Bent County

Bent County is a rural county in southeastern Colorado, situated along the Arkansas River corridor on the High Plains and bordering Kansas to the east. Established in 1870 and named for frontier trader William Bent, the county developed around irrigation agriculture and transportation routes linking the plains to the Rocky Mountains. Bent County is small in population—fewer than 6,000 residents in recent censuses—covering a broad, sparsely settled landscape of prairie, river valley farmland, and open rangeland. The local economy is centered on farming and ranching, including irrigated crops and livestock, alongside public-sector employment and services that support surrounding agricultural areas. Communities are widely spaced, with cultural and civic life closely tied to the Arkansas River region and the area’s frontier and agricultural history. The county seat and largest community is Las Animas, which serves as the primary hub for government, commerce, and regional services.

Bent County is a sparsely populated county in southeastern Colorado on the Great Plains, with Las Animas serving as the county seat. The county lies along the Arkansas River corridor and borders Kansas to the east. For local government and planning resources, visit the Bent County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Bent County, Colorado, Bent County had an estimated population of 5,686 (2023).

Age & Gender

County-level age distribution and sex breakdown are published by the U.S. Census Bureau through QuickFacts and detailed tables.

• Median age (2023): 44.9 years (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Bent County, Colorado)
• Sex (2018–2022): U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts reports the percent female for the county (see “Female persons, percent” on QuickFacts).
• Age distribution: Standard age brackets (e.g., under 18, 65+) are available in the QuickFacts profile (see age items on QuickFacts).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

The U.S. Census Bureau publishes county-level race and Hispanic/Latino origin shares (generally shown as separate measures) in QuickFacts and the American Community Survey profile tables.

• Bent County’s racial and ethnic composition (including Hispanic or Latino origin and race categories such as White, Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, Two or More Races) is reported in the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile for Bent County.

Household & Housing Data

Household and housing characteristics for Bent County are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau in QuickFacts (drawn primarily from the American Community Survey for multi-year averages).

Key county-level indicators available in the QuickFacts profile include:

• Number of households
• Average household size
• Owner-occupied housing rate
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units
• Median gross rent
• Total housing units

These measures are listed in the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Bent County, Colorado under the “Housing” and “Families & Living Arrangements” sections.

Bent County’s largely rural geography and low population density increase per-household costs for last‑mile internet buildout, making digital communication more dependent on available fixed broadband, mobile coverage, and public access points.

Direct, county-level email usage statistics are not published; email adoption is commonly proxied using household internet/broadband subscription and computer access from survey data. The U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) provides Bent County indicators on broadband subscriptions and computing devices that serve as the best available proxies for routine email access. Age structure also influences email adoption: Bent County’s age distribution (ACS) can be used to contextualize likely usage patterns, since older populations generally have lower rates of adoption for some online services and may rely more on assisted access.

Gender distribution is available through the ACS but is typically less predictive of email use than age and connectivity constraints; it is most relevant for describing the overall population base.

Connectivity limitations in rural counties commonly include sparse provider competition, longer distances to network backbones, and reliance on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite. The FCC National Broadband Map is the primary source for location-level service availability used to characterize infrastructure gaps.

Bent County is located in southeastern Colorado on the High Plains, with small population centers (notably Las Animas) and large areas of sparsely populated agricultural land. The county’s low population density and wide distances between settlements increase the cost per mile of cellular infrastructure and make terrain and tower spacing more consequential for coverage gaps than in urban Front Range counties. County geography and population context can be referenced through U.S. Census Bureau data and county profiles published by Colorado agencies and local government sources.

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

• Network availability describes where mobile providers report service (coverage) and where the technology exists (4G/5G).
• Household adoption describes whether residents subscribe to and use mobile service or mobile broadband, and whether mobile is used as a primary internet connection.

County-level reporting often provides stronger detail on availability (coverage) than on adoption, which is frequently measured at broader geographies or with limited county samples.

