Cortez city, Colorado Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Cortez city is a small city located in Colorado. The total population is 8,898. It ranks as the 77th most populous out of 471 cities and towns in Colorado.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cortez city is 38.9 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 37.5 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cortez city is $51,377. This is 44% lower than the state median of $92,470. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 35% lower. The poverty rate stands at 13.8%. This is 48% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 5.6%. This is 26% higher than the state rate of 4.5%. The median home value is $226,700. Housing costs are 55% lower than the state median of $502,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 60.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% lower than the state average of 66.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cortez city is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 18.6%.

Education

29.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 35% lower than the state rate of 44.7%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cortez city, Colorado is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually, providing reliable estimates for communities of all sizes. Comparisons are made against Colorado state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 471 Census-designated places in Colorado. For official data, visit data.census.gov.