Otero County

Otero County is located in southeastern Colorado on the Great Plains, extending along the Arkansas River valley east of Pueblo and west of the Kansas state line. Established in 1889 and named for Miguel Otero, a prominent nineteenth-century figure in regional politics, the county developed around irrigated agriculture and railroad-era settlement patterns. Otero County is small in population, with roughly 18,000–19,000 residents in recent estimates, and remains predominantly rural outside its principal towns. The local economy is anchored by farming and ranching—especially irrigated crops in the Arkansas Valley—along with government and service employment. The landscape is characterized by broad prairie, riparian corridors, and irrigated fields supported by canals and reservoirs, with views of the distant Front Range to the west. Cultural life reflects long-standing Hispanic and Plains traditions associated with the Arkansas Valley. The county seat is La Junta, the largest community and primary administrative center.

Otero County is located in southeastern Colorado on the Great Plains, anchored by the City of La Junta and surrounding agricultural communities. It is part of Colorado’s Arkansas River valley region and borders Kansas to the east.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Otero County, Colorado, the county had a population of 18,690 (2020 Census). QuickFacts also provides the most recent Census Bureau population estimate for the county.

For local government and planning resources, visit the Otero County official website.

Age & Gender

The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile for Otero County reports county-level age structure and sex composition, including:

• Under 18 years
• 18 to 64 years
• 65 years and over
• Female persons (%) (used to derive the overall gender ratio/sex composition context)

Exact age-group percentages and the female share are published directly in the QuickFacts table for Otero County.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

County-level race and ethnicity measures are published by the U.S. Census Bureau (QuickFacts: Otero County, Colorado), including:

• Race (e.g., White alone, Black or African American alone, American Indian and Alaska Native alone, Asian alone, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, Two or more races)
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race) and Not Hispanic or Latino

These figures reflect U.S. Census Bureau definitions and are provided as shares of the total population.

Household Data

The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts page for Otero County includes household indicators commonly used for local demographic profiling, such as:

• Number of households
• Average household size
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate
• Selected household characteristics (as provided in QuickFacts)

Housing Data

The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts dataset for Otero County provides core housing statistics, including:

• Housing units
• Homeownership rate
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units
• Median selected monthly owner costs (with and without a mortgage)
• Median gross rent

All listed demographic and housing measures above are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s county profile tables (QuickFacts) for Otero County, Colorado.

Otero County’s largely rural geography and low population density around La Junta shape digital communication by increasing last‑mile network costs and leaving some areas with limited service options, affecting practical email access.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are not regularly published; broadband and device access are standard proxies because email adoption typically depends on reliable internet and a computer or smartphone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS) data portal, key digital access indicators for Otero County include household broadband subscription and computer ownership rates reported in the county’s “Computer and Internet Use” tables; these measures summarize how many households can consistently use email-capable services.

Age distribution also influences email adoption. The ACS age tables for Otero County show the county’s population spread across older and working-age groups; older age shares are commonly associated with lower adoption of some online services and higher reliance on assisted access, while working-age residents tend to use email more routinely for employment, education, and services.

Gender distribution is available in ACS sex tables; it is generally a weaker predictor of email use than age and connectivity.

Connectivity constraints are reflected in provider availability and speeds documented on the FCC National Broadband Map.

Otero County is in southeastern Colorado on the High Plains, with a largely rural landscape anchored by the City of La Junta (the county seat) and smaller towns such as Rocky Ford and Swink. The county’s low population density, long distances between settlements, and extensive agricultural land uses tend to produce coverage gaps and capacity constraints outside town centers, particularly where towers are widely spaced and backhaul options are limited. These physical and settlement patterns affect mobile signal reach, indoor coverage, and the economics of rapid network upgrades.

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

• Network availability describes where mobile broadband service is reported to be offered (coverage), by technology (4G LTE, 5G) and by provider.
• Household adoption describes whether residents actually subscribe to and use mobile service and mobile internet (including smartphone-only access).

County-level adoption data is often more limited than county-level availability data. Where Otero-specific adoption indicators are not published, statewide and federal sources are used and the limitation is stated explicitly.

Mobile penetration and access indicators (adoption)

What is available at county level

• The most consistently available county-level indicators come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), which tracks how households access the internet (including mobile/cellular data plans) and whether households have computers/smartphones in concept, though not always with a clean “smartphone vs. basic phone” split at county granularity.
• Otero County estimates can be accessed through the Census Bureau’s tools and ACS tables rather than relying on generalized statewide averages. Relevant entry points include:
  • U.S. Census Bureau data portal (data.census.gov) for county-level ACS tables on internet subscriptions (including cellular data plans).
  • American Community Survey (ACS) program page for methodology and table definitions.

Limitations: Public ACS internet subscription tables can identify households with cellular data plans (often alongside broadband such as cable/fiber/DSL) and households with no internet subscription, but they do not function as a direct “mobile phone penetration” measure (devices per person) and do not provide carrier-level mobile subscription counts for Otero County.

Smartphone-only or mobile-dependent access

• The ACS supports analysis of households that rely on cellular data (sometimes combined with or without other broadband types), which is a practical proxy for mobile-dependent connectivity patterns.
• For a national benchmark and definitions around smartphone reliance and internet access, federal survey programs beyond ACS exist (for example, NTIA internet use surveys), but they are typically not published at Otero County resolution. County-specific interpretation therefore relies primarily on ACS household subscription patterns rather than device-specific penetration rates.

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

County-level availability mapping

The primary authoritative source for advertised mobile broadband availability is the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC):

• FCC National Broadband Map provides location-based mobile coverage layers, typically including 4G LTE and multiple 5G technology types where reported, and supports filtering by provider and technology.
• FCC Broadband Data Collection overview documents how availability is collected and the limitations of provider-reported coverage.

How availability typically appears in Otero County (availability, not adoption):

• 4G LTE coverage is usually reported across most populated corridors and towns, with weaker coverage or gaps more likely in sparsely populated areas, along some rural roads, and at the fringes of tower footprints.
• 5G availability, where present, is most commonly reported in or near population centers and along higher-traffic routes. In rural counties, reported 5G often reflects broader-area 5G deployments (including low-band coverage) rather than dense high-capacity deployments.
• Terrain in Otero County is generally less mountainous than Colorado’s Front Range and high country, but the combination of distance, tower spacing, and indoor attenuation in older building stock can still affect service quality even where outdoor coverage is reported.

Limitations: FCC availability is derived from provider filings and represents service “can be offered” under stated parameters; it does not directly measure real-world speeds everywhere, indoor performance, congestion, or whether residents subscribe.

Observed performance and consumer experience (supplemental)

• The FCC maintains performance measurement and consumer broadband information resources; however, standardized, statistically representative mobile performance data is not always available at the county level in public reporting.
• Third-party speed test aggregations and coverage apps exist, but they are not official measures and can be biased by who tests and where they test.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

What is measurable

• Public county-level datasets typically do not provide a definitive count of smartphones vs. basic/feature phones for Otero County.
• The most defensible county-level proxy for device reliance is household internet subscription type (cellular data plan vs. wired broadband vs. none) from ACS, rather than explicit device models.

Practical interpretation for Otero County (with limitations stated)

• In U.S. counties, including rural counties, smartphones are generally the dominant form factor for personal mobile access, but Otero-specific smartphone share is not published in standard federal county tables.
• Non-phone mobile devices (tablets, hotspots) can be indirectly inferred where households report cellular data plans and where fixed broadband access is limited, but those inferences are not a direct device-type measurement.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Rural settlement pattern and infrastructure economics (availability and quality)

• Lower population density increases the cost per covered person for tower construction and upgrades, influencing:
  • the pace of 5G expansion beyond towns,
  • the number of cell sites per square mile,
  • and the likelihood of coverage variability in agricultural areas and along lightly traveled roads.
• Agricultural land use and dispersed residences can increase the importance of mobile as a primary or backup connection, particularly where wired broadband choices are limited.

Socioeconomic factors (adoption)

• Adoption of mobile data plans and smartphone-dependent internet access is associated in national research with income, age distribution, and education. At county level, these relationships are typically analyzed using ACS socioeconomic profiles alongside ACS internet subscription tables rather than direct “mobile penetration” counts.
• County demographic profiles and rural/urban classification context can be drawn from:
  • Census QuickFacts (search Otero County, Colorado) for population, income, age, and housing characteristics used to contextualize adoption patterns.

Institutions, travel corridors, and town centers (availability and demand concentration)

• Town centers such as La Junta tend to concentrate demand and infrastructure investment, so availability and capacity are generally stronger than in outlying areas.
• Highway corridors and routes with higher traffic volumes often receive earlier upgrades and denser coverage than very low-traffic rural roads.

State and local broadband context relevant to mobile connectivity

Colorado maintains statewide broadband planning and mapping resources that help contextualize mobile and fixed connectivity, though these generally complement (not replace) FCC availability data:

• Colorado Broadband Office for state broadband initiatives, planning documents, and mapping resources.
• Otero County official website for county planning and infrastructure context (note: mobile coverage specifics are typically not published at the county site level).

Summary of what can be stated with high confidence vs. what is limited

• High confidence (county-specific, availability): FCC BDC map layers provide Otero County mobile broadband availability by provider and technology (4G/5G), with known limitations inherent to provider-reported coverage.
• Moderate confidence (county-specific, adoption proxies): ACS tables provide household internet subscription types including cellular data plans, enabling analysis of mobile-dependent access patterns, but not direct “mobile phone penetration” counts.
• Limited at county level (device types and true penetration): Public datasets generally do not publish definitive Otero County smartphone vs. feature-phone shares or mobile subscriptions per capita; analyses rely on household subscription proxies and broader national/state surveys that are not county-resolved.

Otero County is in southeastern Colorado on the Great Plains, with La Junta as the county seat and major population center. The county’s mix of small-city services, agriculture, and a large correctional/employment presence shapes communications habits toward mobile-first access and community/news sharing typical of rural and micropolitan areas in the region.

User statistics (county context and best-available proxies)

• Direct, county-specific social media penetration is not consistently published in a standardized way for Otero County. The most reliable baseline comes from nationally representative surveys used as proxies for local areas.
• U.S. adult usage benchmark: About 69% of U.S. adults report using at least one social media site (Pew Research Center’s social media fact sheet: Pew Research Center—Social Media Fact Sheet).
• Colorado context: Colorado’s local mix (mid-sized metros plus large rural areas) generally tracks close to national adoption patterns, with rural counties often showing slightly lower overall adoption and heavier reliance on a smaller set of platforms (notably Facebook) compared with urban counties. This pattern is consistent with Pew’s documented rural–urban differences in internet and technology adoption (see Pew Research Center—Internet & Technology).

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

National age patterns are the best-supported reference for expected county-level differences:

• 18–29: Highest usage; most adults in this group use social media, and usage is broadly multi-platform (Pew: Social Media Fact Sheet).
• 30–49: High usage; strong presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
• 50–64: Majority usage, with a tilt toward Facebook and YouTube.
• 65+: Lowest usage but substantial; Facebook and YouTube dominate among users in this group.

Gender breakdown

• Women are modestly more likely than men to use several major platforms (notably Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest), while some platforms show smaller gender gaps. This is reported in Pew’s platform-by-demographic tables (Pew: Social Media Fact Sheet).
• County-level gender splits by platform are not routinely published; the most defensible breakdown for Otero County usage relies on these national differentials.

Most-used platforms (percent of U.S. adults using each platform)

Platform shares below are national benchmarks from Pew and are commonly used for local planning in the absence of standardized county estimates:

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• X (formerly Twitter): 22%
• Snapchat: 27%
• WhatsApp: 29%

Source: Pew Research Center—Social Media Fact Sheet (platform-by-platform usage among U.S. adults).

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and platform preferences)

• Facebook remains the primary “community infrastructure” platform in many rural and small-city areas, supporting local groups, event promotion, school and civic updates, and peer-to-peer recommendations; this aligns with Facebook’s broad reach and older-skewing user base in Pew’s reporting (Pew platform demographics).
• YouTube functions as a cross-age utility platform for entertainment, how-to content, and news explainers, reflecting its highest overall penetration (83% of adults).
• Younger adults show stronger multi-platform behavior, with heavier use of Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube alongside Facebook, consistent with Pew’s age gradients across platforms.
• Messaging and sharing patterns skew mobile-first, reflecting the general U.S. trend toward smartphone-centered social use documented across Pew’s internet research (Pew: Internet & Technology research).
• News and local information seeking increasingly occurs via social feeds, especially on Facebook and YouTube, mirroring national findings that social platforms act as common pathways to news for many adults (see Pew Research Center—Journalism & Media).

Otero County family-related public records are primarily maintained through Colorado’s statewide vital records system rather than a county registrar. Birth and death certificates are created and registered as Colorado vital records; certified copies are issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) Vital Records office (CDPHE Vital Records). Adoption records are generally sealed under state law; access is handled through the courts and state processes rather than public county databases.

Associate-related public records commonly used for relationship research include marriage and divorce case filings, probate (estates/guardianships), and civil and criminal court cases maintained by the Judicial Branch. Dockets and many register-of-actions entries are searchable through the statewide portal (Colorado Judicial Branch – case records access) and the courts’ record request procedures. Recorded documents that may reflect family or associate ties (deeds, liens, some court-related filings) are maintained by the county recording office (Otero County Clerk and Recorder).

Public databases vary by record type; statewide portals are more common than countywide “vital records” search tools. Access occurs online through state systems for searchable indexes and in person or by request for certified copies. Privacy restrictions apply to vital records (identity and eligibility requirements), sealed adoption files, and certain court matters involving juveniles, protection orders, or confidential information.

Types of records available

• Marriage licenses and certificates
  • Colorado issues marriage licenses through the County Clerk and Recorder. The recorded marriage record functions as the county’s official record of the marriage.
• Divorce records (decrees and case files)
  • Divorce decrees (final judgments) and associated filings are maintained as district court civil case records.
• Annulments (declaration of invalidity of marriage)
  • Annulments are handled in Colorado courts as a “declaration of invalidity of marriage” under state domestic relations law and are maintained as district court case records, similar to divorces.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records (Otero County)

  • Filed/recorded by: Otero County Clerk and Recorder (marriage licensing and recording).
  • Access: Requests are handled by the Clerk and Recorder’s office for certified copies and related searches. Some indexing or verification may be available through county procedures. Colorado’s statewide vital records office does not serve as the point of issuance for county marriage licenses.
  • Reference: Otero County Clerk and Recorder

• Divorce and annulment court records (Otero County)

  • Filed/maintained by: Colorado Judicial Branch, 16th Judicial District (Otero County) as district court records.
  • Access (court file and decree copies):
    • In-person/records requests: through the Otero Combined Court (Clerk of Court/Records).
    • Online case information: limited case register information is commonly available through the Colorado Courts E-Filing/records systems; access to documents is more restricted than access to basic docket information.
  • References:
    • Colorado Judicial Branch – 16th Judicial District
    • Colorado Judicial Branch

• State-level vital statistics (context)

  • The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Vital Records issues certified copies of certain vital records and publishes statewide rules and identity requirements. Court decrees are not issued by CDPHE.
  • Reference: CDPHE Vital Records

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license/record

  • Full legal names of the parties
  • Date of marriage (and often date of license issuance)
  • Place of marriage (city/county/state) and officiant information
  • Ages or dates of birth (varies by record format and time period)
  • Signatures/attestations and recording details (book/page or instrument number)

• Divorce decree (final order)

  • Names of the parties and case caption
  • Court name (district court), case number, and filing/judgment dates
  • Findings and orders dissolving the marriage
  • Orders on parenting issues (allocation of parental responsibilities), child support, maintenance (spousal support), and division of property and debts, when applicable
  • Judge’s signature and entered date