Mobile penetration / access indicators (availability vs. adoption)

Availability indicators (coverage proxies)

• The most widely used public, location-specific proxy for mobile availability in the United States is the FCC’s broadband availability data, which includes mobile broadband coverage submissions by providers. Coverage can be explored via the FCC National Broadband Map.
• The map is designed to show where carriers report service, not how consistently that service performs indoors, in vehicles, or during congestion. For rural counties, reported coverage commonly exceeds “real-world” usability in some areas due to tower spacing and signal propagation variability.

Adoption indicators (household use)

• The most consistently available public adoption measure at local levels is survey-based internet subscription information from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). ACS tables are commonly used to estimate:
  • Households with an internet subscription
  • Households with cellular data plans (often reported as a type of internet subscription)
  • Households that are smartphone-only (cellular-only) for internet access, depending on the table and geography published
    These measures can be accessed through data.census.gov (ACS).
• Limitation: For small-population counties such as Bent County, ACS margins of error can be large, and some detailed breakout tables may not publish at the county level in all years. This constrains the precision of county-specific “mobile penetration” estimates derived from ACS.

Mobile internet usage patterns (4G/5G availability)

4G LTE

• 4G LTE is the baseline mobile broadband technology across most rural Colorado counties, and Bent County is generally expected to have LTE availability in and around population centers and along major road corridors, as reflected in provider-reported coverage on the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Rural LTE performance typically varies with distance to towers and available backhaul. Indoor coverage can be weaker in areas with fewer sites and lower-frequency spectrum constraints.

5G (availability vs. typical rural deployment)

• 5G availability in rural counties is usually dominated by low-band 5G (broader coverage, modest speed improvement relative to LTE) rather than mid-band or mmWave (higher capacity but shorter range and more site density requirements).
• County-specific 5G presence and the reported served areas are best checked through:
  • The FCC National Broadband Map (mobile broadband layers)
  • Colorado’s statewide broadband resources, which provide context and complementary mapping for connectivity planning via the Colorado Broadband Office
• Limitation: Public datasets primarily show reported 5G availability, not the share of users actually using 5G-capable devices or experiencing 5G service at a given time/location.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

Smartphones

• Smartphones are the dominant mobile device type used for internet access in the United States, including rural areas, and they are the primary device implied by most “cellular data plan” and “mobile broadband” subscription metrics.
• County-level device-type shares (smartphone vs. basic phone) are not commonly published as an official statistic for a single county; where device ownership is discussed locally, it is typically derived from broader surveys or commercial datasets rather than a standard government release.

Hotspots and fixed-wireless substitution via cellular

• In rural counties, mobile connectivity is often used in two additional ways:
  • Smartphone tethering (using the phone as a hotspot)
  • Dedicated cellular hotspots / LTE/5G home internet products (cellular-based fixed wireless)
• These uses affect adoption statistics because a household may have “internet” primarily via a cellular plan rather than wireline broadband. ACS tables on subscription types (via data.census.gov) are a standard source for identifying the prevalence of cellular-based internet subscriptions, but small-county precision is limited by sampling.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Bent County

Rural settlement pattern and population density

• Bent County’s dispersed settlement pattern and low population density are associated with:
  • Fewer towers per square mile
  • Longer distances between sites, contributing to coverage variability
  • Greater reliance on coverage along highways and around towns rather than uniform blanket coverage
    These factors primarily shape availability and user experience (signal strength, indoor penetration, and congestion during peak periods).

Transportation corridors and service concentration

• Mobile coverage in rural counties tends to be strongest near towns, schools, hospitals/clinics, and along primary transportation corridors, where there is higher demand concentration and easier justification for infrastructure investment. The FCC map is the principal public reference for these spatial patterns at usable resolution: FCC National Broadband Map.

Income, age, and household composition (adoption-related)

• Standard adoption determinants documented in ACS-based research include income, age, education, and household composition. For Bent County specifically, these relationships can be examined using county ACS profiles and internet subscription tables through data.census.gov.
• Limitation: Definitive statements about which demographic group in Bent County uses mobile internet at higher rates require county-level ACS cross-tabulations with acceptable margins of error, which are not always available or statistically robust for small counties.

