Otero County, Colorado: commercial real estate data.
Otero County, Colorado had an estimated 17,991 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,686, across 1,262 square miles. County output reached $738.8 m in 2024, 403 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 14 7(a) approvals worth $6.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Otero County
How many people live in Otero County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,321
- Households7,584
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$54,037
- Median age41.8
- Median gross rent$839 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$168,900
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over12,561
- Population under 184,232
- Share under 1823.1 percent
- Population 65 and over3,894
- Share 65 and over21.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,195
- Civilian labor force8,128
- Unemployment rate6.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.7 percent
- Rank by population among Colorado counties27th of 64
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1974th of 3,222
Otero County is the 27th largest of 64 Colorado counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.1 percent against 21.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Otero County
Is Otero County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202417,991
- Census 2020 base population18,686
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.72 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-157
- Births, 2024207
- Deaths, 2024222
- Natural change, 2024-15
- Net domestic migration, 2024-156
- Net international migration, 202415
- Total net migration, 2024-141
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-410
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2854th of 3,144
The county has lost 3.72 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Otero County
Where are people moving to Otero County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving440
- People arriving, from those returns764
- Tax returns filed by households leaving431
- Net household movement9
- Adjusted gross income arriving$18.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$43,005
- Average income of a leaving household$48,566
- Largest single originPueblo County (81 households)
- Largest single destinationPueblo County (77 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pueblo County | 81 | 133 | $3.5 m |
| El Paso County | 42 | 61 | $1.7 m |
| Bent County | 25 | 46 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $5,561 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Pueblo 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.
Otero County
What is the Otero County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$738.8 m
- County GDP, 2023$727.8 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.5 percent
- GDP change over five years21.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Colorado areas BEA publishes35th of 64
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2089th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$40,326
Output grew 1.5 percent in the latest year and 21.8 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.
Otero County
Employment by industry in Otero County
- Covered employment, annual average6,054
- Establishments reporting512
- Average annual pay$46,375
- Average weekly wage$892
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,157
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$53,921
- Retail trade, employment688
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,711
- Accommodation and food services, employment576
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,022
- Manufacturing, employment486
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$61,113
- Wholesale trade, employment297
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment237
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,157 | 82 | $53,921 |
| Retail trade | 688 | 54 | $34,711 |
| Accommodation and food services | 576 | 52 | $21,022 |
| Manufacturing | 486 | 16 | $61,113 |
| Wholesale trade | 297 | 33 | $44,612 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 237 | 36 | $41,527 |
| Construction | 190 | 33 | $58,215 |
| Finance and insurance | 150 | 20 | $72,642 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,157 jobs, 19.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Otero County
How many businesses are in Otero County?
- Establishments, all industries403
- Employment at those establishments4,508
- Annual payroll$193.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.0
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.
Otero County
Building permits in Otero County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202446
- Declared construction value permitted$11.9 m
- Single family units authorized12
- Multifamily units authorized34
- Multifamily share of units73.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$258,875
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.1
Multifamily is 73.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Otero County
SBA loans in Otero County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$435,064
- Median 7(a) approval$225,000
- Largest single approval$1,335,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)65
- Jobs per approval4.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals10
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer35.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals14.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (3)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (5)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$171,000
- Average 504 approval$171,000
- Median 504 approval$171,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval7.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved40.9
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$6.3 m
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.
Otero County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Otero County
Do SBA loans in Otero County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 3 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.
Otero County
SBA lending by place in Otero County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- La Junta, approvals7
- Rocky Ford, approvals5
- Fowler, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| La Junta | 7 | $4,578,200 |
| Rocky Ford | 5 | $1,407,700 |
| Fowler | 2 | $105,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Otero County
How large is Otero County?
- Land area1,262 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Colorado counties37th of 64
- Width, east to west36 mi
- Height, north to south42.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land15
- Establishments per square mile0.32
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.
Otero County
Flood risk in Otero County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Otero County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 080132
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Otero 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 Otero County (community 080132), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Otero 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. 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 Otero 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 Otero County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,321
- Households7,584
- Average household size2.42
- Median household income$54,037
- Median age41.8
Common questions
Otero County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Otero County, Colorado?
The Census Bureau estimates 17,991 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 18,321, in 7,584 households, ranking 27th of 64 Colorado counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Otero County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.72 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,686, to 17,991 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 207 births against 222 deaths, with net migration of -141. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Otero County?
$54,037. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $168,900, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $839 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Otero County?
403 establishments, employing 4,508 people with an annual payroll of $193.9 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 Otero County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,157 jobs, 19.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,054 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,375, or $892 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Otero County?
14 7(a) approvals totaling $6.1 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $225,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $171,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Otero County?
46 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.9 m. Multifamily was 73.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Otero 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 Otero County come from?
The largest single origin is Pueblo County, with 81 households. Arriving households report an average income of $43,005 against $48,566 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Otero 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 Otero 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.
Otero County
Cities and places in Otero.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Otero County. All 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Junta | city | 7,140 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Rocky Ford | city | 3,815 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Fowler | town | 936 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| North La Junta | CDP | 535 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Swink | town | 422 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Manzanola | town | 361 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cheraw | town | 188 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| La Junta Gardens | CDP | 112 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby