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Bent County, CO: population growth, jobs and income

Bent County lost 29 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.5%).

Bent County had an estimated 5,716 residents in 2025, up 4.5% (244 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Colorado as a whole (+3.9%), and the 16th fastest growth of 61 counties in Colorado.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Bent County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Bent County, ranked against Colorado and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,162/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes13.8%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months02025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

New homes permitted

1

2025

0.2 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 8 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 607 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +8.8% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.6% in 2025, 1.4 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 1 new homes in 2025, or 0.2 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $50,179 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +31.8% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 694th.

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Bent County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20255,716−29
20245,745+34
20235,711+283
20225,428+92
20215,336−136
20205,472–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Bent County

Bent County grew by 244 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+412).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−35−175
International migrationfrom and to other countries−2−4
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+8+412
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0+11
Total change−29+244

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn ColoradoAmong U.S. counties
Population growth16th of 61694th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents26th of 611,670th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth20th of 61798th of 3,092
Median household income56th of 612,732nd of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate51st of 612,168th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents58th of 612,660th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Bent County, CO as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Bent County grew faster than all 5 of its neighbouring counties (+4.5%, 2020–25).

4 of its 5 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Bent County's $50,179 (2020–24).

Bent County, CO and its 5 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Bent County, CO This county5,716+4.5%1.40.2$50,179
Kiowa County, CO1,412−2.8%3.55.0$58,618
Otero County, CO17,683−5.2%−6.70.5$54,037
Prowers County, CO11,884−1.1%−5.61.3$53,508
Baca County, CO3,347−3.8%−9.90.6$46,215
Las Animas County, CO14,391−0.7%−3.42.1$52,074

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 64 Colorado counties · Every state

Questions

Is Bent County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 4.5% between 2020 and 2025, about 244 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Colorado as a whole changed +3.9% over the same years. That ranks 16th of 61 counties in Colorado for population growth.

How many people moved to Bent County?

On net, about 8 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Bent County?

It averaged 4.6% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Bent County?

About 5,716 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Bent County?

Private employers there had 607 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +8.8% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Colorado

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Colorado county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Bent County data alerts

Email me when Bent County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Bent County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.