Delta County, Colorado: commercial real estate data.
Delta County, Colorado had an estimated 32,215 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 31,197, across 1,142 square miles. County output reached $1.20 bn in 2024, 878 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 28 7(a) approvals worth $22.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Delta County
How many people live in Delta County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202431,598
- Households12,959
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$57,774
- Median age48.1
- Median gross rent$1,121 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$343,200
- Home value to household income5.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income23.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over23,409
- Population under 186,029
- Share under 1819.1 percent
- Population 65 and over8,973
- Share 65 and over28.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6416,596
- Civilian labor force12,999
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over50.8 percent
- Rank by population among Colorado counties18th of 64
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1428th of 3,222
Delta County is the 18th largest of 64 Colorado counties by population. A median home costs 5.9 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 28.4 percent against 19.1 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Delta County
Is Delta County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202432,215
- Census 2020 base population31,197
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.26 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024455
- Births, 2024273
- Deaths, 2024450
- Natural change, 2024-177
- Net domestic migration, 2024615
- Net international migration, 202421
- Total net migration, 2024636
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,909
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents816th of 3,144
The county has grown 3.26 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Delta County
Where are people moving to Delta County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,109
- People arriving, from those returns2,036
- Tax returns filed by households leaving847
- Net household movement262
- Adjusted gross income arriving$80.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$33.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$72,942
- Average income of a leaving household$55,992
- Largest single originMontrose County (167 households)
- Largest single destinationMesa County (152 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montrose County | 167 | 331 | $7.7 m |
| Mesa County | 163 | 306 | $8.1 m |
| Jefferson County | 50 | 82 | $3.5 m |
| Garfield County | 32 | 47 | $1.8 m |
| Boulder County | 25 | 39 | $1.6 m |
| El Paso County | 23 | 42 | $1.6 m |
| Adams County | 20 | 50 | $3.3 m |
| Arapahoe County | 20 | 41 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $16,950 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Montrose County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Delta County
What is the Delta County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.20 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.14 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.7 percent
- GDP change over five years30.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Colorado areas BEA publishes29th of 64
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1692nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$38,074
Output grew 5.7 percent in the latest year and 30.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Delta County
Employment by industry in Delta County
- Covered employment, annual average8,997
- Establishments reporting1,041
- Average annual pay$47,843
- Average weekly wage$920
- Retail trade, employment1,213
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,208
- Health care and social assistance, employment866
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$38,922
- Accommodation and food services, employment784
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,331
- Manufacturing, employment720
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$47,429
- Construction, employment587
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment420
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,213 | 107 | $36,208 |
| Health care and social assistance | 866 | 87 | $38,922 |
| Accommodation and food services | 784 | 86 | $22,331 |
| Manufacturing | 720 | 58 | $47,429 |
| Construction | 587 | 136 | $57,527 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 420 | 61 | $45,232 |
| Finance and insurance | 348 | 51 | $91,654 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 325 | 38 | $46,192 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,213 jobs, 13.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Delta County
How many businesses are in Delta County?
- Establishments, all industries878
- Employment at those establishments6,516
- Annual payroll$295.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Delta County
Building permits in Delta County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024115
- Declared construction value permitted$25.4 m
- Single family units authorized63
- Multifamily units authorized52
- Multifamily share of units45.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$220,908
- Units authorized per 1,000 households8.9
Multifamily is 45.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Delta County
SBA loans in Delta County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded28
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$22.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$799,339
- Median 7(a) approval$380,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,961,500
- Largest single approval$3,118,500
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)217
- Jobs per approval7.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals19
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer35.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter16
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals17.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (4)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (4)
- 504 approvals recorded13
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.2 m
- Average 504 approval$324,462
- Median 504 approval$247,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval4.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.6
- Most active CDCB:Side Capital (11)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$26.6 m
The average approval of $799,339 sits well above the median of $380,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 35.7 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Delta County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Delta County
Do SBA loans in Delta County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure18
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Delta County
SBA lending by place in Delta County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Delta, approvals11
- Cedaredge, approvals7
- Paonia, approvals6
- Austin, approvals3
- Hotchkiss, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Delta | 11 | $14,813,000 |
| Cedaredge | 7 | $4,560,000 |
| Paonia | 6 | $1,181,500 |
| Austin | 3 | $410,000 |
| Hotchkiss | 1 | $1,417,000 |
Delta accounts for 11 approvals against 7 in Cedaredge. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Delta County
How large is Delta County?
- Land area1,142 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Colorado counties40th of 64
- Width, east to west47.3 mi
- Height, north to south38 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land28
- Establishments per square mile0.77
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Delta County
Flood risk in Delta County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Delta County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 080041
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 10
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Delta County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Delta County (community 080041), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Delta County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 10, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Delta County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Delta County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202431,598
- Households12,959
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$57,774
- Median age48.1
Common questions
Delta County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Delta County, Colorado?
The Census Bureau estimates 32,215 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 31,598, in 12,959 households, ranking 18th of 64 Colorado counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Delta County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.26 percent since the 2020 census base of 31,197, to 32,215 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 273 births against 450 deaths, with net migration of 636. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Delta County?
$57,774. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $343,200, which is 5.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,121 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Delta County?
878 establishments, employing 6,516 people with an annual payroll of $295.4 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Delta County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,213 jobs, 13.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 8,997 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,843, or $920 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Delta County?
28 7(a) approvals totaling $22.4 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $380,000, plus 13 504 approvals worth $4.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Delta County?
115 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $25.4 m. Multifamily was 45.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Delta County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Delta County come from?
The largest single origin is Montrose County, with 167 households. Arriving households report an average income of $72,942 against $55,992 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Delta County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Delta County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Delta County
Cities and places in Delta.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Delta County. All 7 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | city | 9,421 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Orchard City | town | 3,221 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cedaredge | town | 2,398 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Paonia | town | 1,661 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Hotchkiss | town | 1,224 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Crawford | town | 448 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lazear | CDP | 196 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 28 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Delta County, the largest being Austin (3). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby