San Juan County

San Juan County is a county in southwestern Colorado, centered in the San Juan Mountains near the New Mexico border. Created in 1876 during Colorado’s early statehood period, it developed around hard-rock mining and remains closely associated with the historic mining districts of the region. By population, it is among the smallest counties in the United States, with only several hundred residents, reflecting its limited developable land and remote, high-elevation setting. The county is predominantly rural and mountainous, characterized by steep terrain, alpine ecosystems, heavy winter snowfall, and extensive public lands. Economic activity is oriented toward local government and services, seasonal tourism tied to mountain recreation and historic sites, and small-scale businesses; large-scale agriculture and industry are constrained by elevation and topography. The county seat is Silverton, a former mining town that functions as the administrative and community center.

San Juan County is a small, high-elevation county in southwestern Colorado, centered on the historic mining towns of Silverton and the surrounding San Juan Mountains. The county is part of Colorado’s San Luis Valley/Southwest regional context and is characterized by rugged terrain and limited developable land.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for San Juan County, Colorado, the county had:

• Population (2020 Census): 730
• Population estimate (most recent year shown on QuickFacts): available on the Census Bureau QuickFacts page (QuickFacts periodically updates annual estimates; the latest value is presented directly on that source page).

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for San Juan County, Colorado, key age and sex indicators include:

• Age distribution (selected measures): QuickFacts reports shares such as under 18, 65 and over, and median age for the county.
• Gender ratio (sex): QuickFacts reports the percent female (with the complementary share male implied).

Exact current percentages for each listed age group and sex are provided directly on the QuickFacts table for the county.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for San Juan County, Colorado, the county’s racial and ethnic composition is reported using standard Census categories, including:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Two or more races
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

The QuickFacts table provides the county-level percentages for each category.

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for San Juan County, Colorado, household and housing indicators for San Juan County include:

• Number of households
• Average household size
• Owner-occupied housing rate
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units
• Median selected monthly owner costs (with/without a mortgage)
• Median gross rent
• Housing units and selected housing characteristics (as reported on QuickFacts)

For local government information and planning resources, visit the San Juan County official website.

San Juan County, Colorado is a sparsely populated, high‑elevation county where rugged terrain and limited last‑mile infrastructure can constrain reliable internet access, shaping how residents use email and other digital communication.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are not published; email adoption is commonly proxied using household internet and device access from the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov). Key indicators include broadband subscription and computer availability, which correlate with the ability to maintain email accounts and use web-based services.

Age distribution also influences email adoption: older populations tend to rely more on email for formal communication, while younger groups often diversify into messaging platforms. San Juan County’s age structure (available via U.S. Census Bureau county profiles) provides a proxy for likely communication preferences, though it does not measure email directly.

Gender distribution is generally not a primary driver of email access; it is available for context in the same Census profiles.

Connectivity constraints in mountainous areas—distance from providers, limited backhaul, and weather-related outages—can reduce service quality and increase reliance on intermittent access points. Infrastructure context is reflected in local planning and services information on the San Juan County government website.

San Juan County is a sparsely populated, high-elevation county in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. The county contains extensive public lands and steep, rugged terrain, with most residents concentrated in the small town of Silverton. Low population density, mountainous topography, and winter weather all influence mobile connectivity by limiting the business case for dense cell-site deployment and by increasing the likelihood of coverage gaps in valleys, canyons, and along mountain passes.

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

• Network availability refers to where mobile carriers report service (coverage) and what radio technologies (4G LTE, 5G) are available in specific locations.
• Household adoption refers to whether residents actually subscribe to mobile service and the extent to which households rely on mobile service versus fixed broadband. County-level adoption indicators are available in some federal datasets, but not all mobile-specific measures (such as “smartphone ownership”) are published at the county level.

Mobile penetration / access indicators (household adoption)

Primary county-level indicators generally come from U.S. Census Bureau surveys, which track “telephone service” and “internet subscriptions,” including cellular data plans. These measures reflect household adoption, not coverage quality.

• The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) provides county estimates for:
  • Households with telephone service (including cellular-only households).
  • Internet subscription types, including cellular data plan subscriptions.
  • Devices used to access the internet (in some ACS tables and related Census products), though device-type detail can be limited or have high margins of error in very small counties.
• Official access/adoption tables and methodology are available via the U.S. Census Bureau’s program pages and data tools, including the American Community Survey (ACS) program and data.census.gov (county-level filtering for San Juan County, CO).

Limitations (county specificity):

• ACS estimates for very small populations can have large margins of error, and some detailed breakouts may be suppressed or unreliable at the county level. This constrains precision for San Juan County compared with larger counties.
• Widely cited “smartphone ownership” series are commonly published at national or state level rather than consistently at the county level in public datasets, so county-level smartphone penetration is not always directly measurable without third-party or modeled data.

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

Network availability is best assessed through federal coverage datasets and maps, which are distinct from adoption.

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) publishes broadband availability data and mapping outputs that include mobile broadband coverage by technology generation (e.g., LTE, 5G) and provider-reported service areas. This is the primary federal source for standardized coverage reporting:
  • FCC National Broadband Map
  • Background on the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection is available via FCC Broadband Data Collection resources

What to expect in San Juan County (availability context, not adoption):

• 4G LTE coverage is generally more widespread than 5G in rural mountainous regions, but the FCC map should be treated as the authoritative reference for provider-reported availability at specific locations.
• 5G availability in rural counties can be limited to small footprints (often near population centers or along certain corridors). The FCC map provides the most current, location-specific view of reported 5G coverage in the county.

Important limitations of availability data in mountainous terrain:

• Provider-reported coverage may not fully capture terrain-driven signal obstruction, which is particularly relevant in the San Juan Mountains. Coverage polygons indicate where service is reported as available, not guaranteed indoor reception or consistent performance in all micro-locations.
• Availability does not indicate capacity (congestion) or performance (throughput/latency). Performance measurement is typically available through separate speed test datasets or specialized federal efforts; these are not consistently summarized at the county level for mobile-only use in a single official series.

State-level context and planning resources:

• Colorado’s statewide broadband planning and mapping resources provide additional context and may reference mobile coverage, though state programs more commonly emphasize fixed broadband deployment:
  • Colorado Broadband Office

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-specific device-type ownership (smartphone vs. basic phone vs. hotspot-only) is not consistently published as a precise, single indicator for very small counties in widely used federal datasets. The most defensible county-level framing uses Census household internet-subscription categories and (where available) device-access measures:

• The ACS distinguishes internet subscription types, including cellular data plans, which captures households using mobile data service as part of their internet access portfolio (adoption measure). Source access via data.census.gov.
• Direct measurement of smartphone share versus other mobile devices typically relies on commercial surveys or modeled estimates that may not be publicly documented at county resolution. Those figures are not uniformly available as official county-level statistics.

Practical implication for San Juan County (data limitation stated):

• Publicly accessible, official county tables can indicate the prevalence of cellular data plan subscriptions and overall internet access at the household level, but they do not reliably quantify the exact split between smartphones and other mobile device types for San Juan County without non-government datasets.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Geography and settlement pattern

• Mountain terrain (steep slopes, narrow valleys) increases the likelihood of localized “dead zones,” even where broader-area coverage is reported.
• Sparse population and small housing stock reduce incentives for dense tower deployment and can lead to reliance on a limited number of macro sites.
• Seasonality and tourism (notably around outdoor recreation and heritage tourism) can create localized demand spikes that affect mobile network performance in and near Silverton and along travel corridors, but publicly available county-level congestion metrics are limited.

Household characteristics and access tradeoffs (adoption-side)

• In rural counties, households may use mobile service as a primary or supplementary internet connection where fixed broadband options are limited or expensive. The ACS “cellular data plan” subscription measure provides the most direct public indicator of this dynamic at county level, subject to sampling uncertainty in small counties.
• Older housing patterns and remote residences can complicate both fixed and mobile service availability; official coverage/adoption datasets do not fully capture indoor signal quality or household-level experiential reliability.

