1st Advantage MortgageIn Pitkin County, Colorado, the typical household earns $102,645 a year and the typical rent is $2,004. 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
- Pitkin County at a glance
- Employment and commuting in Pitkin County
- Household income in Pitkin County
- Pitkin County housing compared with Colorado
- Places inside Pitkin County
- Pitkin County next to its neighbors
- People and households in Pitkin County
- What the numbers mean for Pitkin County borrowers
- Room for a loan payment in Pitkin County
- Before you sign
- Who licenses lenders for Pitkin County residents
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Pitkin County at a glance
Roughly 16,985 residents live in Pitkin County, Colorado, 30th by population among the state's 64 counties and county equivalents. Spread over 971 square miles, that works out to roughly 17.5 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 6 Census places inside Pitkin County, Aspen leads by population with about 6,756; 3 of the 6 are incorporated.
Employment and commuting in Pitkin County
The biggest employer of Pitkin County residents, by industry, is professional and administrative services at 18% of workers, followed by arts, lodging and food service (18%). Compared with Colorado, the county leans toward arts, lodging and food service (18% against 9%). Averaged over the five survey years, 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 46% drive to work alone and 7% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 4.0% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Pitkin County workers | vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Professional and administrative services | 18.2% | +2.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 17.6% | +8.6 pts |
| Education and health care | 15.4% | -6.4 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 10.8% | +3.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 7.9% | -2.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.3% | +1.1 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Household income in Pitkin County
Pitkin County households have a median income of $102,645 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 10th of 64 in Colorado.
| Households earning | Pitkin County | +/- vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 16.6% | +0.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 33.0% | -2.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.9% | -3.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 23.5% | +6.5 pts |
The spread is wide: 50% of Pitkin County households make $100,000 or more, and 17% make less than $35,000. 7.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.4%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.592 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Pitkin County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Pitkin County housing compared with Colorado
Renters in Pitkin County pay a median of $2,004 a month, 14% above the Colorado figure of $1,761. 53% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 24% spend half or more. With a median value of $1,139,100, a typical Pitkin County house costs 11.1 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 63% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1985.
| Home costs | Pitkin County | Colorado | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $2,004/mo | $1,761/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $1,139,100 | $539,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 63% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 53% | 53% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 41% | 30% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.6% | 3.5% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 31% | 8% | n/a |
Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
Places inside Pitkin County
6 Census places fall mainly inside Pitkin County; the 6 biggest are below. They account for 14,316 residents, leaving about 16% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $74,033 in Aspen to $105,855 in Basalt. None of the 6 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspen | city | 6,756 | $74,033 | $2,081 | 5 mi |
| Basalt | town | 4,335 | $105,855 | $2,257 | 13 mi |
| Snowmass Village | town | 2,972 | $102,959 | $2,042 | 1 mi |
| Redstone | CDP | 144 | $114,479 | n/a | 17 mi |
| Woody Creek | CDP | 109 | $92,895 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Norrie | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 16 mi |
Pitkin County next to its neighbors
Lake County is closest, 30 miles from center to center; the sixth, Delta County, is 57 miles off. Income ranges from $57,774 in Delta County to $109,773 in Summit County; 2 of these neighbors top Pitkin County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitkin County | - | $102,645 | $2,004/mo | 63% |
| Lake County, CO | 30 mi | $96,575 | $1,397/mo | 76% |
| Eagle County, CO | 31 mi | $104,096 | $2,019/mo | 66% |
| Gunnison County, CO | 39 mi | $84,527 | $1,252/mo | 67% |
| Chaffee County, CO | 47 mi | $84,132 | $1,611/mo | 74% |
| Summit County, CO | 50 mi | $109,773 | $1,928/mo | 72% |
| Delta County, CO | 57 mi | $57,774 | $1,121/mo | 78% |
People and households in Pitkin County
College graduates make up 63% of the adult population. 5.0% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Pitkin County | Colorado | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.2 | 37.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 62.8% | 45.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 3.6% | 7.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.0% | 7.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.0% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 16.6% | 21.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.5% | 4.6% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 38.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.4% |
| 60+ min | 3.5% |
What the numbers mean for Pitkin County borrowers
Based on the Pitkin County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Retirees. At a median age of 47.2, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 50% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Rent squeeze. 53% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
Room for a loan payment in Pitkin County
Here is the Pitkin County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- $8,554 a month: gross income for a household at the Pitkin County median
- Rent at the median, $2,004, takes 23% of that
- With a 35% ceiling, about $990 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- Under a 45% cap, $3,849 total minus rent leaves $1,845
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Before you sign
A short checklist for Pitkin County borrowers:
- Price the Pitkin County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Who licenses lenders for Pitkin County residents
Consumer lenders serving Pitkin County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Colorado that is the Colorado Division of Banking. The Colorado Attorney General's office, which administers the state's Uniform Consumer Credit Code handles consumer-credit questions as well. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Colorado state guide for the statewide picture.
Related local guides
The Colorado guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pitkin County a high-income county?
Its $102,645 median ranks 10th of 64 Colorado counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Is Pitkin County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $2,004 against $1,761 statewide, and 53% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Which towns does the Pitkin County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 6 Census places: Aspen, Basalt, Snowmass Village, Redstone, Woody Creek.
Is the fit check different in Pitkin County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who regulates personal lenders for Pitkin County residents?
The Colorado Division of Banking licenses consumer lenders in Colorado; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.