1st Advantage MortgagePhillips County households have a median income of $64,674 and median rent of $999 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Colorado before sharing details.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Phillips County
- Renting and owning in Phillips County
- Income in Phillips County compared with Colorado
- The Phillips County job picture
- Places inside Phillips County
- Counties near Phillips County
- Phillips County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Phillips County data as a borrower
- Room for a loan payment in Phillips County
- A Phillips County borrower's checklist
- Who licenses lenders for Phillips County residents
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Phillips County
Phillips County is home to about 4,496 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 54th most populous of 64 county-level areas in Colorado. It covers 688 square miles of land, or about 7 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Phillips County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 4 places in the county (3 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Holyoke, with about 2,382 residents, or 53% of the county. With so few households sampled, Phillips County estimates can move a lot between releases.
Renting and owning in Phillips County
Renters in Phillips County pay a median of $999 a month, 43% below the Colorado figure of $1,761. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 34% of renter households here. With a median value of $258,200, a typical Phillips County house costs 4.0 times what the median household earns in a year. 72% of Phillips County households own their home and 28% rent. Median construction year: 1970.
| Measure | Phillips County | Colorado | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $999/mo | $1,761/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $258,200 | $539,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 34% | 53% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 38% | 30% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 8% | n/a |
Income in Phillips County compared with Colorado
The median household income in Phillips County is $64,674; statewide it is $95,470, so Phillips County runs 32% below Colorado as a whole. That places it 42nd among Colorado's 64 county-level areas.
| Band | Phillips County | Compared with Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 25.9% | +9.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.2% | +1.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.0% | -7.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 13.9% | -3.0 pts |
About 26% of households earn under $35,000, while 37% clear $100,000. 16.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.4%). A household earning below the $64,674 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
The Phillips County job picture
Agriculture, forestry and mining employs 18% of working residents, the largest share; education and health care is next with 17%. The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 18% locally and 2% for Colorado. The survey's unemployment rate for Phillips County averages 2.9% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.6%). Long commutes are the exception here: 9% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 5.4% of the total (5.2% statewide).
| Top industries | Phillips County share | +/- vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 17.5% | +15.7 pts |
| Education and health care | 16.8% | -5.0 pts |
| Public administration | 9.6% | +4.9 pts |
| Construction | 8.5% | +0.5 pts |
| Wholesale trade | 7.2% | +5.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.9% | -8.7 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Places inside Phillips County
Here are the 4 most populous of the county's 4 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 78% of Phillips County residents live in one of the 4. None of the 4 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holyoke | city | 2,382 | $52,482 | $1,077 | 3 mi |
| Haxtun | town | 978 | $63,375 | $575 | 15 mi |
| Amherst | CDP | 82 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
| Paoli | town | 43 | $99,444 | n/a | 7 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Counties near Phillips County
Sedgwick County is closest, 19 miles from center to center; the sixth, Perkins County, is 42 miles off. Perkins County leads the group on income ($72,778), Logan County trails ($51,829), and Phillips County out-earns 3 of the six. The list crosses into Nebraska, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips County | - | $64,674 | $999/mo | 72% |
| Sedgwick County, CO | 19 mi | $52,386 | $774/mo | 72% |
| Chase County, NE | 34 mi | $68,173 | $800/mo | 79% |
| Deuel County, NE | 36 mi | $70,096 | $872/mo | 82% |
| Logan County, CO | 40 mi | $51,829 | $1,013/mo | 66% |
| Yuma County, CO | 41 mi | $60,545 | $942/mo | 69% |
| Perkins County, NE | 42 mi | $72,778 | $922/mo | 79% |
Phillips County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 32% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 6.8%, against 7.7% for Colorado.
| Phillips County | Colorado | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 37.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.5% | 45.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.2% | 7.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.8% | 7.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 21.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | 4.6% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Phillips County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 57.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 21.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.4% |
| 60+ min | 5.7% |
Reading the Phillips County data as a borrower
Based on the Phillips County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Room for a loan payment in Phillips County
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Phillips County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $5,390 a month: gross income for a household at the Phillips County median
- 19% goes to median rent ($999)
- At 40%, room after rent is $1,157 a month
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
A Phillips County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Phillips County borrowers:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Who licenses lenders for Phillips County residents
Before sharing details with a lender, a Phillips County resident can confirm its license with the Colorado Division of Banking. Consumer lending in Colorado is also overseen by the Colorado Attorney General's office, which administers the state's Uniform Consumer Credit Code. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. See the Colorado state guide for the statewide picture.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Colorado guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Phillips County earn?
The median is $64,674; 37% earn $100,000 or more and 26% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Phillips County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $999 a month; 34% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Should Phillips County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 72% of Phillips County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
What are the biggest places in Phillips County?
By population: Holyoke, Haxtun, Amherst, Paoli. The county has 4 Census places in all.
Are Phillips County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.