How is the economy right now in Durango and La Plata County?

Find out the latest on our employment, home construction, tourism, and other key measures of our local economic performance. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we can walk you through what the data means.

Local Economic Conditions

April 2019

Economic conditions in La Plata County from Apr 2015 to Apr 2019.

Summary
Improved (+)	5
No Change (o)	7
Declined (-)	7
Improved (Declined)	(2)
	Current	Last Month	Last Year	Change (vs Last Year)
Workforce
Labor Force	32,189	31,494	32,039	o
Unemployment Rate (%)	2.6	3.1	2.3	–
Labor Force Participation (%)	56.6	55.4	57.1	o
Job Openings	1,183	715	924	+
8
Construction & Housing
New Permits (to Date)	22	16	71	–
Value of Permits ($,000) (to Date)	129,829	125,008	31,095	+
Home Sales	71	56	209	–
Average Home Price ($)	499,750	496,764	486,673	+
Earnings Needed* ($)	87,000	85,800	85,000	+
8
Travel & Tourism
Enplanements	13,480	15,766	13,734	o
Lodgers Tax ($)	55,452	43,493	61,323	–
Train Visitors	3,895	3,818	3,737	+
8
Gas & Oil
New Permits (to date)	0	0	52	–
Production (mmcf)	0	17,176	23,948	–
8
Other
Sales Tax, Durango ($,000)**	1,357	1,061	1,363	o
Commercial Sales ($,000) (to date)	3,414	1,389	12,153	–
Foreclosures (to date)	14	11	19	–
Energy Use
Commercial (mwh)	57,500	55,262	52,775	+
Commercial Accounts	6,508	6,481	6,461	o

---

Notes:

*”Earnings needed” is the household income necessary to purchase an average-priced home in La Plata County.

**Sales tax for Durango includes Use Tax.

Sources: Employment: Colorado Department of Labor and US Census Construction & Housing: City of Durango, La Plata County, Mortgage-X.com, and the Wells Group  Travel & Tourism: City of Durango, Durango Area Tourism Organization (DATO), and Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad   Gas & Oil: Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission  Other: City of Durango (Sales tax and business permits), La Plata County Treasurers Office (Foreclosures),  and LPEA (Energy Use) (LPEA data is unaudited)

How is the economy right now in Durango and La Plata County?

Find out the latest on our employment, home construction, tourism, and other key measures of our local economic performance. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we can walk you through what the data means.

Local Economic Conditions

December 2018

 

Summary
Improved (+)	7
No Change (o)	3
Declined (-)	9
Improved (Declined)	(6)
	Current	Last Month	Last Year	Change (vs Last Year)
Workforce
Labor Force	32,381	33,785	31148	+
Unemployment Rate (%)	3.7	2.7	2.6	–
Labor Force Participation (%)	57.2	58.0	55.7	+
Job Openings	832	925	941	–
8
Construction & Housing
New Permits (to Date)	268	255	308	–
Value of Permits ($,000) (to Date)	156,977	139,692	200,111	–
Home Sales	832	755	863	–
Average Home Price ($)	495,946	494,455	449,244	+
Earnings Needed* ($)	88,400	90,500	73,700	+
8
Travel & Tourism
Enplanements	15338	15150	14448	+
Lodgers Tax ($)	45,570	91,384	42,342	+
Train Visitors	27,594	8,615	30,115	–
8
Gas & Oil
New Permits (to date)	99	98	108	–
Production (mmcf)	22,887	21,115	24,884	–
8
Other
Sales Tax, Durango ($,000)**	1,263	1,492	1,171	o
Commercial Sales ($,000) (to date)	34,888	32,398	35,142	–
Foreclosures (to date)	60	52	54	+
Energy Use
Commercial (mwh)	58,505	55,673	57,696	o
Commercial Accounts	6,474	6,474	6,392	o

---

Notes:

*”Earnings needed” is the household income necessary to purchase an average-priced home in La Plata County.

**Sales tax for Durango includes Use Tax.

Sources: Employment: Colorado Department of Labor and US Census Construction & Housing: City of Durango, La Plata County, Mortgage-X.com, and the Wells Group  Travel & Tourism: City of Durango, Durango Area Tourism Organization (DATO), and Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad   Gas & Oil: Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission  Other: City of Durango (Sales tax and business permits), La Plata County Treasurers Office (Foreclosures),  and LPEA (Energy Use) (LPEA data is unaudited)

How is the economy right now in Durango and La Plata County?

Find out the latest on our employment, home construction, tourism, and other key measures of our local economic performance. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we can walk you through what the data means.

Local Economic Conditions

September 2018

 

Summary
Improved (+)	7
No Change (o)	4
Declined (-)	8
Improved (Declined)	(1)
	Current	Last Month	Last Year	Change (vs Last Year)
Workforce
Labor Force	33,395	32,872	32,196	+
Unemployment Rate (%)	2.6	3.1	1.9	–
Labor Force Participation (%)	59.2	58.3	57.8	+
Job Openings	1,007	1,175	1,698	–
8
Construction & Housing
New Permits (to Date)	204	182	207	o
Value of Permits ($,000) (to Date)	102,730	94,238	104,409	o
Home Sales	630	561	644	–
Average Home Price ($)	485,870	480,586	438,935	+
Earnings Needed* ($)	86,500	84,800	70,800	–
8
Travel & Tourism
Enplanements	17,029	18,648	17,373	+
Lodgers Tax ($)	125,226	142,785	142,099	–
Train Visitors	17,906	14,001	24,164	–
8
Gas & Oil
New Permits (to date)	86	79	93	–
Production (mmcf)	24,500	24,901	23,984	+
8
Other
Sales Tax, Durango ($,000)**	1,477	1,487	1,510	–
Commercial Sales ($,000) (to date)	28,730	22,487	26,208	+
Foreclosures (to date)	45	40	46	+
Energy Use
Commercial (mwh)	54,614	58,867	53,138	+
Commercial Accounts	6,452	6,468	6,424	o

---

Notes:

*”Earnings needed” is the household income necessary to purchase an average-priced home in La Plata County.

**Sales tax for Durango includes Use Tax.

Sources: Employment: Colorado Department of Labor and US Census Construction & Housing: City of Durango, La Plata County, Mortgage-X.com, and the Wells Group  Travel & Tourism: City of Durango, Durango Area Tourism Organization (DATO), and Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad   Gas & Oil: Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission  Other: City of Durango (Sales tax and business permits), La Plata County Treasurers Office (Foreclosures),  and LPEA (Energy Use) (LPEA data is unaudited)