Local government context

• General county information and community context can be referenced via San Juan County’s official website, which can be used to corroborate the county’s rural character, settlement concentration, and terrain-related constraints (contextual factors rather than quantitative mobile metrics).

Summary of what is measurable at county level (and what is not)

• Measurable (public, county-level):
  • Household adoption indicators for telephone service and internet subscriptions (including cellular data plan) via ACS and data.census.gov.
  • Provider-reported 4G/5G availability at location level via the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Not consistently measurable as an official county statistic for San Juan County:
  • A precise, official smartphone vs. basic phone penetration rate.
  • Mobile performance and reliability metrics summarized in a single official county series (especially for indoor coverage and terrain-driven variability).

This separation—FCC for availability and ACS for adoption—is the most defensible structure for describing mobile phone usage and connectivity in San Juan County without introducing non-public or non-standardized modeled estimates.

San Juan County is a small, high‑elevation county in southwestern Colorado anchored by the historic mining town of Silverton and surrounded largely by public lands in the San Juan Mountains. Its remote, tourism‑oriented economy, seasonal visitation, and limited local services can increase reliance on social platforms for event information, travel updates, lodging/restaurant discovery, and community coordination, while also making broadband and mobile coverage constraints more salient than in Colorado’s urban Front Range.

User statistics (penetration/active use)

• Local (county-specific) social media penetration: No reputable, routinely updated source publishes platform usage penetration specifically for San Juan County due to its very small population and survey sample-size limitations.
• Best-available benchmarks for context:
  • United States: About 69% of U.S. adults use social media, according to the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
  • Colorado: State-level social media penetration is not consistently published in a single official series; for planning purposes, county estimates are typically inferred from national surveys (Pew) and broadband/device access patterns rather than measured directly at county scale.

Age group trends

Nationally, social media use is highest among younger adults and declines with age:

• 18–29: ~84% use social media
• 30–49: ~81%
• 50–64: ~73%
• 65+: ~45%
  Source: Pew Research Center.

Implication for San Juan County: Local usage patterns are expected to reflect national age gradients, with younger residents and seasonal workers using a wider mix of platforms, and older residents concentrating on a smaller set (notably Facebook).

Gender breakdown

Platform usage shows modest gender differences in national survey data, varying by platform more than by overall social media adoption. For example, U.S. adults’ use of some visual and community platforms skews higher among women, while others are more even. Source: Pew Research Center platform-by-demographic tables.

Implication for San Juan County: The most visible gender differences are expected on platform choice (e.g., Instagram/Pinterest versus Reddit/YouTube patterns) rather than on whether residents use social media at all.

Most-used platforms (percentages where available)

County-level platform shares are not published reliably; the most defensible approach is to cite U.S. adult platform usage rates from high-quality surveys:

• YouTube: ~83% of U.S. adults
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
  Source: Pew Research Center.

Likely local emphasis given county characteristics: Facebook (community updates and groups), Instagram (tourism/outdoor imagery), YouTube (how-to, travel, and entertainment), and Google/Meta review ecosystems tied to visitor decision-making.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Community and utility-focused use: In small, remote counties, engagement often concentrates on practical information (road conditions, weather disruptions, local notices, events, and service updates), aligning with Facebook Pages/Groups and Instagram Stories for timely posts.
• Tourism-driven content dynamics: Scenic/outdoor destinations tend to generate high volumes of visitor-created posts and short-form video, supporting higher relative importance of Instagram and TikTok-style formats for discovery and trip planning, even when resident population is small.
• Video as a dominant format: With YouTube’s broad reach nationally (Pew Research Center), video is a primary channel for tutorials, travel previews, and local storytelling; short clips and reels further increase lightweight engagement (views, shares) over long comment threads.
• Platform role separation: National usage patterns show multi-platform behavior where Facebook supports local networks, Instagram/TikTok support visual discovery, and LinkedIn supports professional networking (Pew Research Center). In a tourism-heavy county, discovery platforms tend to matter disproportionately for local businesses interacting with visitors.
• Connectivity constraints shaping behavior: Remote-mountain geographies commonly correlate with pockets of limited broadband/mobile performance, encouraging asynchronous consumption (scrolling, saving posts, watching cached/low-resolution video) and reliance on platforms that function well on mobile networks.

