1st Advantage MortgageAbout 66% of El Paso County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $90,363. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- El Paso County at a glance
- What El Paso County households earn
- The El Paso County job picture
- What it costs to live in El Paso County
- El Paso County next to its neighbors
- Places inside El Paso County
- El Paso County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Borrowing situations common in El Paso County
- Budget math at the El Paso County median
- Checking a lender's license in Colorado
- Checklist for El Paso County applicants
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
El Paso County at a glance
Roughly 742,999 residents live in El Paso County, Colorado, 1st by population among the state's 64 counties and county equivalents. It covers 2,126 square miles of land, or about 349 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Colorado Springs, CO metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Colorado Springs is the biggest of its 19 Census places, at roughly 487,887 people (66% of the county total).
What El Paso County households earn
Half of El Paso County households take in less than $90,363 a year and half take in more, 5% below the Colorado median of $95,470.
| Household income | El Paso County | vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 15.4% | -1.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.4% | +3.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.7% | +0.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 13.5% | -3.4 pts |
About 15% of households earn under $35,000, while 45% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 8.5%, 1 point lower than the state's 9.4%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.428 here. For a borrower in El Paso County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
The El Paso County job picture
By the Census industry count, 24% of employed El Paso County residents work in education and health care and 15% in professional and administrative services. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.4% in El Paso County. Long commutes are the exception here: 10% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Industry | Share of El Paso County workers | vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.7% | +1.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 14.8% | -0.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.1% | +0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.9% | -0.2 pts |
| Construction | 7.7% | -0.3 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.4% | +0.2 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
What it costs to live in El Paso County
Renters in El Paso County pay a median of $1,696 a month, 4% below the Colorado figure of $1,761. By the Census definition, 55% of El Paso County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $461,000, or 5.1 years of median income. The ownership rate is 66%. Half the housing stock was built before 1989.
| El Paso County | Colorado | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,696/mo | $1,761/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $461,000 | $539,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 55% | 53% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 30% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
El Paso County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to El Paso County's, from 36 to 55 miles away. 2 of the six report a higher median household income than El Paso County; Douglas County is highest at $149,594 and Crowley County lowest at $48,826.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso County | - | $90,363 | $1,696/mo | 66% |
| Teller County, CO | 36 mi | $85,361 | $1,880/mo | 81% |
| Elbert County, CO | 40 mi | $132,685 | $1,311/mo | 95% |
| Douglas County, CO | 41 mi | $149,594 | $2,193/mo | 77% |
| Pueblo County, CO | 46 mi | $64,010 | $1,111/mo | 69% |
| Crowley County, CO | 54 mi | $48,826 | $984/mo | 69% |
| Fremont County, CO | 55 mi | $62,664 | $1,070/mo | 76% |
Places inside El Paso County
19 Census places fall mainly inside El Paso County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 658,511 residents, leaving about 11% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $62,321 in Calhan to $171,875 in Woodmoor. Rent is cheapest in Ellicott ($634) and steepest in Woodmoor ($2,276). Names with links open a city guide. The other 18 places are covered here.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | city | 487,887 | $84,818 | $1,648 | 13 mi |
| Security-Widefield | CDP | 37,345 | $91,142 | $1,793 | 11 mi |
| Fountain | city | 29,300 | $86,242 | $1,745 | 13 mi |
| Cimarron Hills | CDP | 19,817 | $80,808 | $1,664 | 10 mi |
| Fort Carson | CDP | 18,019 | $66,237 | $2,180 | 15 mi |
| Black Forest | CDP | 15,738 | $145,460 | n/a | 18 mi |
| Monument | town | 11,735 | $128,816 | $1,929 | 24 mi |
| Woodmoor | CDP | 8,934 | $171,875 | $2,276 | 26 mi |
| Air Force Academy | CDP | 6,727 | $69,474 | $2,264 | 21 mi |
| Gleneagle | CDP | 6,440 | $139,653 | $2,099 | 22 mi |
| Stratmoor | CDP | 5,412 | $65,000 | $1,324 | 14 mi |
| Manitou Springs | city | 4,735 | $85,000 | $1,283 | 21 mi |
| Palmer Lake | town | 2,623 | $125,357 | $1,911 | 29 mi |
| Cascade-Chipita Park | CDP | 1,412 | $119,531 | $1,416 | 27 mi |
El Paso County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 42% of adults over 25. 7.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | El Paso County | Colorado | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 37.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 41.9% | 45.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 4.9% | 7.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.2% | 7.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.8% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 21.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.4% | 4.6% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | El Paso County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 26.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 45.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.1% |
| 60+ min | 5.5% |
Borrowing situations common in El Paso County
Based on the El Paso County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Consolidation math. With 45% at six figures, card consolidation is common; it pays only if total cost falls (guide).
- Renters under pressure. When 55% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Budget math at the El Paso County median
Here is the El Paso County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Start: $7,530 gross per month ($90,363 / 12)
- Less median rent of $1,696, which is 23% of it
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,316 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Checking a lender's license in Colorado
The Colorado Division of Banking is the place to verify any lender's Colorado license. Consumer lending in Colorado is also overseen by the Colorado Attorney General's office, which administers the state's Uniform Consumer Credit Code. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Colorado state guide for the statewide picture.
Checklist for El Paso County applicants
A short checklist for El Paso County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- A Colorado license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Related local guides
Guides that cover parts of El Paso County:
Frequently asked questions
Is El Paso County a high-income county?
Its $90,363 median ranks 21st of 64 Colorado counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in El Paso County?
$1,696 a month at the median, about 23% of median household income.
I live in a small El Paso County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Colorado Springs, Security-Widefield, Fountain, Cimarron Hills, Fort Carson and 14 more.
Does living in El Paso County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a El Paso County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Where can someone in El Paso County check a lender's license?
With the Colorado Division of Banking. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.