La Plata County, Colorado: commercial real estate data.
La Plata County, Colorado had an estimated 56,823 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 55,638, across 1,692 square miles. County output reached $4.26 bn in 2024, 2,447 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 123 7(a) approvals worth $65.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
La Plata County
How many people live in La Plata County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202456,331
- Households24,378
- Average household size2.31
- Median household income$86,056
- Median age43.2
- Median gross rent$1,504 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$591,500
- Home value to household income6.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income21.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher49.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree19.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over41,347
- Population under 189,867
- Share under 1817.5 percent
- Population 65 and over11,728
- Share 65 and over20.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6434,736
- Civilian labor force30,435
- Unemployment rate3.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.5 percent
- Rank by population among Colorado counties14th of 64
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included938th of 3,222
La Plata County is the 14th largest of 64 Colorado counties by population. A median home costs 6.9 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 20.8 percent against 17.5 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.
La Plata County
Is La Plata County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202456,823
- Census 2020 base population55,638
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.13 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024422
- Births, 2024411
- Deaths, 2024443
- Natural change, 2024-32
- Net domestic migration, 2024414
- Net international migration, 202435
- Total net migration, 2024449
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,085
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1130th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.13 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.
La Plata County
Where are people moving to La Plata County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,099
- People arriving, from those returns3,231
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,111
- Net household movement-12
- Adjusted gross income arriving$233.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$85.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$111,211
- Average income of a leaving household$70,038
- Largest single originSan Juan County (98 households)
- Largest single destinationSan Juan County (234 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan County | 98 | 155 | $4.2 m |
| Maricopa County | 83 | 130 | $8.9 m |
| Denver County | 79 | 101 | $8.6 m |
| Jefferson County | 74 | 108 | $11.5 m |
| Boulder County | 60 | 77 | $4.7 m |
| Montezuma County | 58 | 90 | $3.2 m |
| Archuleta County | 39 | 58 | $1.7 m |
| El Paso County | 39 | 60 | $2.7 m |
Households arriving report $41,173 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 San Juan 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.
La Plata County
What is the La Plata County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$4.26 bn
- County GDP, 2023$4.11 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.9 percent
- GDP change over five years42.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Colorado areas BEA publishes16th of 64
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes776th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$75,695
Output grew 3.9 percent in the latest year and 42.2 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.
La Plata County
Employment by industry in La Plata County
- Covered employment, annual average26,983
- Establishments reporting3,080
- Average annual pay$61,965
- Average weekly wage$1,192
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,523
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$29,436
- Retail trade, employment3,455
- Retail trade, average annual pay$39,541
- Health care and social assistance, employment3,291
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$67,691
- Construction, employment1,910
- Construction, average annual pay$66,329
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment1,574
- Arts, entertainment and recreation, employment1,053
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 3,523 | 221 | $29,436 |
| Retail trade | 3,455 | 285 | $39,541 |
| Health care and social assistance | 3,291 | 360 | $67,691 |
| Construction | 1,910 | 360 | $66,329 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,574 | 536 | $105,605 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 1,053 | 67 | $30,432 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 925 | 180 | $51,772 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 805 | 54 | $74,123 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 3,523 jobs, 13.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
La Plata County
How many businesses are in La Plata County?
- Establishments, all industries2,447
- Employment at those establishments20,351
- Annual payroll$1.09 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents43.4
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.
La Plata County
Building permits in La Plata County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024208
- Declared construction value permitted$95.1 m
- Single family units authorized173
- Multifamily units authorized35
- Multifamily share of units16.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$457,133
- Units authorized per 1,000 households8.5
Single-family homes are 83.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
La Plata County
SBA loans in La Plata County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded123
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$65.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$530,290
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,434,160
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,024
- Jobs per approval8.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active33
- Distinct industries receiving approvals76
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer17.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms22
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter98
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals8.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (8)
- Most active lenderFirst Southwest Bank (42)
- 504 approvals recorded37
- 504 gross approval dollars$22.6 m
- Average 504 approval$611,568
- Median 504 approval$330,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval5.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved8.4
- Most active CDCB:Side Capital (34)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$87.9 m
The average approval of $530,290 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 17.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
La Plata County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in La Plata County
Do SBA loans in La Plata County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded39
- Paid in full35
- Charged off4
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans10.3 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure75
- Status: Paid in full35
- Status: Charged off4
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Of the 39 loans that have reached a final outcome, 10.3 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
La Plata County
SBA lending by place in La Plata County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Durango, approvals98
- Bayfield, approvals19
- Hesperus, approvals2
- Ignacio, approvals2
- Prescott, approvals1
- Center, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Durango | 98 | $55,269,700 |
| Bayfield | 19 | $5,524,000 |
| Hesperus | 2 | $112,000 |
| Ignacio | 2 | $30,000 |
| Prescott | 1 | $4,249,000 |
| Center | 1 | $41,000 |
Durango accounts for 98 approvals against 19 in Bayfield. 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.
La Plata County
How large is La Plata County?
- Land area1,692 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Colorado counties26th of 64
- Width, east to west49.4 mi
- Height, north to south44.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land33
- Establishments per square mile1.45
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.
La Plata County
Flood risk in La Plata County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community La Plata County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 080097
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- 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 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in La Plata 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 La Plata County (community 080097), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places La Plata 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 9, 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 La Plata 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 La Plata County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202456,331
- Households24,378
- Average household size2.31
- Median household income$86,056
- Median age43.2
Common questions
La Plata County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in La Plata County, Colorado?
The Census Bureau estimates 56,823 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 56,331, in 24,378 households, ranking 14th of 64 Colorado counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is La Plata County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.13 percent since the 2020 census base of 55,638, to 56,823 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 411 births against 443 deaths, with net migration of 449. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in La Plata County?
$86,056. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $591,500, which is 6.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,504 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in La Plata County?
2,447 establishments, employing 20,351 people with an annual payroll of $1.09 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in La Plata County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 3,523 jobs, 13.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 26,983 jobs at an average annual pay of $61,965, or $1,192 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in La Plata County?
123 7(a) approvals totaling $65.2 m since FY2020, across 33 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 37 504 approvals worth $22.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in La Plata County get paid back?
Of the 39 loans that have reached a final outcome, 35 were paid in full and 4 charged off, a charge-off rate of 10.3 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in La Plata County?
208 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $95.1 m. Multifamily was 16.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for La Plata 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 La Plata County come from?
The largest single origin is San Juan County, with 98 households. Arriving households report an average income of $111,211 against $70,038 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for La Plata 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 La Plata 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.
La Plata County
Cities and places in La Plata.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in La Plata County. All 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durango | city | 19,411 | 98 | Wholly in this county |
| Bayfield | town | 2,901 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Ignacio | town | 1,250 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Marvel | CDP | 100 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Southern Ute | CDP | 67 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 123 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in La Plata County, the largest being Hesperus (2), Prescott (1), Center (1). 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