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La Plata County, Colorado: crime rate, income and local data
La Plata County averaged 1.7 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 65% lower than the Colorado rate (4.8). Households here have a median income of $86,056 and the unemployment rate was 4.1% in August 2026. Population: about 56,331 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in La Plata County?
Police agencies in La Plata County reported an average of 128 violent crimes and 825 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. The violent rate, 1.7 per 1,000 people, is 65% lower than the Colorado rate (4.8); nationally it is 3.7. Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 14.1 per 1,000 residents, compared with 28.1 across Colorado. Aggravated assaults make up 77% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 2 homicide deaths a year in the county (4.3 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | La Plata County | Per 1,000 | Colorado per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 128 | 1.7 | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 1 | 0.01 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 23 | 0.30 | 0.64 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.07 | 0.65 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 99 | 1.3 | 3.4 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 825 | 14.1 | 28.1 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 94 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 679 | 9.0 | 18.5 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 52 | 0.85 | 5.9 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (5 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in La Plata County?
The median household in La Plata County earns $86,056 a year, close to the Colorado median ($95,470). The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $591,500 by its owners; renters pay a median $1,504. 8.7% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.5%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.1% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 1,154 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | La Plata County | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,331 | 5,862,189 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $86,056 | $95,470 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $591,500 | $539,400 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,504 | $1,761 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 3.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 11.7% | 9.4% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 8.7% | 8.5% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 49.3% | 45.7% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 70.9% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 43.2 | 37.7 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 90.0% | 93.5% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 8.2% | 7.7% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in La Plata County?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for La Plata County as “Relatively Low”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists no Superfund site in La Plata County, active or completed (October 2026).
High-hazard dams
La Plata County has 12 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 9 are rated Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Lemon Dam (284 ft) and Ridges Basin Dam (273 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
2 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 14,420 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
No federal major disaster declaration covered La Plata County from 2016 through 2025 (COVID-19 excluded). In 2024, 2 of 366 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 55 community water systems, 3 had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 11 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 1 pedestrian.
Is there road construction in La Plata County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 6 highway work zones in La Plata County (1 active that day). Listed roads include US 160 and CO 172. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in La Plata County?
Federal school lists show 24 public and 6 private schools in the county. 2 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 31 fire or EMS stations and 5 police or sheriff stations.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in La Plata County?
Census tribal areas that reach into La Plata County: Southern Ute Reservation and Ute Mountain Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in La Plata County
Gun shops
8 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in La Plata County, plus 5 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 3 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Big 5 Sporting Goods #269 (Durango), Caswell Trading Company (Bayfield), Gardenswartz Sports (Durango), Kp Pawn And Sales (Durango), Kp Pawn And Sales (Ignacio), Timberdale Firearms Company LLC (Bayfield), Waci-Ci Trading Co (Ignacio) and Walmart #2270 (Durango).
Liquor stores
21 liquor stores are on the map in La Plata County: Animas Wine And Spirits (Durango), Bayfield Liquor (Bayfield), Bear's General (Durango), Brightside Spirits (Durango), Durango Liquor & Wine Co (Durango), Hermosa Liquors (Durango), Liquor World (Durango), Mac's Liquor (Durango) and 13 more.
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in La Plata County: Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, Inc. (Durango).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in La Plata County?
La Plata County averaged 128 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 1.7 per 1,000 residents, 65% lower than the Colorado rate (4.8). The property-crime rate was 14.1 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in La Plata County?
$86,056 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $95,470 for Colorado and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in La Plata County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.1% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 1,154 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect La Plata County?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for La Plata County as “Relatively Low”. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”.
Is there road construction in La Plata County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 6 highway work zones in La Plata County (1 active that day). Listed roads include US 160 and CO 172.
How many nursing homes are in La Plata County?
2 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does La Plata County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archuleta County | 13,900 | 2.5 | $83,065 |
| Dolores County | 2,432 | 1.8 | $64,907 |
| Hinsdale County | 1,005 | – | $75,972 |
| Montezuma County | 26,412 | 3.1 | $65,244 |
| San Juan County | 724 | – | $77,824 |
| San Juan County, NM | 120,942 | 6.7 | $55,872 |
More: Colorado statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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