Otero County, Colorado
Located in Colorado, Otero County has a population of 18,321 residents and a median age of 41.8 years, making it the #1,974 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 22.1%. The median home value is $168,900, and the median household income is $54,037, which is 28% below the national median.
Demographics
Otero County has a population of 18,321, making it the #1,974 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.8 years, which is 7.5% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Otero County is $54,037, ranking #2,532 out of 3,222 counties — 28.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 22.1% and unemployment stands at 6.7%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Otero County is $168,900 (-40.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $839/mo and the homeownership rate is 68.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Otero County, 18.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 46.1% below the national average, ranking #2,332 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Otero County is 71.9 years. 25.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.3% of adults in Otero County smoke , 31.6% are obese , and 18.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 29.0 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Otero County is 8.6 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 28.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 21.0 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
27.0% of children in Otero County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 25.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Otero County is 70.8%. The mean commute time is 21.6 min, which is 21.8% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Otero County voted Republican with a margin of 26.3%. The vote was 35.5% Dem / 61.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Otero County, Colorado
Otero County, Colorado has a total population of 18,321, making it the 1,974th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Otero County is 41.8 years, which is 7.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Otero County is $54,037, which ranks #2,532 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 28.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 22.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.7%.
The median home value in Otero County is $168,900, 40.1% below the national median. Renters in Otero County pay a median gross rent of $839 per month. The homeownership rate is 68.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Otero County, 18.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46.1% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.6 min.
Otero County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 52.4% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (42.0%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
All data for Otero County, Colorado comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.