Rio Grande County, Colorado Demographics 2026

Name: Rio Grande County, Colorado Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Rio Grande County, Colorado has a population of 11,321, the 37th most populous county in Colorado. The median household income is $64,411 and the median home value is $239,500. The poverty rate is 18.0%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Rio Grande County Quick Facts

Population 11,321

Median Household Income $64,411

Median Home Value $239,500

Poverty Rate 18.0%

Unemployment Rate 10.2%

Median Age 41.7 years

Homeownership Rate 67.1%

Affordability Ratio 3.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 34.5%

High School Graduation 88.5%

Cities/Places 6

Population 11,321 37th of 64

Median Income $64,411 33% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.0%

Unemployment 10.2%

How Rio Grande 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	11,394	11,321	-0.6%
Median household income	$62,166	$64,411	+3.6%
Median home value	$215,400	$239,500	+11.2%

Median Household Income

Rio Grande

$64,411

$95,470

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Rio Grande

$239,500

$539,400

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 20.9%

$25K-$50K 17.9%

$50K-$100K 29.9%

$100K+ 31.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.8%

$10K-$15K

3.8%

$15K-$20K

2.1%

$20K-$25K

7.3%

$25K-$30K

4.4%

$30K-$35K

1.8%

$35K-$40K

5.9%

$40K-$45K

2.0%

$45K-$50K

3.7%

$50K-$60K

6.5%

$60K-$75K

10.8%

$75K-$100K

12.6%

$100K-$125K

12.5%

$125K-$150K

7.1%

$150K-$200K

6.3%

$200K+

5.5%

Employment

10.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.6%|National: 5.2%

61.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 67.1%

Renter 32.9%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $945/mo 17.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.2%

18-34

17.3%

35-54

26.3%

55-74

27.4%

75+

8.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 52 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Rio Grande County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Monte Vista	4,141	$61,684	30.9%	$224,500
Center	2,120	$45,750	19.9%	$126,000
Del Norte	1,653	$40,700	18.5%	$184,400
South Fork	724	$76,250	11.1%	$423,800
Gerrard	332	$76,181	5.4%	N/A
Alpine	75	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Colorado Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Rio Grande County is located in Colorado with a total population of 11,321. It is the 37th most populous county out of 64 in Colorado. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rio Grande County is 41.7 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 37.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rio Grande County is $64,411. This is 33% lower than the state median of $95,470. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.0%. This is 91% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.4%. The unemployment rate is 10.2%. This is 119% higher than the state rate of 4.6%. The median home value is $239,500. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $539,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 67.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 66.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Rio Grande County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 54.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 40.7%. The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (40.7% vs 22.5%). The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 3.2%.

Education

34.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% 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 88.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rio Grande 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 Rio Grande County, Colorado?

Rio Grande County has a population of 11,321, making it the 37th most populous county in Colorado.

What is the median income in Rio Grande County?

The median household income in Rio Grande County is $64,411 with a poverty rate of 18.0%.

How many cities are in Rio Grande County, Colorado?

Rio Grande County contains 6 Census-designated places.