12.4% |
| 75 and over | 6.6% | 8.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| La Plata County | Mesa County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 76.6% | 79.0% |
| Black or African American | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 5.4% | 0.4% |
| Asian | 0.8% | 0.9% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% | 15.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| La Plata County | Mesa County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 3.6% | 7.6% |
| High school graduate | 21.0% | 28.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 28.1% | 33.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 29.6% | 20.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 17.6% | 9.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| La Plata County | Mesa County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 66.7% | 72.7% |
| Carpooled | 7.5% | 7.9% |
| Public transit | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Walked | 4.4% | 2.4% |
| Bicycle | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Worked from home | 17.9% | 13.1% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 1.8% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| La Plata County | Mesa County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 62.3% | 71.2% |
| 1-unit, attached | 4.9% | 4.6% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.7% | 6.7% |
| 5 to 19 units | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| 20 or more units | 6.8% | 4.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 13.3% | 8.4% |
Poverty & households
| La Plata County | Mesa County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 11.2% |
| Average household size | 2.34 | 2.37 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 21 | 19 |
| Median year structure built | 1991 | 1987 |
Full profiles
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