San Juan County, Colorado maintains limited family and associate-related public records at the county level. Birth and death records (vital records) are administered by the State of Colorado through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Vital Records office rather than county courthouses; certified copies are ordered through the state’s Vital Records system. Adoption records are generally handled through Colorado courts and are typically confidential, with access restricted by statute and court order.

County-level records that can reflect family relationships include marriage records and some probate court filings (estate matters), which may list heirs, spouses, and other associates. San Juan County District/County Court services are provided through the Colorado Judicial Branch for the county.

Public database access is primarily state-run: statewide civil, probate, and some other case registers are searchable through the Colorado Judicial Branch’s Colorado Courts E-Filing and records search tools (availability varies by case type and access level). Land and property records that may reference family transactions are commonly accessed through the Clerk and Recorder.

Access occurs online through official portals and in person through the county offices in Silverton for recorded documents and local filings.

General restrictions include redaction of sensitive identifiers (for example, Social Security numbers), confidential adoption matters, and limits on public online display of certain case details.

Links: CDPHE Vital Records; Colorado Judicial Branch – San Juan County; San Juan County, Colorado (official site).

Types of records available

• Marriage licenses (and certificates/returns)
  San Juan County issues marriage licenses through the San Juan County Clerk and Recorder. After the ceremony, the officiant returns the completed license, and the county records it as proof of marriage.

• Divorce records (decrees and case files)
  Divorce actions (dissolution of marriage, legal separation, and related orders) are maintained by the San Juan County Combined Court (part of Colorado’s judicial branch). The final judgment is typically a Decree of Dissolution of Marriage or equivalent final order, with associated pleadings and orders in the case file.

• Annulments (declarations of invalidity)
  Annulments are handled as court proceedings in Colorado and are maintained by the San Juan County Combined Court. The court record generally includes an order or decree declaring the marriage invalid, plus the case file materials.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records (county level)

  • Filing office: San Juan County Clerk and Recorder (Recording/Marriage records function).
  • Access methods: In-person and written requests are typical for certified copies; availability of online indexes varies by county.
  • State-level verification: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) maintains statewide vital records for marriages, but certified copies are commonly obtained from the county that issued/recorded the license or through the state vital records office.
  • Reference: Colorado Vital Records (CDPHE)

• Divorce and annulment records (court level)

  • Filing office: San Juan County Combined Court (Colorado Judicial Branch).
  • Access methods: Many basic case details can be accessed through the Colorado Courts online case management portal; full documents and certified copies are typically obtained from the court clerk, subject to redactions and access rules.
  • Reference: Colorado Judicial Branch

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license/record

  • Full names of the parties (and often prior names)
  • Date and place of marriage license issuance
  • Date and place of ceremony (as returned by the officiant)
  • Officiant name and title/authority
  • Ages or dates of birth (format varies by record and time period)
  • Residence information at time of application (varies)
  • Signatures and recording information (book/page or instrument number)

• Divorce decree and case file

  • Names of the parties and case number
  • Date the decree is entered and the court/location
  • Findings and orders regarding dissolution/legal separation
  • Parenting time/decision-making responsibility orders (when applicable)
  • Child support orders (when applicable)
  • Spousal maintenance orders (when applicable)
  • Division of property and allocation of debts
  • Restoration of former name (when requested and ordered)

• Annulment (declaration of invalidity) order and case file

  • Names of the parties and case number
  • Date and terms of the court’s order declaring the marriage invalid
  • Related orders addressing children, support, or property where applicable
  • Any name-change provisions ordered by the court

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records

  • Generally treated as public records at the county recording office, though access to certified copies may require standard request procedures and identification depending on the issuing office’s policies.
  • Certain personal identifiers may be limited or redacted under state law and office practice.

