Census tract · Otero County
Census Tract 9685, Otero County, Colorado
Census Tract 9685, GEOID 08089968500, in Otero County, Colorado, partly within North La Junta, Cheraw and La Junta Gardens. 1,671 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±258); the 2020 Census counted 1,763.
Residents, 2020-2024
1,671
±258 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 1,763
Median household income
$64,073
±$9,826 (90% margin)
Otero County: $54,037
Median home value
$196,000
±$26,421 (90% margin)
Otero County: $168,900
Median gross rent
$1,112
±$48 (90% margin)
Otero County: $839
Where is Census Tract 9685?
Census Tract 9685 is one of 7 census tracts in Otero County, Colorado. It covers 182.76 square miles of land, 10 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 08089968500, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| North La Junta | 10% |
| Cheraw | 10% |
| La Junta Gardens | 4% |
8 census tracts border Census Tract 9685: Tract 9667.02 in Bent County ($55,172), Tract 9696.01 in Crowley County ($48,538), Tract 9601 in Kiowa County ($58,618), Tract 9681 ($34,938), Tract 9682 ($62,442), Tract 9683 ($57,188), Tract 9684 ($55,000) and Tract 9686 ($53,906). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 9685?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9685's population at 1,671 (±258) in 718 households; the 2020 Census counted 1,763 residents and 795 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9685 | Otero County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,671 ±258 | 18,321 |
| Households | 718 ±129 | 7,584 |
| Average household size | 2.30 ±0.22 | 2.35 |
| Housing units | 776 ±126 | 8,746 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 9685?
The median resident of Census Tract 9685 is 42.5 years old; 22.3% are under 18 and 20.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 67.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 20.9%.
| Measure | Tract 9685 | Otero County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 ±3.7 | 41.8 |
| Under 18 years | 22.3% ±3.9 pts | 23.1% |
| 65 years and over | 20.6% ±4.2 pts | 21.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 20.9% ±9.1 pts | 42.0% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 67.7% ±10.5 pts | 52.4% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.8% ±3.5 pts | 2.9% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±3.3 pts | 0.5% |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 4.8% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.0% ±1.9 pts | 15.2% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.5% ±3.7 pts | 6.6% |
| With a disability | 14.2% ±3.8 pts | 19.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.2% ±2.9 pts | 6.6% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.1% ±2.1 pts | 88.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.8% ±3.7 pts | 18.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.3% ±1.9 pts | 7.0% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.0% ±6.3 pts | 88.8% |
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 Census Tract 9685 earn?
Half of the 718 households in Census Tract 9685 earn less than $64,073 a year (±$9,826), against $54,037 across Otero County: 1st highest of the county's 7 tracts with a reliable estimate. 5.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9685 | Otero County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,073 ±$9,826 | $54,037 |
| Mean household income | $74,197 ±$8,022 | $68,476 |
| Per capita income | $32,608 ±$3,574 | $28,645 |
| People below the poverty line | 5.9% ±2.5 pts | 22.1% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.9% ±3.8 pts | 35.3% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.6% ±4.2 pts | 21.8% |
| Households with a computer | 94.4% ±3.2 pts | 91.3% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.9% ±6.4 pts | 84.8% |
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 Census Tract 9685?
Owners occupy 71.4% of Census Tract 9685's occupied homes and renters 28.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $196,000 by its owner (±$26,421). The median renter pays $1,112 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 9685 | Otero County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $196,000 ±$26,421 | $168,900 |
| Median gross rent | $1,112 ±$48 | $839 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.3% ±19.4 pts | 33.7% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,481 ±$219 | $1,370 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.4% ±10.3 pts | 68.9% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.6% ±10.3 pts | 31.1% |
| Housing units | 776 ±126 | 8,746 |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.8% ±8.9 pts | 77.0% |
| Mobile homes | 22.4% ±8.8 pts | 9.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.1% ±1.7 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.9% ±3.8 pts | 2.5% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 35.3% ±8.6 pts | 27.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.5% ±2.0 pts | 7.6% |
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 Census Tract 9685 get to work?
73.1% of Census Tract 9685's workers drive alone and 9.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.9 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9685 | Otero County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.5% ±7.2 pts | 55.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% ±1.6 pts | 6.7% |
| Drove alone to work | 73.1% ±6.4 pts | 78.3% |
| Carpooled | 15.7% ±6.1 pts | 9.7% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.0% |
| Walked | 1.9% ±1.8 pts | 5.3% |
| Worked from home | 9.3% ±4.7 pts | 6.1% |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.9 min ±4.1 | 21.2 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
How does Census Tract 9685 compare with the other tracts in Otero County?
Among Otero County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9685 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Otero County |
|---|---|
| Population | 5th of 7 |
| Residents per square mile | 6th of 7 |
| Median household income | 1st of 7 |
| Per capita income | 3rd of 7 |
| Median home value | 2nd of 7 |
| Median gross rent | 1st of 7 |
| Poverty rate | 7th of 7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4th of 7 |
| Median age | 4th of 7 |
| Owner-occupied share | 3rd of 7 |
The tracts next to it on Otero County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9685 | 1st | $64,073±$9,826 |
| Tract 9682 | 2nd | $62,442±$17,405 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9683 | 3rd | $57,188±$10,662 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9684 | 4th | $55,000±$17,022 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 9685?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9685 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections