Rio Grande County, Colorado: commercial real estate data.
Rio Grande County, Colorado had an estimated 11,132 residents on July 1, 2024, down 3.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,543, across 912 square miles. County output reached $579.8 m in 2024, 374 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 14 7(a) approvals worth $13.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Rio Grande County
How many people live in Rio Grande County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202411,321
- Households5,133
- Average household size2.21
- Median household income$64,411
- Median age41.7
- Median gross rent$945 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$239,500
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over8,190
- Population under 182,281
- Share under 1820.1 percent
- Population 65 and over2,578
- Share 65 and over22.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,462
- Civilian labor force5,765
- Unemployment rate10.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.8 percent
- Rank by population among Colorado counties37th of 64
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2398th of 3,222
Rio Grande County is the 37th largest of 64 Colorado counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.8 percent against 20.1 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.
Rio Grande County
Is Rio Grande County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202411,132
- Census 2020 base population11,543
- Population change since the 2020 census base-3.56 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-62
- Births, 2024128
- Deaths, 2024159
- Natural change, 2024-31
- Net domestic migration, 2024-28
- Net international migration, 2024-3
- Total net migration, 2024-31
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-233
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2830th of 3,144
The county has lost 3.56 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.
Rio Grande County
Where are people moving to Rio Grande County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving407
- People arriving, from those returns725
- Tax returns filed by households leaving360
- Net household movement47
- Adjusted gross income arriving$22.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$938,000
- Average income of an arriving household$55,292
- Average income of a leaving household$59,906
- Largest single originAlamosa County (81 households)
- Largest single destinationAlamosa County (79 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamosa County | 81 | 170 | $3.8 m |
| Saguache County | 28 | 60 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $4,614 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Alamosa 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.
Rio Grande County
What is the Rio Grande County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$579.8 m
- County GDP, 2023$606.4 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-4.4 percent
- GDP change over five years18.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Colorado areas BEA publishes43rd of 64
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2303rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$51,213
Output grew -4.4 percent in the latest year and 18.5 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.
Rio Grande County
Employment by industry in Rio Grande County
- Covered employment, annual average4,482
- Establishments reporting500
- Average annual pay$49,025
- Average weekly wage$943
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment827
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$42,331
- Accommodation and food services, employment430
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,158
- Retail trade, employment387
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,914
- Wholesale trade, employment302
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$88,060
- Construction, employment177
- Manufacturing, employment154
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 827 | 62 | $42,331 |
| Accommodation and food services | 430 | 48 | $22,158 |
| Retail trade | 387 | 47 | $30,914 |
| Wholesale trade | 302 | 31 | $88,060 |
| Construction | 177 | 56 | $45,708 |
| Manufacturing | 154 | 13 | $47,895 |
| Other services, except public administration | 116 | 37 | $47,568 |
| Finance and insurance | 98 | 13 | $74,108 |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting is the largest private sector at 827 jobs, 18.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Rio Grande County
How many businesses are in Rio Grande County?
- Establishments, all industries374
- Employment at those establishments2,894
- Annual payroll$121.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents33.0
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.
Rio Grande County
Building permits in Rio Grande County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202447
- Declared construction value permitted$12.8 m
- Single family units authorized45
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units4.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$273,009
- Units authorized per 1,000 households9.2
Single-family homes are 95.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Rio Grande County
SBA loans in Rio Grande County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$13.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$938,429
- Median 7(a) approval$926,550
- Largest single approval$2,150,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)76
- Jobs per approval5.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals11
- Median 7(a) term222 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer50.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (3)
- Most active lenderFirst Southwest Bank (9)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$94,000
- Average 504 approval$94,000
- Median 504 approval$94,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval10.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved106.4
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$13.2 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.
Rio Grande County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Rio Grande County
Do SBA loans in Rio Grande County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Cancelled3
Only 4 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.
Rio Grande County
SBA lending by place in Rio Grande County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Monte Vista, approvals8
- Del Norte, approvals2
- South Fork, approvals2
- Center, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Monte Vista | 8 | $9,619,200 |
| Del Norte | 2 | $1,778,000 |
| South Fork | 2 | $1,285,800 |
| Center | 2 | $455,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Rio Grande County
How large is Rio Grande County?
- Land area912 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Colorado counties45th of 64
- Width, east to west36.9 mi
- Height, north to south30 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land12
- Establishments per square mile0.41
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.
Rio Grande County
Flood risk in Rio Grande County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Rio Grande County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 080153
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 10
- 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 10
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Rio Grande County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Rio Grande County (community 080153), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 10, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Rio Grande County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Rio Grande 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 Rio Grande County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202411,321
- Households5,133
- Average household size2.21
- Median household income$64,411
- Median age41.7
Common questions
Rio Grande County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Rio Grande County, Colorado?
The Census Bureau estimates 11,132 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 11,321, in 5,133 households, ranking 37th of 64 Colorado counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Rio Grande County's population growing?
The population has fallen 3.56 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,543, to 11,132 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 128 births against 159 deaths, with net migration of -31. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Rio Grande County?
$64,411. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $239,500, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $945 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Rio Grande County?
374 establishments, employing 2,894 people with an annual payroll of $121.9 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 Rio Grande County?
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting is the largest private sector at 827 jobs, 18.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,482 jobs at an average annual pay of $49,025, or $943 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Rio Grande County?
14 7(a) approvals totaling $13.1 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $926,550, plus 1 504 approvals worth $94,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Rio Grande County?
47 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $12.8 m. Multifamily was 4.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Rio Grande County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Rio Grande County come from?
The largest single origin is Alamosa County, with 81 households. Arriving households report an average income of $55,292 against $59,906 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Rio Grande 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 Rio Grande 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.
Rio Grande County
Cities and places in Rio Grande.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Rio Grande County. All 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monte Vista | city | 4,141 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Center | town | 2,120 | 2 | 19.5 percent here, 80.5 percent Saguache County |
| Del Norte | town | 1,653 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| South Fork | town | 724 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Gerrard | CDP | 332 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alpine | CDP | 75 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby