Mesa County, Colorado: commercial real estate data.
Mesa County, Colorado has a population of 158,601 across 3,329 square miles, up 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base. 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.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections · underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency
Mesa County
How many people live in Mesa County
- Population158,601
- 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-equivalents438th
Mesa County is the 11th largest of 64 Colorado counties by population. A median home costs 5.1 times median household income, which is a stretched ownership market and usually shows up as rental demand. 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 storey 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 change since the 2020 census base3.57 percent
- Census 2020 base population155,705
- 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
The county has grown 3.57 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone 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
- Adjusted gross income arriving$301.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$69,892
- Largest single originMesa County Non-migrants (60,444 households)
- Largest single destination (60,444 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa County Non-migrants | 60,444 | 117,837 | $4.76 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,859 | 3,181 | $132.4 m |
| Other flows - West | 790 | 1,344 | $57.0 m |
| Other flows - South | 525 | 908 | $34.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 406 | 682 | $28.5 m |
| Garfield County | 224 | 391 | $16.0 m |
| Jefferson County | 194 | 303 | $15.5 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 184 | 290 | $10.3 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Mesa County Non-migrants, 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 Colorado counties11th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents461st
- 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
Largest employers in Mesa County
- Covered employment, annual average66,864
- Establishments reporting5,690
- Average annual pay$57,309
- Average weekly wage$1,102
- Sector 62, employment12,228
- Sector 62, average annual pay$63,296
- Sector 44-45, employment8,843
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$43,409
- Sector 72, employment7,141
- Sector 72, average annual pay$26,616
- Sector 23, employment5,122
- Sector 23, average annual pay$67,883
- Sector 31-33, employment3,097
- Sector 56, employment2,689
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 12,228 | 654 | $63,296 |
| Sector 44-45 | 8,843 | 568 | $43,409 |
| Sector 72 | 7,141 | 358 | $26,616 |
| Sector 23 | 5,122 | 675 | $67,883 |
| Sector 31-33 | 3,097 | 202 | $57,927 |
| Sector 56 | 2,689 | 301 | $52,977 |
| Sector 48-49 | 2,620 | 178 | $63,783 |
| Sector 54 | 2,585 | 734 | $72,265 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 12,228 jobs, 18.3 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
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.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Mesa County
Building permits in Mesa County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,014
- Declared construction value permitted$150.7 m
- Single family units authorised714
- Multifamily units authorised300
- Multifamily share of units29.6 percent
- Average declared value per unit$148,650
- Units authorised per 1,000 households15.4
Multifamily is 29.6 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
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
- Leading industry by approval countOffices of Dentists (9)
- Most active lenderTimberline Bank (26)
- 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)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals74.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$207.8 m
The average approval of $737,403 sits well above the median of $332,500, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually 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
- Places in the county with recorded lending6
- Grand Junction, approvals176
- FRUITA, approvals16
- CLIFTON, approvals15
- Palisade, approvals9
- LOMA, approvals3
- DE BEQUE, approvals2
| Place | 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 boundary5
- 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.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population158,601
- 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?
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. 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 the average wage in Mesa County?
Average annual pay is $57,309, or $1,102 a week, across 66,864 covered jobs. 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 totalling $163.0 m since FY2020, across 49 lenders, with a median approval of $332,500, plus 75 504 approvals worth $44.9 m. 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 authorised 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 Mesa County Non-migrants, with 60,444 households. Arriving households report an average income of $69,892 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.
Mesa County
Cities and places in Mesa.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Mesa County. 10 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA approvals | 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 |
A further 2 SBA approvals in Mesa County are recorded against borrower cities that match no Census place, the largest being Molina, Whitewater. Those are postal cities and unincorporated areas rather than incorporated places, so no page claims them, and their lending is counted in this county's totals above rather than under any city.