Mesa County, Colorado Demographics 2026
Mesa County, Colorado has a population of 158,601, the 11th most populous county in Colorado. The median household income is $73,658 and the median home value is $378,600. The poverty rate is 10.7%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Mesa County Quick Facts
How Mesa County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 157,316 | 158,601 | +0.8% |
| Median household income | $71,485 | $73,658 | +3.0% |
| Median home value | $349,400 | $378,600 | +8.4% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.
State average: 52 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Mesa County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction | 68,142 | $70,080 | 11.8% | $389,800 |
| Clifton | 19,518 | $52,100 | 15.0% | $250,500 |
| Fruita | 13,691 | $87,184 | 4.1% | $398,200 |
| Redlands | 8,868 | $92,391 | 6.9% | $487,500 |
| Fruitvale | 8,019 | $77,887 | 9.9% | $333,100 |
| Orchard Mesa | 6,945 | $80,359 | 4.5% | $332,600 |
| Palisade | 2,584 | $80,587 | 9.0% | $404,600 |
| Loma | 1,350 | $141,023 | 5.9% | $786,800 |
| De Beque | 458 | $63,558 | 12.7% | $241,700 |
| Collbran | 356 | $50,833 | 41.3% | $246,600 |
Explore Colorado Rankings
Population Overview
Mesa County is located in Colorado with a total population of 158,601. It is the 11th most populous county out of 64 in Colorado. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Mesa County is 41.3 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 37.7 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Mesa County is $73,658. This is 23% lower than the state median of $95,470. It is also 9% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.7%. This is 14% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 17% higher than the state rate of 4.6%. The median home value is $378,600. Housing costs are 30% lower than the state median of $539,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.1x. 72.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 66.2%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Mesa County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 78.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 15.5%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Asian population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 3.2%.
Education
32.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% 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 92.9%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Mesa 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Mesa County, Colorado?
Mesa County has a population of 158,601, making it the 11th most populous county in Colorado.
What is the median income in Mesa County?
The median household income in Mesa County is $73,658 with a poverty rate of 10.7%.
How many cities are in Mesa County, Colorado?
Mesa County contains 10 Census-designated places.