Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
La Junta grades D overall, 153rd of 158 graded towns in Colorado, mostly because of incomes and safety. The median household income is $52K, and 27% of residents live below the poverty line. It reports more crime per resident than 95% of U.S. towns, including 24 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. In its favor, it is more walkable than 78% of U.S. towns. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in La Junta, against 8.4% in Colorado’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 4 of Colorado’s 218 towns score lower on health. La Junta is home to Otero College.
Where La Junta beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
U.S. Post Office
Census counts: 1,439 in 1890, 7,322 in 2020. The archive holds 29 old photos and papers going back to 1898 and 3 maps from 1966 on.
9 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far La Junta is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in La Junta, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in La Junta.
La Junta is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it has poverty well above the Colorado rate.
At 3 years of the county’s $54K median household income, the typical home (about $161K) costs less against local pay than in 99% of Colorado towns; that ratio is one input to its B+ for cost of living. The typical value, about $161K, is 9% below its August 2022 peak.
The median rent in La Junta is $642 a month. Typical home values fell 6% in the year to September 2026.
| La Junta | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $642 a month | $1,812 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the East Otero School District No. R1. The largest public high school is La Junta Jr/Sr High School, with 501 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Junta Intermediate SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–6 | Grades 3–6 | 397 | D |
| La Junta Jr/Sr High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 501 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state tests and graduation
Reported crimes fell from 402 to 182 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
La Junta’s property crime rate is 22.9 per 1,000 residents. La Junta reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 95% report less. La Junta’s violent crime rate is 3.5 per 1,000 residents.
| La Junta | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 22.9 per 1,000 residents | 15.2 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.5 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Against the 6,568 U.S. towns with household incomes like La Junta’s, it is healthier than 57%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
17% of adults report frequent physical distress in La Junta. Only 4 of the 159 Colorado towns we compare have a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than La Junta. 18% of adults report frequent mental distress in La Junta.
| La Junta | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 10% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 15% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 8.4% | 12% |
| What stands out | La Junta | CO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 73.3% | 69.5% |
| More uninsured adults | 20.8% | 11.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
La Junta has chilly, snowy winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Only 8 of the 159 Colorado towns we compare have a higher July high than La Junta.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 67% of U.S. communities. Since 1990, 32 flood insurance claims have been paid out in La Junta.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
About one in 3 of La Junta’s working residents works in town. Among 159 Colorado towns, just 9 have a lower median household income than La Junta. The top destinations are Colorado Springs (6%), Pueblo (5%) and Denver (4%).
| La Junta | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 39% | 7.5% | 8% |
| Median household income | $52,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
0.6 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Among 154 Colorado towns, just 8 have a lower trail density than La Junta.
| La Junta | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Park | — | 15 |
| 2. Tippy Martinez Softball Field | 0.2 mi | 7 |
| 3. Potter Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of La Junta
About 7 of every 100 La Junta residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Colorado.
9 places in La Junta on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Otero County, Colorado, United States
La Junta HOON-tə is a home rule municipality in, the county seat of, and the most populous municipality in Otero County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 7,322 at the 2020 United States census. La Junta is located on the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado 68 miles (109 km) east of Pueblo. The city is the home of Otero College and hosts the annual Tarantula Fest.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
La Junta grades D overall, better than 7% of U.S. towns and #153 of 158 in Colorado. It grades C for health, D for safety and C for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
