Saguache County, Colorado: commercial real estate data.
Saguache County, Colorado had an estimated 6,670 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 6,373, across 3,169 square miles. County output reached $219.7 m in 2024, 130 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 9 7(a) approvals worth $2.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Saguache County
How many people live in Saguache County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20246,580
- Households3,397
- Average household size1.94
- Median household income$50,082
- Median age49.6
- Median gross rent$828 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$212,600
- Home value to household income4.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over5,238
- Population under 181,174
- Share under 1817.8 percent
- Population 65 and over1,754
- Share 65 and over26.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 643,652
- Civilian labor force3,253
- Unemployment rate10.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.2 percent
- Rank by population among Colorado counties45th of 64
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2770th of 3,222
Saguache County is the 45th largest of 64 Colorado counties by population. A median home costs 4.2 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 26.7 percent against 17.8 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.
Saguache County
Is Saguache County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20246,670
- Census 2020 base population6,373
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.66 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-17
- Births, 202462
- Deaths, 202469
- Natural change, 2024-7
- Net domestic migration, 2024-13
- Net international migration, 20244
- Total net migration, 2024-9
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024311
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents585th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.66 percent 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.
Saguache County
Where are people moving to Saguache County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving225
- People arriving, from those returns410
- Tax returns filed by households leaving170
- Net household movement55
- Adjusted gross income arriving$14.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$7.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$62,529
- Average income of a leaving household$37,971
- Largest single originRio Grande County (28 households)
- Largest single destinationRio Grande County (28 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande County | 28 | 55 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $24,558 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 Rio Grande 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.
Saguache County
What is the Saguache County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$219.7 m
- County GDP, 2023$252.9 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-13.1 percent
- GDP change over five years12.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Colorado areas BEA publishes52nd of 64
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2868th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$33,384
Output grew -13.1 percent in the latest year and 12.1 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.
Saguache County
Employment by industry in Saguache County
- Covered employment, annual average1,768
- Establishments reporting233
- Average annual pay$42,969
- Average weekly wage$826
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment360
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$44,321
- Retail trade, employment132
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,770
- Wholesale trade, employment109
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$56,764
- Health care and social assistance, employment108
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$39,381
- Manufacturing, employment58
- Construction, employment56
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 360 | 41 | $44,321 |
| Retail trade | 132 | 16 | $29,770 |
| Wholesale trade | 109 | 10 | $56,764 |
| Health care and social assistance | 108 | 26 | $39,381 |
| Manufacturing | 58 | 9 | $38,009 |
| Construction | 56 | 20 | $43,693 |
| Other services, except public administration | 50 | 10 | $39,337 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 25 | 23 | $125,804 |
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting is the largest private sector at 360 jobs, 20.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Saguache County
How many businesses are in Saguache County?
- Establishments, all industries130
- Employment at those establishments791
- Annual payroll$31.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.8
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.
Saguache County
Building permits in Saguache County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024104
- Declared construction value permitted$18.7 m
- Single family units authorized80
- Multifamily units authorized24
- Multifamily share of units23.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$180,118
- Units authorized per 1,000 households30.6
Single-family homes are 76.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Saguache County
SBA loans in Saguache County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded9
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$317,778
- Median 7(a) approval$60,000
- Largest single approval$1,275,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)37
- Jobs per approval4.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term96 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (3)
- Most active lenderFirst Southwest Bank (7)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Saguache County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Saguache County
Do SBA loans in Saguache County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure4
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.
Saguache County
SBA lending by place in Saguache County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Center, approvals7
- Villa Grove, approvals1
- Sargents, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Center | 7 | $1,435,000 |
| Villa Grove | 1 | $1,275,000 |
| Sargents | 1 | $150,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Saguache County
How large is Saguache County?
- Land area3,169 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Colorado counties7th of 64
- Width, east to west85.7 mi
- Height, north to south48.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary9
- Residents per square mile of land2
- Establishments per square mile0.04
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.
Saguache County
Flood risk in Saguache County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Saguache CountyParticipating, community 080161
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Saguache 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, Saguache County (community 080161), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Saguache 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. 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 Saguache 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 Saguache County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20246,580
- Households3,397
- Average household size1.94
- Median household income$50,082
- Median age49.6
Common questions
Saguache County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Saguache County, Colorado?
The Census Bureau estimates 6,670 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 6,580, in 3,397 households, ranking 45th of 64 Colorado counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Saguache County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.66 percent since the 2020 census base of 6,373, to 6,670 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 62 births against 69 deaths, with net migration of -9. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Saguache County?
$50,082. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $212,600, which is 4.2 times income, and median gross rent is $828 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Saguache County?
130 establishments, employing 791 people with an annual payroll of $31.2 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 Saguache County?
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting is the largest private sector at 360 jobs, 20.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 1,768 jobs at an average annual pay of $42,969, or $826 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Saguache County?
9 7(a) approvals totaling $2.9 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $60,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Saguache County?
104 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $18.7 m. Multifamily was 23.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Saguache 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 Saguache County come from?
The largest single origin is Rio Grande County, with 28 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,529 against $37,971 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Saguache 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 Saguache 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.
Saguache County
Cities and places in Saguache.
5 Census places lie wholly or partly in Saguache 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center | town | 2,120 | 7 | 80.5 percent here, 19.5 percent Rio Grande County |
| Saguache | town | 579 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Crestone | town | 123 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Moffat | town | 54 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bonanza | town | 20 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 9 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Saguache County, the largest being Villa Grove (1), Sargents (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.