Town · Colorado
Paonia, Colorado
Paonia, town, in Delta County, Colorado. Paonia had 1,477 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,447 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,661 (±354). GEOID 0857300.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,477
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,447 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,661 ±354
Median household income
$59,574
±$9,042 (90% margin)
Colorado: $95,470
Median home value
$343,700
±$32,895 (90% margin)
Colorado: $539,400
Median gross rent
$897
±$294 (90% margin)
Colorado: $1,761
Where is Paonia and what county is it in?
Paonia is a town in Delta County, Colorado. It covers 0.8 square miles of land, 1,745 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 Paonia, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,477 people lived in Paonia on July 1, 2025, up 1.9% since 2020, slower than Colorado (+4.1%). The 2020 Census counted 1,447 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,661 (±354).
| Measure | Paonia | Delta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,661 ±354 | 31,598 | no clear change |
| Households | 814 ±189 | 12,959 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.97 ±0.29 | 2.36 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 943 ±197 | 15,025 | no clear change |
Paonia's population since 2000
From 1,497 in 2000 to 1,477 in 2025: down 1.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Paonia 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 Paonia?
The median resident of Paonia is 44.4 years old; 15.2% are under 18 and 26.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.0%.
| Measure | Paonia | Delta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 ±8.7 | 48.1 | −11.5 |
| Under 18 years | 15.2% ±6.4 pts | 19.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.6% ±6.9 pts | 28.4% | – |
| Male | 41.8% ±6.4 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.0% ±8.0 pts | 14.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.7% ±8.9 pts | 79.8% | −11.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±4.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.7% ±3.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.3% ±2.9 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.3% ±1.9 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.5% ±2.9 pts | 9.3% | – |
| With a disability | 14.2% ±4.4 pts | 18.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 21.8% ±8.8 pts | 12.0% | +12.1 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.4% ±3.7 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 36.7% ±8.7 pts | 26.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.8% ±5.0 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.0% ±8.4 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 9.0% ±5.5 pts | 2.8% | – |
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 Paonia earn?
Half of Paonia's 814 households earn less than $59,574 a year (±$9,042), against $57,774 in Delta County and $95,470 in Colorado. In 2015-2019 it was $51,299 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Paonia | Delta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,574 ±$9,042 | $57,774 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,548 ±$9,406 | $80,675 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,165 ±$6,517 | $35,658 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.1% ±6.4 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 14.3% ±12.8 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.2% ±5.2 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.6% ±2.3 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.8% ±7.0 pts | 81.9% | – |
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 Paonia?
Owners occupy 61.3% of Paonia's occupied homes and renters 38.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $343,700 by its owner (±$32,895). The median renter pays $897 a month including utilities, and 32.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Paonia | Delta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $343,700 ±$32,895 | $343,200 | +$108,637 |
| Median gross rent | $897 ±$294 | $1,121 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.4% ±17.7 pts | 46.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,545 ±$153 | $1,485 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 61.3% ±11.3 pts | 77.9% | −13.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 38.7% ±11.3 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Housing units | 943 ±197 | 15,025 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.6% ±2.6 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.2% ±6.2 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.3% ±8.1 pts | 77.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.8% ±4.3 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.2% ±4.2 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 25.2% ±8.2 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.1% ±2.2 pts | 5.1% | – |
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 Paonia building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Paonia in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.7 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 Paonia work and get to work?
71.2% of Paonia's workers drive alone and 17.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 12.4 minutes.
| Measure | Paonia | Delta County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.9% ±8.1 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% ±4.6 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 71.2% ±9.0 pts | 71.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.6% ±6.6 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 1.1% ±1.8 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.4% ±8.0 pts | 14.8% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 12.4 min ±3.0 | 24.2 min | −14.4 min |
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 Paonia?
No census tract lies mostly in Paonia; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9646Delta County | 4,142 | $69,028 |
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 Paonia) · Census block assignment files
How does Paonia compare with other places in Colorado?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Paonia is the 8,793rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 131st-most populous of 272 in Colorado.
Paonia ranks 184th 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 | 131st | 272 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 70th | 150 |
| Residents per square mile | 86th | 221 |
| Median household income | 184th | 218 |
| Per capita income | 148th | 220 |
| Median home value | 168th | 217 |
| Median gross rent | 181st | 200 |
| Poverty rate | 33rd | 151 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 120th | 216 |
| Median age | 44th | 220 |
| Owner-occupied share | 170th | 218 |
| Work from home | 97th | 176 |
| Travel time to work | 212th | 221 |
Paonia's figures with every place in Colorado (CSV)
Every place in Colorado, sortable · Compare Paonia 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 Paonia?
20 of the 57 figures for Paonia 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 Paonia 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 Paonia.