• Annulment (declaration of invalidity) order

  • Names of the parties, case caption, court, and case number
  • Determination that the marriage is invalid under statute and the effective date of the order
  • Related orders addressing children, support, and property matters when applicable

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records

  • Marriage records recorded by a county clerk are generally treated as public records for inspection and copying, subject to Colorado public records limitations and the county’s procedures for certified copies and identity verification. Some data elements may be redacted on copies provided to the public when required by law (for example, to reduce exposure of sensitive identifiers).

• Divorce and annulment records

  • Colorado court records are generally presumptively open, but domestic relations cases commonly contain restricted information (including financial data, addresses, and information about minors).
  • Sealed or restricted access may apply to specific documents or entire cases by court order, and certain filings may be confidential or available only to parties and attorneys under Colorado court rules.
  • Public access may be limited to docket-level information while document access is controlled through the court clerk and applicable rules and orders.

Otero County is in southeastern Colorado on the High Plains, anchored by the City of La Junta and the Arkansas River corridor. The county is largely rural with a small set of population centers, an economy historically tied to agriculture, public services, and transportation, and housing that mixes older in‑town neighborhoods with surrounding rural properties.

Education Indicators

Public schools (counts and names)

Public K–12 schooling is primarily provided by three districts serving Otero County:

• La Junta School District No. 2
• Rocky Ford School District No. R‑2
• Cheraw School District No. 31

School counts and individual school names vary by district and can change through consolidation or reconfiguration. The most reliable current school rosters are maintained on district websites and the Colorado Department of Education’s district/school directories (for example, the Colorado SchoolView directory). A single countywide “number of public schools” is not consistently published as a standard statistic across sources; district rosters are the appropriate proxy.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: Published ratios differ by district and school level and are typically reported by state accountability and district reporting rather than as a stable countywide figure. District-level staffing and enrollment summaries are reported through the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Data & Reports.
• Graduation rates: Graduation outcomes are reported annually by CDE for each district and high school (4‑year and extended rates). District-specific graduation rates for La Junta, Rocky Ford, and Cheraw are available in CDE’s graduation and completion files and profiles (see CDE graduation rates). A single countywide graduation rate is not a standard metric and is best proxied by the districts’ high-school graduation rates.

Adult educational attainment

Adult educational attainment is most consistently available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) for counties:

• High school diploma (or higher): County-level share is reported via ACS (table series DP02/S1501).
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: County-level share is reported via ACS (same table series).

The most recent county estimates are available through the Census Bureau’s data.census.gov (search “Otero County, Colorado educational attainment”).

Notable programs (STEM, CTE, AP)

• Career and Technical Education (CTE)/vocational pathways: Rural districts in southeastern Colorado commonly emphasize CTE aligned to regional labor markets (ag mechanics, health-related pathways, skilled trades, and business). Program inventories are typically documented in district course catalogs and in state CTE reporting via CDE CTE resources.
• Advanced Placement (AP)/concurrent enrollment: Many Colorado districts participate in AP and/or concurrent enrollment with community colleges; availability is school-specific and best verified through high school profiles and course catalogs.
• STEM initiatives: STEM offerings are generally embedded within science, technology, and agriculture programs; specific academies or grants are district-dependent.

Because program branding (e.g., “STEM academy”) is not consistently standardized across districts, the best proxy for “notable programs” is each district’s published programs of study and CDE CTE participation metrics rather than a single countywide list.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Colorado districts generally operate under state requirements for safety planning and crisis response and typically provide:

• Building-level safety procedures (controlled access, visitor management, drills aligned with state guidance)
• Behavioral health supports, including school counseling and referrals, often supplemented through regional service providers or cooperative agreements

District safety plans and counseling staffing are typically summarized in board policies, school handbooks, and annual accountability or improvement plans; statewide framework references are available through the CDE Safe Schools resources.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent)

Otero County unemployment is tracked monthly and annually by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics:

• The most recent county unemployment figures are available via the BLS LAUS program (county series for Otero County, CO) and Colorado’s labor market portal through the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) Labor Market Information.