Practical interpretation of data sources (limitations and how they apply to Bent County)

• FCC availability data (coverage): Best for distinguishing where providers report LTE/5G service; less reliable for indoor performance and “edge-of-cell” rural coverage quality. Source: FCC National Broadband Map.
• ACS adoption data (subscriptions): Best for identifying whether households report cellular data plans and internet subscriptions; may have large margins of error for small counties and limited device-type detail. Source: data.census.gov (ACS).
• State planning context: Useful for understanding statewide programs, mapping approaches, and regional broadband planning context that can influence infrastructure investment. Source: Colorado Broadband Office.

Summary

• Availability: Bent County’s mobile connectivity is shaped by rural density and long distances; LTE availability is generally widespread in population centers and key corridors, while 5G availability—where present—is typically low-band and unevenly distributed. The authoritative public reference for reported mobile coverage is the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Adoption: Household adoption metrics for cellular data plans and internet subscriptions are best derived from the ACS via data.census.gov, with the key limitation that small-county estimates can have substantial uncertainty.
• Devices: Smartphone use is predominant, with additional rural reliance on tethering and cellular home internet products; comprehensive county-level breakdowns by device type are not typically published in official datasets.

Bent County is a rural county in southeastern Colorado on the High Plains, with Las Animas as the county seat and a local economy shaped by agriculture, corrections, and small-service businesses. Lower population density, longer travel distances, and reliance on mobile broadband in many rural areas tend to concentrate social media activity on mobile-first platforms and messaging-style use rather than constant high-bandwidth posting.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• County-specific social media penetration: No authoritative, regularly published dataset provides social media platform usage (penetration/active-user rates) at the county level for Bent County. Publicly available county indicators are typically limited to broadband access/adoption rather than platform activity.
• Best-available geographic proxy (rural U.S.): National survey research indicates that social media use is widespread and only modestly lower in rural areas than urban/suburban areas, with the rural/urban gap smaller than gaps by age. Pew’s national tracking on who uses social media and differences by community type provides the most widely cited benchmark for rural areas (see Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet).
• Connectivity context (relevant to active use): County-level connectivity is commonly assessed via federal broadband availability and mapping, which influences how residents access social platforms (mobile vs. fixed). See FCC Broadband Map for local availability patterns.

Age group trends

Age is the strongest predictor of social media use; Bent County’s age patterns are generally expected to mirror national age gradients in adoption and platform choice.

• Highest usage: Adults 18–29 (highest social media participation and highest multi-platform use).
• Next highest: Adults 30–49 (high usage; often a mix of Facebook, Instagram, and messaging/video).
• Lower usage: Adults 50–64 (moderate; typically heavier on Facebook).
• Lowest usage: Adults 65+ (lowest adoption overall; when used, often concentrated on Facebook and YouTube). These age gradients are consistently documented in Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.

Gender breakdown

County-specific gender splits are not published for social media usage; national patterns are the most defensible reference point.

• Overall: Gender differences in whether adults use social media are generally modest at the national level, but platform-level differences are more pronounced.
• Platform tendencies (U.S. patterns): Women tend to be more represented on visually and socially oriented platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram, while men tend to be more represented on platforms such as Reddit and some discussion-centric or niche communities. These platform-by-gender patterns are summarized in Pew’s platform breakdowns (see Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet).

Most-used platforms (percentages where available)

No public source provides Bent County platform market shares. The most credible reference percentages come from U.S.-level survey estimates, which provide a practical baseline for likely relative popularity in rural counties.

• Most commonly used (U.S. adults): YouTube and Facebook generally rank at the top for adult reach, according to Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
• Next tier (U.S. adults): Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Reddit vary by age and demographics; Pew reports platform-by-platform usage percentages and demographics in the same fact sheet.
• Interpretation for Bent County: In rural counties, Facebook often remains central for local information exchange (community updates, local groups), while YouTube is commonly used for entertainment and “how-to” content; younger residents tend to add Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat more heavily.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

• Community information utility: Rural communities often use Facebook Groups and local pages for practical coordination (events, lost-and-found, local announcements). This aligns with Facebook’s role as a high-reach, general-purpose platform in the U.S. per Pew Research Center.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube’s broad reach and low barrier to passive consumption supports high usage for entertainment and instructional content; short-form video platforms (notably TikTok) skew younger, with more frequent, session-based engagement.
• Mobile-centric access: Rural connectivity patterns tend to elevate mobile-first behavior (scrolling, short video, messaging, consuming content) relative to bandwidth-intensive creation and live streaming, especially in areas with limited fixed broadband options (see FCC Broadband Map for availability context).
• Age-driven platform stacking: Younger adults typically maintain multiple platforms (e.g., TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat + YouTube), while older adults tend to concentrate activity on fewer platforms (often Facebook + YouTube), consistent with age usage differences reported by Pew Research Center.

Bent County family-related records are primarily handled at the state level, with local access points through county offices. Colorado vital records include birth and death certificates; these are maintained by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) Vital Records program (Colorado Vital Records). Marriage and civil union records are issued and recorded by the county clerk and recorder; Bent County’s office provides local recording and document services (Bent County, Colorado (official site)).

Adoption records in Colorado are generally managed through the courts and state agencies and are not treated as open public records; access is typically restricted to eligible parties and may require a formal process through the appropriate court or state program.

Public databases commonly used for associate-related and property-linked research include recorded document indexes and clerk-managed recording systems (availability varies by office), and statewide court case access through the Colorado Judicial Branch’s public access portals (Colorado Judicial Branch).

Access is available online through the relevant state portals and by in-person request at Bent County offices for locally recorded documents. Privacy restrictions apply to most vital records (especially birth certificates) and to adoption files, while many recorded land records and basic court docket information are generally public, subject to redaction rules and statutory limitations.

Types of records available in Bent County, Colorado

• Marriage records (licenses and certificates/returns): Marriage licenses are issued at the county level. After the marriage is solemnized (or self-solemnized where permitted by Colorado law), the completed license/return is recorded by the county.
• Divorce records (decrees and case files): Divorce actions are handled as civil court cases in the state district court. The final order is typically a Decree of Dissolution of Marriage (or similar final judgment), with related pleadings and orders in the case file.
• Annulment records: Annulments are handled as civil court cases in district court. The final order is typically a Decree of Invalidity of Marriage (or similar order), with related pleadings and orders in the case file.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Marriage licenses and recorded marriage returns

• Filed/recorded by: Bent County Clerk and Recorder (county recording/clerks office).
• Access:
  • In person at the Clerk and Recorder’s office (public counter access to recorded documents and/or issuance of certified copies, consistent with office procedures).
  • By mail or other request methods offered by the office for certified copies.
  • Some counties provide online recorded-document search portals; availability and coverage vary by county and by record type.

Divorce and annulment decrees (court records)

• Filed by: Colorado state courts, in the District Court serving Bent County (Colorado’s trial court of general jurisdiction for domestic relations matters).
• Access:
  • In person through the district court clerk’s office (public access terminals or clerk-assisted access to public portions of case files).
  • Online via the Colorado Judicial Branch record access systems for docket information and, in some cases, document access, subject to judiciary rules and limitations. Official court access information is published by the Colorado Judicial Branch: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/.
  • Certified copies of decrees are obtained from the district court clerk, not from the county clerk/recorder.

State-level vital records context

• Colorado’s state vital records office maintains certain vital records; however, marriage and divorce/annulment case records are primarily county/court records rather than general “vital records” certificates in the same manner as birth and death certificates. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) information: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/vital-records.

Typical information included in these records

Marriage licenses/returns (recorded marriage documents)

Common fields include:

• Full names of the parties
• Date and place of marriage (or location of solemnization)
• Date the license was issued
• Ages and/or dates of birth (depending on the form/version)
• Places of birth and/or residences (often included)
• Names of parents (often included on license applications/forms)
• Officiant information and signature (for solemnized marriages), or attestations required for self-solemnization
• Recording/filing information (instrument number, recording date, and similar county recording metadata)

Divorce decrees and case files

Common elements include:

