City · Colorado
Cortez, Colorado
Cortez, city, in Montezuma County, Colorado. Cortez had 9,126 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 8,766 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,976 (±24). GEOID 0817375.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
9,126
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,766 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,976 ±24
Median household income
$54,247
±$7,098 (90% margin)
Colorado: $95,470
Median home value
$272,900
±$17,718 (90% margin)
Colorado: $539,400
Median gross rent
$984
±$62 (90% margin)
Colorado: $1,761
Where is Cortez and what county is it in?
Cortez is a city in Montezuma County, Colorado. It covers 6.2 square miles of land, 1,407 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cortez, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 9,126 people lived in Cortez on July 1, 2025, up 4.2% since 2020, in line with Colorado (+4.1%). The 2020 Census counted 8,766 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,976 (±24).
| Measure | Cortez | Montezuma County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,976 ±24 | 26,412 | +301 |
| Households | 3,715 ±235 | 11,269 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.37 ±0.15 | 2.31 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,991 ±272 | 12,375 | no clear change |
Cortez's population since 2000
From 7,977 in 2000 to 9,126 in 2025: up 14.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Cortez as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Cortez?
The median resident of Cortez is 36.4 years old; 23.4% are under 18 and 19.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 62.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 19.7%.
| Measure | Cortez | Montezuma County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 ±4.1 | 44.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.4% ±2.8 pts | 20.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.8% ±2.9 pts | 25.0% | – |
| Male | 47.5% ±3.3 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 19.7% ±3.8 pts | 12.5% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 62.1% ±5.0 pts | 70.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 9.7% ±4.2 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.7% ±3.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4% ±1.7 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.8% ±3.8 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.2% ±2.5 pts | 8.5% | – |
| With a disability | 15.3% ±3.0 pts | 14.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 15.3% ±4.3 pts | 11.1% | +6.4 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.9% ±3.1 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.6% ±4.3 pts | 31.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.3% ±3.3 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.0% ±5.1 pts | 89.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.1% ±1.7 pts | 2.7% | – |
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 Cortez earn?
Half of Cortez's 3,715 households earn less than $54,247 a year (±$7,098), against $65,244 in Montezuma County and $95,470 in Colorado. In 2015-2019 it was $52,023 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 15.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Cortez | Montezuma County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,247 ±$7,098 | $65,244 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $71,430 ±$7,387 | $84,506 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,546 ±$3,339 | $36,828 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.0% ±5.3 pts | 13.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.8% ±10.0 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.7% ±5.3 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.5% ±2.2 pts | 93.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.6% ±3.2 pts | 84.5% | – |
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 Cortez?
Owners occupy 65.6% of Cortez's occupied homes and renters 34.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $272,900 by its owner (±$17,718). The median renter pays $984 a month including utilities, and 50.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Cortez | Montezuma County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $272,900 ±$17,718 | $331,400 | +$63,313 |
| Median gross rent | $984 ±$62 | $942 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 50.6% ±10.1 pts | 42.9% | +16.0 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,297 ±$97 | $1,544 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.6% ±6.6 pts | 76.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.4% ±6.6 pts | 23.8% | – |
| Housing units | 3,991 ±272 | 12,375 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.1% ±3.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 65.3% ±4.5 pts | 70.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.8% ±4.0 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.6% ±1.8 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.0% ±3.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.9% ±2.2 pts | 5.0% | – |
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 many new homes is Cortez building?
Builders took permits for 14 new housing units in Cortez in 2025 (14 in single-family houses), 1.5 per 1,000 residents against 5.6 across Colorado.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Cortez work and get to work?
76.7% of Cortez's workers drive alone and 6.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.1 minutes.
| Measure | Cortez | Montezuma County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.1% ±4.9 pts | 55.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% ±2.7 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.7% ±5.7 pts | 74.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.8% ±4.5 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.7% ±3.2 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.1 min ±2.6 | 20.4 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 Cortez?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Cortez, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $43,496 (Tract 9694) to $74,936 (Tract 9693.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9694Montezuma County | 4,133 | $43,496 |
| Tract 9693.01Montezuma County | 3,419 | $74,833 |
| Tract 9693.02Montezuma County | 2,938 | $74,936 |
| Tract 9696Montezuma County | 3,626 | $59,813 |
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 Cortez) · Census block assignment files
How does Cortez compare with other places in Colorado?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Cortez is the 3,426th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 59th-most populous of 272 in Colorado.
Cortez ranks 193rd of 218 places in Colorado with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 59th | 272 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 57th | 150 |
| Residents per square mile | 106th | 221 |
| Median household income | 193rd | 218 |
| Per capita income | 191st | 220 |
| Median home value | 186th | 217 |
| Median gross rent | 177th | 200 |
| Poverty rate | 42nd | 151 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 153rd | 216 |
| Median age | 138th | 220 |
| Owner-occupied share | 145th | 218 |
| Work from home | 168th | 176 |
| Travel time to work | 196th | 221 |
Cortez's figures with every place in Colorado (CSV)
Every place in Colorado, sortable · Compare Cortez 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 Cortez?
12 of the 57 figures for Cortez 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 Cortez 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' public schools in Cortez.