A single “most recent year” value depends on the latest finalized annual average; the definitive annual average should be cited from BLS/CDLE releases rather than a static county profile.

Major industries and employment sectors

County employment commonly concentrates in:

• Educational services, health care, and social assistance (schools, clinics, care services)
• Public administration (local government services)
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services (local-serving businesses)
• Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (crop and livestock activity)
• Transportation and warehousing (regional freight/pass-through corridors)
• Manufacturing and construction at smaller scale relative to metro counties

Industry employment shares are most consistently reported through ACS industry-of-employment tables and CDLE/BLS industry series where available.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Typical occupational groupings in rural southeastern Colorado include:

• Office and administrative support
• Sales and related
• Transportation and material moving
• Management
• Education, training, and library
• Healthcare practitioners and support
• Construction and extraction
• Farming, fishing, and forestry

These distributions are available from ACS occupation tables for the county (data.census.gov).

Commuting patterns and mean commute times

• Mean commute time and travel mode (drive alone, carpool, etc.) are reported by the ACS for Otero County. In rural counties, commuting is predominantly by personal vehicle, with limited public transit mode share.
• The most recent mean commute time and mode split are available from ACS commuting tables on data.census.gov (e.g., “commute time” and “means of transportation to work”).

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

• Net commuting (residents working inside vs. outside the county) is best captured through Census “OnTheMap”/LEHD and ACS place-of-work flows rather than a single county profile statistic.
• Definitive origin–destination commuting flows for Otero County are accessible through the U.S. Census OnTheMap tool, which reports resident workers, where they work, and inflow/outflow patterns.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

• Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied shares are reported by the ACS for Otero County (tenure tables in DP04 and related series). Rural counties typically show higher owner-occupancy than statewide metro averages, but the definitive county percentage is published in ACS.
• The most recent tenure estimates are available via data.census.gov (search “Otero County, CO DP04 tenure”).

Median property values and recent trends

• Median owner-occupied home value is provided by ACS (median value for owner-occupied housing units).
• Recent trends: ACS provides multi-year estimate updates; for market-trend context, county-level home value indices are also available from the FHFA House Price Index (typically at metro/state levels more reliably than small counties). County trend direction is often inferred from ACS year-over-year medians, noting sampling variability in smaller geographies.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent is reported in ACS for Otero County (DP04).
• “Typical” rent by unit size is also available in ACS rent distribution tables, with greater margins of error in small-area estimates.

Types of housing

Otero County housing stock generally includes:

• Single-family detached homes in La Junta, Rocky Ford, and smaller communities
• Manufactured homes (a common component in rural counties)
• Small multifamily properties (apartments/duplexes) concentrated in town centers
• Rural residential properties on larger lots outside municipal areas, including farm-adjacent housing

Housing type shares (single-unit vs. multi-unit vs. mobile/manufactured) are available via ACS structure-type tables (DP04).

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

• In the county’s primary towns, schools, parks, and civic services are typically within short driving distances; commercial amenities cluster along main corridors.
• Outside town limits, residents often rely on driving for schools, groceries, and health services due to lower density and longer distances.

Because “neighborhood characteristics” are not a standardized county statistic, this is best proxied by municipal land-use patterns and ACS density/vehicle access indicators rather than a single numeric measure.

Property tax overview (rate and typical homeowner cost)

Colorado property taxes are determined by local mill levies applied to assessed value under Colorado’s assessment system:

• Effective property tax rates and typical tax bills vary by taxing district (school district, county, municipal, special districts) and property classification.
• County-level effective rates and median tax amounts are commonly summarized in ACS (“real estate taxes paid” for owner-occupied units) and by the Colorado Division of Property Taxation and county assessor publications.

Definitive countywide tax-payment distributions can be sourced from ACS housing cost tables on data.census.gov, while levy/assessment mechanics are described by the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Property Taxation.