• Case caption (court, parties’ names), case number, and filing county/judicial district
• Date of the decree and judicial officer’s signature
• Findings and orders dissolving the marriage
• Orders addressing:
  • Division of marital property and debts
  • Spousal maintenance (alimony), if ordered
  • Allocation of parental responsibilities (custody/decision-making), parenting time, and child support, when applicable
  • Restoration of a former name, when granted
• Related filings may include petitions, financial disclosures, separation agreements, parenting plans, and support worksheets (availability to the public varies due to confidentiality rules)

Annulment (invalidity) decrees and case files

Common elements include:

• Case caption, case number, and filing county/judicial district
• Date of decree/order and judicial officer’s signature
• Legal determination that the marriage is invalid under Colorado law
• Related orders, which may address property, support, and parenting matters as permitted by law and the circumstances of the case

Privacy and legal restrictions

• Marriage records: Recorded marriage licenses/returns are generally treated as public records at the county level, with access and copying governed by Colorado open records principles and county procedures. Some information may be redacted in copies or restricted in certain contexts to protect privacy or comply with law (for example, sensitive identifiers).
• Divorce and annulment records: Court case files are generally public, but Colorado court rules restrict access to certain categories of information and documents. Common restrictions include:
  • Confidential or restricted financial information and personal identifiers
  • Protected information involving minors (including certain addresses and identifying data)
  • Sealed cases or sealed filings by court order
  • Reports and evaluations prepared for the court in domestic relations matters that are restricted under court rule
• Certified copies and identity requirements: Courts and county offices may require specific request forms, fees, and identification or sworn statements for certified copies or for records that contain restricted information, consistent with applicable statutes and court rules.
• Use limitations: Records obtained from county recording offices and courts are official documents; alteration, misuse of personal identifiers, or use for unlawful purposes is prohibited under applicable law.

Bent County is a rural county in southeastern Colorado on the High Plains along the Arkansas River corridor. The county seat is Las Animas, and the county includes small towns and extensive agricultural and rangeland areas. Population is small and dispersed compared with Colorado overall, with community life centered on a limited number of schools, local government services, agriculture-related activity, and regional travel for specialized jobs and services.

Education Indicators

• Public schools (count and names)
  Public education is primarily provided by Las Animas School District RE-1 and McClave School District RE-2. School name lists and the most current campus counts are maintained by district and state directories; for authoritative school rosters, use the Colorado Department of Education’s school/district directory (Colorado SchoolView directory) and district sites (Las Animas School District RE-1, McClave School District RE-2).
  Countywide “number of public schools” varies slightly by year depending on how alternative programs are counted in state reporting; the directory provides the current official count.

• Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates (most recent available)
  District-level student–teacher ratios and graduation rates are reported annually by the state. The most recent official values are published in Colorado’s accountability and performance reporting systems, including SchoolView and the state’s graduation/completion reports (Colorado graduation and completion rates).
  A single countywide student–teacher ratio is not typically published as one figure; ratios are most consistently available by district/school.

• Adult educational attainment (most recent available)
  Adult education levels are tracked through the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). Bent County generally shows lower bachelor’s attainment and a higher share with high school or less than Colorado statewide. The most recent ACS profiles for Bent County (including high school diploma or equivalent and bachelor’s degree or higher) are available through the Census county profile tools (U.S. Census Bureau data portal).
  Exact percentages fluctuate by ACS 5-year period; the Census portal provides the current published values.

• Notable programs (STEM, vocational, AP, concurrent enrollment)
  Program availability is typically district-driven in rural counties and commonly includes career and technical education (CTE) pathways, concurrent enrollment/dual credit via partner colleges, and Advanced Placement (AP) or honors offerings where staffing allows. The most reliable confirmation of current offerings is in district program-of-studies documents and CDE program pages (CTE overview: Colorado Career & Technical Education; concurrent enrollment overview: Colorado concurrent enrollment).
  School-by-school STEM specialization and AP course breadth are not consistently summarized at the county level in a single public dataset.

