Map the Block › Places › Colorado › Otero County
Otero County, Colorado: crime rate, income and local data
FBI reports put Otero County at 3.0 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 37% lower than the rate for Colorado (4.8). The median household earns $54,037 and the unemployment rate was 6.3% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 18,321 residents.
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 Otero County?
Police agencies in Otero County reported an average of 53 violent crimes and 551 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. The violent rate, 3.0 per 1,000 people, is 37% lower than the Colorado rate (4.8); nationally it is 3.7. For property crime the county rate is 31.0 per 1,000 (Colorado: 28.1; U.S.: 18.1). Aggravated assaults make up 68% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 2 homicide deaths a year in the county (8.6 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Otero County | Per 1,000 | Colorado per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 53 | 3.0 | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 3 | 0.17 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 12 | 0.68 | 0.64 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 3 | 0.17 | 0.65 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 36 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 551 | 31.0 | 28.1 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 85 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 402 | 22.8 | 18.5 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 64 | 3.6 | 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 (4 agencies; 97% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Otero County?
The median household in Otero County earns $54,037 a year, 43% lower than the Colorado median ($95,470). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $168,900, and the median rent is $839 a month. 21.8% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 8.5%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 6.3% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 432 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Otero County | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,321 | 5,862,189 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $54,037 | $95,470 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $168,900 | $539,400 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $839 | $1,761 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 6.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 22.1% | 9.4% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 21.8% | 8.5% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 45.7% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 68.9% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 41.8 | 37.7 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 84.8% | 93.5% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 6.6% | 7.7% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Otero County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Otero County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “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 Otero County, active or completed (October 2026).
Disasters, air and water
No federal major disaster declaration covered Otero County from 2016 through 2025 (COVID-19 excluded). Of 23 community water systems, 13 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 4 traffic deaths in the county in 2024.
Is there road construction in Otero County?
Otero County had 6 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (0 active that day). Listed roads include US 350. 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 Otero County?
Otero County has 15 public schools (2024-25) and 1 private school (2023-24) in federal school lists. 3 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 6 fire or EMS stations and 4 police or sheriff stations. National Park Service sites here: Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Otero County
Gun shops
One gun shop with a public storefront is on the map in Otero County, plus 4 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Walmart #1384 (La Junta).
Liquor stores
6 liquor stores are on the map in Otero County: Beer Joint The (La Junta), Big D's Liquor Mart (La Junta), EZ Spirits (Rocky Ford), J&S Liquor Store (La Junta), Manzanola Liquor & Smokes LLC (Manzanola) and Red Top Wine and Liquor (Fowler).
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Otero County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
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 Otero County?
Otero County averaged 53 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 3.0 per 1,000 residents, 37% lower than the Colorado rate (4.8). The property-crime rate was 31.0 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Otero County?
$54,037 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $95,470 for Colorado and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Otero County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 6.3% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 432 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Otero County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Otero County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “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 Otero County right now?
Otero County had 6 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (0 active that day). Listed roads include US 350.
How many nursing homes are in Otero County?
3 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Otero County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bent County | 5,549 | 2.0 | $50,179 |
| Crowley County | 5,647 | 1.5 | $48,826 |
| Kiowa County | 1,376 | 0.99 | $58,618 |
| Las Animas County | 14,413 | 4.7 | $52,074 |
| Pueblo County | 169,356 | 9.8 | $64,010 |
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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