Costilla County, Colorado Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Costilla County is located in Colorado with a total population of 3,607. It is the 55th most populous county out of 64 in Colorado. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Costilla County is 50.5 years. This is 34% higher than the state median of 37.7 years. 10.9% 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 Costilla County is $36,861. This is 61% lower than the state median of $95,470. It is also 54% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.0%. This is 122% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.5%. This is 24% lower than the state rate of 4.6%. The median home value is $184,700. Housing costs are 66% lower than the state median of $539,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.0x. 79.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 66.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Costilla County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 54.7% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 37.3%. The Black or African American population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (54.7% vs 22.5%). The Asian population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 3.2%.

Education

24.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 46% 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 90.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Costilla County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Colorado and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.