Mesa County, Colorado: commercial real estate data.
Mesa County, Colorado had an estimated 161,260 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 155,705, across 3,329 square miles. County output reached $9.48 bn in 2024, 4,827 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 221 7(a) approvals worth $163.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Mesa County
How many people live in Mesa County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024158,601
- Households65,830
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$73,658
- Median age41.3
- Median gross rent$1,182 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$378,600
- Home value to household income5.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over112,574
- Population under 1832,410
- Share under 1820.4 percent
- Population 65 and over33,412
- Share 65 and over21.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6492,779
- Civilian labor force79,363
- Unemployment rate5.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.9 percent
- Rank by population among Colorado counties11th of 64
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included438th of 3,222
Mesa County is the 11th largest of 64 Colorado counties by population. A median home costs 5.1 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 21.1 percent against 20.4 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.
Mesa County
Is Mesa County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024161,260
- Census 2020 base population155,705
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.57 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,570
- Births, 20241,446
- Deaths, 20241,683
- Natural change, 2024-237
- Net domestic migration, 20241,663
- Net international migration, 2024126
- Total net migration, 20241,789
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,351
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents761st of 3,144
The county has grown 3.57 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.
Mesa County
Where are people moving to Mesa County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,313
- People arriving, from those returns7,132
- Tax returns filed by households leaving3,800
- Net household movement513
- Adjusted gross income arriving$301.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$44.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$69,892
- Average income of a leaving household$67,682
- Largest single originGarfield County (224 households)
- Largest single destinationDelta County (163 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garfield County | 224 | 391 | $16.0 m |
| Jefferson County | 194 | 303 | $15.5 m |
| Delta County | 152 | 253 | $6.4 m |
| Montrose County | 143 | 224 | $6.7 m |
| El Paso County | 123 | 211 | $10.1 m |
| Denver County | 116 | 148 | $13.4 m |
| Arapahoe County | 113 | 169 | $6.4 m |
| Maricopa County | 100 | 135 | $6.4 m |
Households arriving report $2,210 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 Garfield 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.
Mesa County
What is the Mesa County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$9.48 bn
- County GDP, 2023$9.01 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.2 percent
- GDP change over five years35.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Colorado areas BEA publishes11th of 64
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes461st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$59,750
Output grew 5.2 percent in the latest year and 35.3 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.
Mesa County
Employment by industry in Mesa County
- Covered employment, annual average66,864
- Establishments reporting5,690
- Average annual pay$57,309
- Average weekly wage$1,102
- Health care and social assistance, employment12,228
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$63,296
- Retail trade, employment8,843
- Retail trade, average annual pay$43,409
- Accommodation and food services, employment7,141
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$26,616
- Construction, employment5,122
- Construction, average annual pay$67,883
- Manufacturing, employment3,097
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment2,689
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 12,228 | 654 | $63,296 |
| Retail trade | 8,843 | 568 | $43,409 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,141 | 358 | $26,616 |
| Construction | 5,122 | 675 | $67,883 |
| Manufacturing | 3,097 | 202 | $57,927 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 2,689 | 301 | $52,977 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,620 | 178 | $63,783 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 2,585 | 734 | $72,265 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 12,228 jobs, 18.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Mesa County
How many businesses are in Mesa County?
- Establishments, all industries4,827
- Employment at those establishments56,737
- Annual payroll$3.08 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents30.4
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.
Mesa County
Building permits in Mesa County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,014
- Declared construction value permitted$150.7 m
- Single family units authorized714
- Multifamily units authorized300
- Multifamily share of units29.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$148,650
- Units authorized per 1,000 households15.4
Single-family homes are 70.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Mesa County
SBA loans in Mesa County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded221
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$163.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$737,403
- Median 7(a) approval$332,500
- 10th percentile approval$27,500
- 90th percentile approval$2,040,000
- Largest single approval$4,750,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,456
- Jobs per approval15.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active49
- Distinct industries receiving approvals110
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer23.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms52
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter157
- Franchise loans19
- Franchise share of approvals8.6 percent
- 504 approvals recorded75
- 504 gross approval dollars$44.9 m
- Average 504 approval$598,417
- Median 504 approval$364,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval7.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.6
- Most active CDCB:Side Capital (47)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$207.8 m
The average approval of $737,403 sits well above the median of $332,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 23.5 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.
Mesa County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Mesa County
Do SBA loans in Mesa County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded49
- Paid in full48
- Charged off1
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans2.0 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure134
- Status: Paid in full48
- Status: Cancelled25
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed13
- Status: Charged off1
Of the 49 loans that have reached a final outcome, 2.0 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.
Mesa County
SBA lending by place in Mesa County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Grand Junction, approvals176
- Fruita, approvals16
- Clifton, approvals15
- Palisade, approvals9
- Loma, approvals3
- De Beque, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction | 176 | $135,625,600 |
| Fruita | 16 | $7,143,200 |
| Clifton | 15 | $17,617,000 |
| Palisade | 9 | $1,892,800 |
| Loma | 3 | $110,000 |
| De Beque | 2 | $577,500 |
Grand Junction accounts for 176 approvals against 16 in Fruita. 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.
Mesa County
How large is Mesa County?
- Land area3,329 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Colorado counties4th of 64
- Width, east to west89.5 mi
- Height, north to south59.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land48
- 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.
Mesa County
Flood risk in Mesa County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Mesa County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 080115
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 7
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- 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 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Mesa 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 Mesa County (community 080115), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 7, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Mesa 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 7, 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 Mesa 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 Mesa County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024158,601
- Households65,830
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$73,658
- Median age41.3
Common questions
Mesa County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Mesa County, Colorado?
The Census Bureau estimates 161,260 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 158,601, in 65,830 households, ranking 11th of 64 Colorado counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Mesa County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.57 percent since the 2020 census base of 155,705, to 161,260 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,446 births against 1,683 deaths, with net migration of 1,789. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Mesa County?
$73,658. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $378,600, which is 5.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,182 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Mesa County?
4,827 establishments, employing 56,737 people with an annual payroll of $3.08 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 Mesa County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 12,228 jobs, 18.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 66,864 jobs at an average annual pay of $57,309, or $1,102 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Mesa County?
221 7(a) approvals totaling $163.0 m since FY2020, across 49 lenders, with a median approval of $332,500, plus 75 504 approvals worth $44.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Mesa County get paid back?
Of the 49 loans that have reached a final outcome, 48 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge-off rate of 2.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Mesa County?
1,014 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $150.7 m. Multifamily was 29.6 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Mesa 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 Mesa County come from?
The largest single origin is Garfield County, with 224 households. Arriving households report an average income of $69,892 against $67,682 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Mesa 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 Mesa 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.
Mesa County
Cities and places in Mesa.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Mesa County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction | city | 68,142 | 176 | Wholly in this county |
| Clifton | CDP | 19,518 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Fruita | city | 13,691 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Redlands | CDP | 8,868 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fruitvale | CDP | 8,019 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Orchard Mesa | CDP | 6,945 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Palisade | town | 2,584 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Loma | CDP | 1,350 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| De Beque | town | 458 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Collbran | town | 356 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby