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La Junta vs Brush

158 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.6× in Brush) and household income (+40% in Brush).

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La Junta, COHomes around $164KColorado · 7,140 people
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Brush, COHomes around $299KColorado · 5,306 people
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.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $810 more a month in Brush

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.

La Junta$900/mo
Typical home $164K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.29% · or rent about $642/mo · Housing →
Brush$1,700/mo
Typical home $299K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.54% · or rent about $692/mo · Housing →

The difference: $810 a month, about $9,700 a year, between Brush 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

Brush places higher on 11 of 20 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.

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
La JuntaBrush
Snow a year34″23″
January low17°F13°F
July high93°F90°F
Growing season (days)171d153d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)67th90th
Outdoors & history
La JuntaBrush
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land1.4%2.3%
Settled1881—
National Register places95
Archive photos23—
Community
La JuntaBrush
Library hours a week49 hrs57 hrs
Colleges in town1—
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

158 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

La Junta ↔ Brush158 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.

La JuntaBrush
People
Population 7,140Highest 5,306Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.5%Highest CO: +14.8% -2.3%Lowest CO: +14.8%
Median age 38.2±3.2Lowest about the CO average 38.6±4.6Highest about the CO average
Brush and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.6%±3.9Highest CO: 21% 20.8%±5.2Lowest CO: 21%
La Junta and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.5%±4Highest CO: 15.6% 16.5%±4.2Lowest CO: 15.6%
La Junta and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18%Highest CO: 45.7% 16.5%Lowest CO: 45.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.1%±2Highest CO: 6.4% 3.9%±2.6Lowest CO: 6.4%
La Junta and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $52,315±$7kLowest 45% below CO $73,382±$8kHighest 23% below CO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $194,800±$40kLowest 64% below CO $273,000±$36kHighest 49% below CO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $642±$202Lowest 64% below CO $692±$236Highest 61% below CO
Brush and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $562Lowest 78% below CO $1,480Highest 43% below CO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.1%±16.3Lowest CO: 52.9% 67%±30.4Highest CO: 52.9%
Brush and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 27.4%Highest CO: 9.4% 14.2%Lowest CO: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67%Highest CO: 66.2% 60.5%Lowest CO: 66.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1960Lowest 28 yrs older than CO 1972Highest 16 yrs older than CO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 12% below CO 18 minLowest 29% below CO
Work from home 7.1%±4.1Highest CO: 21% 1.4%±2.1Lowest CO: 21%
La Junta and Brush are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 39.3%Highest 18.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 5.3 miLowest 9.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.06Highest 0.61Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Colorado Springs (6%)Fort Morgan (28%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BrushFew work in La Junta
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.4%Lowest 2.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 120Highest 64.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #125 of 142 in CO#142 of 142 in CO
School district East Otero School District No. R1School District No. Re-2 Brush
High school in town La Junta Jr/Sr High SchoolBrush High School
Students per teacherat that high school 15.9Highest 14.1Lowest
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.

La Junta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Junta’s Town Square.

Brush neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Brush’s Town Square.

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Towns like La Junta

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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