Blanca, Colorado Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 230, Blanca's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Blanca is a small community located in Colorado, within Costilla County. The total population is 230. It ranks as the 362nd most populous out of 472 Census-designated places in Colorado.

Age Demographics

The median age in Blanca is 36.2 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 37.7 years. 13.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Blanca is $68,000. This is 29% lower than the state median of $95,470. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.2%. This is 29% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 10.1%. This is 118% higher than the state rate of 4.6%. The median home value is $163,500. Housing costs are 70% lower than the state median of $539,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Blanca is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 66.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Blanca is Hispanic or Latino, making up 72.6% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 23.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (23.5%) is well below the state average of 64.8%. The Black or African American population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (72.6% vs 22.5%). The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 3.2%.

Education

8.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 81% lower than the state rate of 45.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 83.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Blanca, Colorado is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Colorado state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 472 Census-designated places in Colorado. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.