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Study Ranks The Richest And Poorest Counties In Colorado

(CBS4) - Douglas County was ranked the richest county in Colorado in a Wall St. 24/7 study.

According to 2017 U.S. Census Bureau data, the median household income per year in Douglas County was $111,154. That's more than $45,000 higher than the statewide median household income -- which was $65,458 per year. The national average is $57,652, according to Wall St. 24/7.

"Douglas County residents are much more likely to work in certain high-paying professions than those who live in lower-income areas," researchers stated. "For instance, 12% of Douglas County's labor force works in either finance, insurance, or real estate — all of which tend to be better paying than the average job."

Nationwide, the percentage of workers employed in those fields is just 6.6%.

"And while Colorado's poverty rate of 11.5% is well below the 14.6% U.S. poverty rate, in Douglas County, the poverty rate is just 3.6%," researchers stated.

Denver Tech Center & Wealthy Subdivision
Picture is of a wealthy Denver suburb with the Denver Tech Center in the background.

The study found the poorest county in Colorado is Otero County. The median household income in Otero County is just $35,051 and the poverty rate is 22.9%.

"Property values are typically a reflection of what area residents can afford, and in Otero County, the majority of homes are worth less than $100,000. For reference, the typical home in Colorado is worth $286,100," researchers stated.

 

 

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