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Delta vs La Junta

252 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (17.5× in Delta) and street grid (3.6× in La Junta).

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Delta, COHomes around $372KColorado · 9,421 people
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La Junta, COHomes around $164KColorado · 7,140 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

DeltaHomes around $372K
Housing$372K typical home30% below the CO typical home SafetySafer than 18%of U.S. towns we grade History12 archive photos & papers6 places on the National Register All about Delta →
La JuntaHomes around $164K
Housing$164K typical home69% below the CO typical home Outdoors#19 most walkable in CO0.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 5%of U.S. towns we grade All about La Junta →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails17.5×
Delta has more miles of trail
Delta 10.5 miLa Junta 0.6 mi
Street grid3.6×
La Junta has the more walkable street grid
La Junta 120Delta 33.4
Property tax bill+57%
Tax bills are bigger in Delta
Delta $885La Junta $562
Work in town+11.4 pts
More of La Junta’s workers stay in town
La Junta 39.3%Delta 27.9%
Typical home built16 yrs
La Junta’s homes are older
Delta 1976La Junta 1960
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,150 more a month in Delta

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Delta$2,050/mo
Typical home $372K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.31% · or rent about $990/mo · Housing →
La Junta$900/mo
Typical home $164K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.29% · or rent about $642/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,150 a month, about $13,800 a year, between Delta and La Junta.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Delta places higher on 12 of 21 CO lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Colorado ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C−DeltaSafer than 18% of U.S. towns DLa JuntaSafer than 5% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+DeltaBetter than 65% of districts in the state C−La JuntaBetter than 24% of districts in the state
Health
C+DeltaHealthier than 43% of U.S. towns CLa JuntaHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns
12Delta
9La Junta

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 160 towns #136#19 Most new homesHousing · 92 towns #39#81 Lowest obesityHealth · 160 towns #93#150 Best schoolsSchools · 142 towns #80#125 Highest graduation rateSchools · 142 towns #109#64 Most conserved landOutdoors · 152 towns #87#131 Lowest depressionHealth · 160 towns #112#76 SafestSafety · 83 towns #57#74

Left end = #1 in Colorado. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Delta’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
DeltaLa Junta
Snow a year22″34″
January low18°F17°F
July high90°F93°F
Growing season (days)167d171d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)64th67th
Outdoors & history
DeltaLa Junta
Trails11 mi1 mi
Conserved land5.5%1.4%
Settled—1881
National Register places69
Archive photos1223
Community
DeltaLa Junta
Library hours a week38 hrs49 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

252 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DeltaCOLa JuntaCO
Delta ↔ La Junta252 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

DeltaLa Junta
People
Population 9,421Highest 7,140Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.3%Lowest CO: +14.8% +3.5%Highest CO: +14.8%
Median age 40.3±3.4Highest 7% above CO 38.2±3.2Lowest about the CO average
Delta and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.5%±3.5Lowest CO: 21% 24.6%±3.9Highest CO: 21%
La Junta and Delta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.7%±3.5Highest CO: 15.6% 21.5%±4Lowest CO: 15.6%
Delta and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.4%Highest CO: 45.7% 18%Lowest CO: 45.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.1%±1.6Lowest CO: 6.4% 7.1%±2Highest CO: 6.4%
La Junta and Delta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $45,250±$8kLowest 53% below CO $52,315±$7kHighest 45% below CO
La Junta and Delta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $283,300±$63kHighest 47% below CO $194,800±$40kLowest 64% below CO
Delta and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $990±$209Highest 44% below CO $642±$202Lowest 64% below CO
Delta and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $885Highest 66% below CO $562Lowest 78% below CO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 62.4%±16.6Highest CO: 52.9% 45.1%±16.3Lowest CO: 52.9%
Delta and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20.5%Lowest CO: 9.4% 27.4%Highest CO: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66%Lowest CO: 66.2% 67%Highest CO: 66.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 12 yrs older than CO 1960Lowest 28 yrs older than CO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 17% below CO 22 minHighest 12% below CO
Work from home 10.1%±3.5Highest CO: 21% 7.1%±4.1Lowest CO: 21%
Delta and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 27.9%Lowest 39.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 5.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.17Highest 1.06Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Montrose (15%)Colorado Springs (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in La JuntaFew work in Delta
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.5%Highest 1.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 10.5 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 33.4Lowest 120Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #80 of 142 in CO#125 of 142 in CO
School district Delta County Joint District No. 50East Otero School District No. R1
High school in town Delta High SchoolLa Junta Jr/Sr High School
Students per teacherat that high school 16.0Highest 15.9Lowest
Colorado average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Delta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Delta’s Town Square.

La Junta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Junta’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Delta

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Craig8,991 people · $279K homes
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Sheridan6,005 people · $381K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Colorado towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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