• Divorce and annulment court records

  • Colorado court records are generally open, but restricted information is not publicly accessible (for example, Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, protected addresses, and certain information involving minors).
  • Sealed records: A court may seal specific documents or entire case files by order; sealed materials are not available to the public.
  • Domestic relations protections: Domestic relations cases commonly include confidential forms or protected information sheets that are not publicly available, even when the docket and many filings remain accessible in some form.

San Juan County is a high‑elevation, sparsely populated county in southwestern Colorado in the San Juan Mountains, anchored by the Town of Silverton and surrounded largely by public lands. It is one of Colorado’s smallest counties by population (on the order of several hundred residents), with a housing market and labor force shaped by tourism/seasonal activity, local government services, and long-distance commuting to larger employment centers in surrounding counties.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

• Number of public schools: 1 traditional public school district serves the county: Silverton School District 1 (San Juan County).
• School name: The district’s public K‑12 school is commonly listed as Silverton School (often appearing as a single K‑12 campus in directories).
  Source references: the Colorado Department of Education district profile for Silverton School District 1 (Colorado Department of Education SchoolView—District Overview) and district listing resources such as the NCES public school district directory (NCES District Search).

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratio: San Juan County’s student counts are very small, and staffing varies year to year; ratios typically appear more favorable than state averages in small rural districts but can fluctuate materially with enrollment changes. The most reliable published figures are in the district’s annual reporting on CDE SchoolView (CDE SchoolView).
• Graduation rate: Colorado reports graduation rates annually at the district level. For the most current San Juan County/Silverton district rate, the definitive reference is CDE graduation and completion data (CDE Graduation Rates).
  Proxy note: In very small graduating classes, year-to-year graduation percentages can swing widely and may be suppressed or flagged for privacy/statistical reliability in some tables.

Adult education levels (attainment)

• High school diploma (or higher) and bachelor’s degree (or higher): The standard source is the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5‑year county estimates for educational attainment (population age 25+). San Juan County’s small population can produce wide margins of error, but ACS remains the most comparable dataset for counties.
  Reference: U.S. Census Bureau data.census.gov (ACS Educational Attainment).
  Proxy note: Published shares for small counties may be unstable; neighboring regional counties often provide a more stable context for comparison, but the county-level ACS table is the primary reference for San Juan County.

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, AP)

• Program availability: A single small K‑12 campus generally offers a limited but flexible catalog, often relying on multi-subject teachers, shared services, and distance/online coursework for advanced or specialized classes. District-level program listings and course catalogs are typically maintained by the district/school and reflected indirectly in state course participation and accountability reporting.
  Reference baseline: CDE SchoolView.
  Proxy note: In rural Colorado districts, advanced offerings frequently include a mix of concurrent enrollment (community college credit), online AP/advanced courses, and career and technical education (CTE) partnerships; confirmation for Silverton is most reliably obtained from district publications rather than statewide aggregates.

School safety measures and counseling resources

• Safety planning: Colorado districts are required to maintain safety preparedness frameworks (including emergency operations planning and required drills) and participate in statewide school safety guidance. County/school-specific measures are typically documented locally and summarized through state compliance and reporting channels.
  Reference: CDE Safe Schools resources.
• Counseling/mental health supports: Small districts commonly provide counseling through a combination of on-site staff and contracted/shared providers. Colorado’s school mental health resources and programs are summarized by CDE.
  Reference: CDE School Mental Health.
  Proxy note: Staffing levels for counselors and psychologists in very small districts can vary by year; district-level staffing reports are the most precise source.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent)

• The official county unemployment series is produced by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). The most recent annual or monthly rate for San Juan County is available through CDLE’s labor market information portal.
  Reference: CDLE Labor Market Information.
  Proxy note: Because San Juan County has a very small labor force, unemployment rates can be volatile and are best interpreted over multi-year trends rather than single-month changes.

Major industries and employment sectors

• The county economy is typically concentrated in:
  • Accommodation and food services (tourism and seasonal visitation)
  • Retail trade
  • Arts, entertainment, and recreation
  • Local government and public administration
  • Construction (seasonal, maintenance, and second-home activity)
  • Transportation and warehousing (mountain corridor access, logistics for tourism and services)
• Industry mix and employment counts are documented in Census/LEHD and BEA products, with CDLE providing state-context labor market summaries.
  References: U.S. BEA Regional Economic Accounts, U.S. Census OnTheMap (LEHD), CDLE LMI.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

• Occupations commonly associated with the local employment base include:
  • Service occupations (food service, lodging, customer service)
  • Sales and office support
  • Construction and maintenance trades
  • Transportation/material moving (local operations)
  • Protective service and public sector roles (small local government)
• County occupational detail is generally derived from ACS and modeled occupational employment estimates; small-sample limitations apply.
  Reference: ACS Occupation by Industry tables (data.census.gov).

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Mean commute time and commute-mode distributions (drive alone, carpool, work from home) are reported by the ACS for San Juan County.
  Reference: ACS Commuting Characteristics (data.census.gov).
  Proxy note: Mountain geography and limited local job base typically produce a split between very short in-town commutes in Silverton and longer commutes out of county toward employment centers such as Durango (La Plata County) and Montrose-area markets, though exact shares should be taken from ACS/LEHD.

Local employment vs out-of-county work

• Inflow/outflow commuting (resident workers vs local jobs): The most direct county commuting flow tool is Census LEHD OnTheMap, which reports where residents work and where local jobs are filled from.
  Reference: LEHD OnTheMap—Commuting Flows.
  Proxy note: San Juan County’s limited number of employers means a meaningful portion of employed residents typically works outside the county, and a portion of local jobs may be filled by in-commuters seasonally.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

• The homeownership rate and renter share for San Juan County are best sourced from the ACS 5‑year “Tenure” tables.
  Reference: ACS Housing Tenure (data.census.gov).
  Context note: Small-population mountain counties often show elevated shares of seasonal/second homes and vacant units, which can affect the interpretation of owner/renter shares.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median owner‑occupied home value is reported by the ACS; sales-price trend context is commonly supplemented with county assessor summaries or regional market reports, but ACS remains the standardized county statistic.
  Reference: ACS Median Value (Owner-Occupied Housing).
• Trend context (proxy): Southwest Colorado mountain markets have generally experienced strong price appreciation since 2020, influenced by limited inventory, second-home demand, and constrained buildable land; San Juan County’s small number of transactions can cause large year-to-year swings in medians.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent is reported by the ACS for the county.
  Reference: ACS Median Gross Rent (data.census.gov).
  Proxy note: In very small rental markets, median rent estimates can be imprecise and may reflect a small set of leases; seasonality and short-term rentals can further affect availability and pricing.

Types of housing

• Housing stock in San Juan County is typically characterized by:
  • In-town single‑family homes and small multifamily structures in Silverton
  • Cabins and mountain properties, including seasonal and recreation-oriented units
  • Limited apartment inventory relative to urban counties
  • Rural lots and dispersed housing constrained by terrain and public land patterns
• The ACS provides distribution by structure type (single-unit detached, attached, 2–4 units, 5+ units, mobile homes).
  Reference: ACS Units in Structure (data.census.gov).

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

• Silverton is the primary population center, with the county’s public school and core civic amenities (town government, basic services, visitor-oriented businesses) located in or near the town grid. Outside the town, development is limited and more remote, with longer winter travel times and reduced proximity to services due to mountain passes and weather constraints.
  Proxy note: Given the county’s small size and single main community, “neighborhood” differentiation is less pronounced than in metro counties; proximity is mainly defined by in-town vs outlying mountain properties.

Property tax overview (rate and typical cost)

• Colorado property taxes are based on assessed value and local mill levies; homeowner effective tax burdens vary with valuation and levies. County-specific levy and assessed value information is maintained by local assessors and the Colorado Division of Property Taxation.
  References: Colorado Division of Property Taxation, San Juan County Treasurer (county billing/collection information).
  Proxy note: A single “average rate” is not as stable in a very small county because total levies can be influenced by small tax bases and special districts; typical homeowner costs are most accurately derived from a representative home’s assessed value multiplied by the applicable mill levy shown on county tax notices.*