• School safety measures and counseling resources
  Colorado districts typically implement required elements such as safe-school plans, visitor management, emergency drills, threat assessment practices, and coordination with local law enforcement, along with school counseling and referral pathways to community mental/behavioral health services. State-level safety frameworks and requirements are summarized by CDE (CDE Safe Schools resources).
  Specific staffing levels for counselors and the exact safety measures used in each building are published through district policies and school handbooks rather than in a consolidated county profile.

Employment and Economic Conditions

• Unemployment rate (most recent year available)
  The most recent official county unemployment rate is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS) and Colorado’s labor market information programs. Bent County’s current rate is available through BLS local area data (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics) and Colorado labor market dashboards (Colorado labor market information).
  County unemployment rates in small labor markets can be more volatile month-to-month; annual averages are commonly used for stability.

• Major industries and employment sectors
  Bent County’s economy is characteristically rural, with employment tied to public administration, education, health services, retail trade, transportation, and agriculture-related activity. Regional employment also reflects correctional/public safety and local government roles in many rural county seats. Industry distributions are most consistently documented in ACS and state labor market profiles (ACS industry tables).

• Common occupations and workforce breakdown
  Typical occupational groups in rural southeastern Colorado include management and administrative support, education services, healthcare support and practitioners, protective service, transportation and material moving, construction and maintenance, and sales and service. The ACS provides Bent County occupational shares (major occupation groups) through county-level tables (ACS occupation tables).

• Commuting patterns and mean commute time
  Commuting in Bent County generally reflects longer rural drive distances, a high reliance on car/truck/van commuting, and limited fixed-route transit. The mean travel time to work and mode share (drive alone, carpool, etc.) are available through ACS commuting tables and profiles (ACS commuting data).
  A precise current mean commute time should be taken from the latest ACS 5-year estimate; county means in rural areas are often in the “around a couple of dozen minutes” range, but the ACS value is the authoritative figure.

• Local employment vs. out-of-county work
  Rural counties frequently exhibit notable out-commuting to regional hubs for healthcare, retail distribution, and specialized trades. The best available public measures of residence-to-work flows are provided by the Census LEHD/OnTheMap tools, which show where county residents work and where local jobs are filled from (Census OnTheMap (LEHD)).
  This is the standard proxy for “local employment versus out-of-county work” because it reports commuter flow patterns directly.

Housing and Real Estate

• Homeownership rate and rental share (most recent available)
  Homeownership and renter occupancy rates are published in the ACS housing profile for Bent County (ACS housing tenure data). Rural Colorado counties often have higher homeownership shares than the state average, but the ACS provides the official county percentage.

• Median property values and recent trends
  The ACS reports median value of owner-occupied housing units for Bent County, and the Colorado Division of Property Taxation and county assessor records document assessed value trends used for taxation (Colorado Division of Property Taxation).
  In rural markets, prices typically show lower medians than the Colorado Front Range and fewer year-to-year sales, which can make trend lines noisier than in urban counties; the ACS median and assessor valuation reports are the most consistent public references.

• Typical rent prices
  The ACS publishes median gross rent (rent plus utilities where applicable) for Bent County (ACS rent data). Rural counties often have lower median rents than metro Colorado, with limited multi-family supply influencing availability and price dispersion.

• Types of housing
  The housing stock is commonly dominated by single-family detached homes, smaller numbers of manufactured homes/mobile homes, and limited small apartment properties, along with rural parcels and agricultural-related residential property outside town limits. The ACS “units in structure” tables provide the official distribution by housing type (ACS units-in-structure tables).

• Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)
  In Bent County, residential patterns are typically split between in-town neighborhoods (closer to schools, county services, and retail) and rural residential/agricultural areas (larger lots, longer drives, fewer nearby services). The most consistent public proxy for school proximity is district boundary and school location mapping provided through state/district resources, and for amenities the county seat generally functions as the primary service node.

• Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)
  Colorado property taxes are based on assessed value and local mill levies; effective tax rates vary by school district, municipality, and special districts. County-specific levies and assessed value trends are documented by the county assessor and the state property tax division (Colorado property tax overview).
  A single “average rate” for the county is not one uniform number for all homeowners due to overlapping districts; typical homeowner tax cost is best represented using actual levy schedules and a representative assessed value from assessor statistics rather than a statewide average.