Census-designated place · Colorado
Black Forest, Colorado
Black Forest, census-designated place, in El Paso County, Colorado. Black Forest had 15,738 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,416). GEOID 0806970.
Residents, 2020-2024
15,738
±1,416 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 15,097
Median household income
$145,460
±$14,041 (90% margin)
Colorado: $95,470
Median home value
$856,200
±$32,640 (90% margin)
Colorado: $539,400
Median gross rent
not published
Colorado: $1,761
Where is Black Forest and what county is it in?
Black Forest is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in El Paso County, Colorado. It covers 100.6 square miles of land, 150 residents per square mile in 2020.
Black Forest is in the Colorado Springs, CO metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Black Forest, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Black Forest's population at 15,738 (±1,416). The 2020 Census counted 15,097 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Black Forest is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Black Forest | El Paso County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 15,738 ±1,416 | 742,999 | +1,657 |
| Households | 5,509 ±426 | 290,190 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.85 ±0.18 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 5,638 ±438 | 303,482 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Black Forest?
The median resident of Black Forest is 48.4 years old; 23.6% are under 18 and 20.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.7%. 5.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Black Forest | El Paso County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.4 ±2.5 | 35.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.6% ±3.0 pts | 23.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.8% ±2.6 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Male | 50.8% ±2.2 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.7% ±2.5 pts | 18.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.7% ±3.8 pts | 65.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.5% ±2.0 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.1 pts | 2.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.8% ±1.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.3% ±2.1 pts | 7.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.0% ±1.1 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 16.4% ±2.3 pts | 15.6% | – |
| With a disability | 11.4% ±2.0 pts | 12.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.3% ±2.2 pts | 7.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.5% ±0.9 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 56.5% ±3.6 pts | 41.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 25.5% ±3.4 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.6% ±3.8 pts | 81.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.5% ±1.2 pts | 6.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Black Forest earn?
Half of Black Forest's 5,509 households earn less than $145,460 a year (±$14,041), against $90,363 in El Paso County and $95,470 in Colorado. In 2015-2019 it was $147,372 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Black Forest | El Paso County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $145,460 ±$14,041 | $90,363 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $191,567 ±$17,274 | $116,684 | – |
| Per capita income | $67,106 ±$6,750 | $46,133 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.0% ±2.5 pts | 8.5% | +3.3 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.1% ±4.8 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.8% ±1.7 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.5% ±1.2 pts | 97.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.6% ±1.8 pts | 94.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Black Forest?
Owners occupy 95.8% of Black Forest's occupied homes and renters 4.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $856,200 by its owner (±$32,640).
| Measure | Black Forest | El Paso County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $856,200 ±$32,640 | $461,000 | +$183,010 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 31.9% ±36.1 pts | 44.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,885 ±$232 | $2,145 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 95.8% ±2.9 pts | 66.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 4.2% ±2.9 pts | 33.8% | – |
| Housing units | 5,638 ±438 | 303,482 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±16.8 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 96.4% ±1.6 pts | 66.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.7% ±1.1 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.7% ±1.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 18.9% ±4.0 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.4% ±1.1 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.1% ±1.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Black Forest work and get to work?
64.7% of Black Forest's workers drive alone and 28.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.8%.
| Measure | Black Forest | El Paso County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.2% ±3.8 pts | 68.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% ±1.3 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 64.7% ±4.9 pts | 69.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.7% ±4.3 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 28.6% ±5.1 pts | 16.8% | +15.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.1 min ±3.1 | 23.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Black Forest?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Black Forest, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $131,923 (Tract 76.02) to $169,911 (Tract 75.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 75.02El Paso County | 10,943 | $156,875 |
| Tract 76.02El Paso County | 3,584 | $131,923 |
| Tract 76.04El Paso County | 3,630 | $144,688 |
| Tract 39.13El Paso County | 2,210 | $157,692 |
| Tract 75.01El Paso County | 1,161 | $169,911 |
| Tract 76.03El Paso County | 11,890 | $125,380 |
| Tract 72.06El Paso County | 6,815 | $151,157 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Black Forest) · Census block assignment files
How does Black Forest compare with other places in Colorado?
Black Forest ranks 28th of 218 places in Colorado with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 50th | 220 |
| Residents per square mile | 211th | 221 |
| Median household income | 28th | 218 |
| Per capita income | 45th | 220 |
| Median home value | 30th | 217 |
| Poverty rate | 122nd | 151 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62nd | 216 |
| Median age | 30th | 220 |
| Owner-occupied share | 9th | 218 |
| Work from home | 44th | 176 |
| Travel time to work | 44th | 221 |
Black Forest's figures with every place in Colorado (CSV)
Every place in Colorado, sortable · Compare Black Forest with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Black Forest?
13 of the 56 figures for Black Forest on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Black Forest are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.