The Five Colorado Counties Where Income Has Risen the Most

Earlier this year, we shared a list of the ten wealthiest Zip Codes in the Denver area — many of which are located in parts of the city that have been well-to-do for many years. But when it comes to the five Colorado counties in which incomes have risen most...

By Michael Roberts

August 20, 2015

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Earlier this year, we shared a list of the ten wealthiest Zip Codes in the Denver area — many of which are located in parts of the city that have been well-to-do for many years.

But when it comes to the five Colorado counties in which incomes have risen most over the long haul, Denver didn't make the cut.

The information comes from the folks at GraphicFeed, which used data assembled by the National Historical Geographic Information System, culled from census reports and more, to determine which counties in the state registered the highest increase in median household income since 1980. The digits were then adjusted to 2015 dollars with the assistance of the research site MooseRoots to factor out inflation over that period.

The results are depicted in clickable graphics below — and while some entries are predictable, others definitely qualify as surprising.

See the top five below.
5. Cheyenne County - Median income change: $18,108 (54.1%). 4. Douglas County - Median income change: $22,590 (27.9%). 3. San Miguel County - Median income change: $26,517 (68.3%). 2. Ouray County - Median income change: $27,499 (67.7%). 1. Elbert County - Median income change: $31,002 (59.8%).
Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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