La Plata County, Colorado
Among the top 3% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 27% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 56% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 55% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 97% of US counties
- top 1% for property tax rate
- top 3% for sunny days
- bottom 4% for annual snowfall
La Plata County is a county in Colorado with about 56,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and C for affordability. Standout strengths include property tax rate, sunny days, and summer humidity. It rates lower on comfortable days and annual snowfall.
Official websiteco.laplata.co.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
91%68%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.2 in1.8 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$82k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$58kbetter than 7% of US counties
Home Value$498k97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 8% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 8% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.27%better than 99% of US counties
Income Tax4.63%better than 58% of US counties
Sales Tax7.81%better than 40% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.87%better than 64% of US counties
Unemployment3.2%better than 79% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation23.6 in18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall79.6 inbetter than 4% of US counties
Sunny Days302 daysbetter than 97% of US counties
Summer Humidity44°Fbetter than 97% of US counties
Comfortable Days39 daysbetter than 6% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk75.2better than 24% of US counties
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 30% of US counties
School Quality58.5better than 58% of US counties
Violent Crime457/100kbetter than 73% of US counties
Property Crime607/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Community
Population55,98371st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.854th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2951st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0369th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+189th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)76.7%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.2%11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)13.0%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)9.3%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 74% of US counties
Walkability6.6/20better than 66% of US counties
Airport Distance174 mibetter than 19% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.2%better than 63% of US counties
Amenities Nearby14.47better than 92% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 90% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is La Plata County an affordable place to live?
- La Plata County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $58k, better than 7% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in La Plata County?
- The median home value in La Plata County is $498k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in La Plata County?
- Median household income in La Plata County is $82k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in La Plata County?
- Median gross rent in La Plata County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is La Plata County safe?
- La Plata County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 457/100k (better than 73%). Property crime is 607/100k.
- What is the weather like in La Plata County?
- La Plata County averages 71°F in July and 26°F in January, with 23.6 in of annual precipitation and about 302 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in La Plata County?
- Public-school quality in La Plata County is about average, scoring better than 58% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in La Plata County?
- The average one-way commute in La Plata County is 21 min.
Other counties in Colorado
Explore Colorado
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)