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La Junta vs Lamar

51 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (11.5× in Lamar) and average commute (13 min in Lamar).

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La Junta, COHomes around $164KColorado · 7,140 people
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Lamar, COKnown for its schoolsColorado · 7,611 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.

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 →
LamarKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 65%of CO districts Housing$177K typical home67% below the CO typical home Outdoors#54 most walkable in CO6.9 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves All about Lamar →
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.

Trails11.5×
Lamar has more miles of trail
Lamar 6.9 miLa Junta 0.6 mi
Average commute13 min
Lamar has the shorter commute
La Junta 22 minLamar 10 min
Property tax bill+27%
Tax bills are bigger in La Junta
La Junta $562Lamar $441
Growth since 2010+5 pts
La Junta has grown faster since 2010
La Junta +3.5%Lamar -1.5%
Work in town+9.3 pts
More of Lamar’s workers stay in town
Lamar 48.6%La Junta 39.3%
Conserved land+8.4 pts
Lamar has more conserved land
Lamar 9.8%La Junta 1.4%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Lamar places higher on 13 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.

Safety
DLa JuntaSafer than 5% of U.S. towns –LamarNot graded
Schools
C−La JuntaBetter than 24% of districts in the state B+LamarBetter than 65% of districts in the state
Health
CLa JuntaHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns C+LamarHealthier than 37% of U.S. towns
6La Junta
13Lamar

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 152 towns #131#63 Highest graduation rateSchools · 142 towns #64#1 Shortest commuteGetting around · 160 towns #55#1 Lowest obesityHealth · 160 towns #150#108 Most walkableOutdoors · 160 towns #19#54 Fastest growingGrowth · 153 towns #113#134 Best schoolsSchools · 142 towns #125#113 Fewest smokersHealth · 160 towns #136#148

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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 →
Lamar$970/mo
Typical home $177K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.29% · or rent about $858/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $900 a year, between Lamar 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.

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 JuntaLamar
Snow a year34″30″
January low17°F14°F
July high93°F93°F
Growing season (days)171d163d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)67th78th
Outdoors & history
La JuntaLamar
Trails1 mi7 mi
Conserved land1.4%9.8%
Settled1881—
National Register places95
Archive photos23—
Community
La JuntaLamar
Library hours a week49 hrs52 hrs
Colleges in town11
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

51 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

La JuntaCOLamarCO
La Junta ↔ Lamar51 miles apart
Who commutes between them
66 Lamar residents work in La Junta (2% of its workers)
34 La Junta residents work in Lamar (1.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Lamar →
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 JuntaLamar
People
Population 7,140Lowest 7,611Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.5%Highest CO: +14.8% -1.5%Lowest CO: +14.8%
Median age 38.2±3.2Highest about the CO average 33.4±2.8Lowest 11% below CO
La Junta and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.6%±3.9Lowest CO: 21% 26.8%±3.1Highest CO: 21%
Lamar and La Junta 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% 14.8%±2.7Lowest CO: 15.6%
La Junta and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18%Lowest CO: 45.7% 20.6%Highest CO: 45.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.1%±2Highest CO: 6.4% 6.3%±1.7Lowest CO: 6.4%
La Junta and Lamar 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 $53,188±$10kHighest 44% below CO
Lamar and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $194,800±$40kHighest 64% below CO $152,900±$22kLowest 72% below CO
La Junta and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $642±$202Lowest 64% below CO $858±$47Highest 51% below CO
Lamar and La Junta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $562Highest 78% below CO $441Lowest 83% below CO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.1%±16.3Lowest CO: 52.9% 64.6%±13.8Highest CO: 52.9%
Lamar 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% 21.3%Lowest CO: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67%Highest CO: 66.2% 64%Lowest CO: 66.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1960Lowest 28 yrs older than CO 1971Highest 17 yrs older than CO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 12% below CO 10 minLowest 62% below CO
Work from home 7.1%±4.1Highest CO: 21% 4.9%±3.6Lowest CO: 21%
La Junta and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 39.3%Lowest 48.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 5.3 miHighest 2.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.06Highest 0.90Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Colorado Springs (6%)Denver (4%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in Lamar2% work in La Junta
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.4%Lowest 9.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 6.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 120Highest 91.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #125 of 142 in CO#113 of 142 in CO
School district East Otero School District No. R1Lamar School District No. Re-2
High school in town La Junta Jr/Sr High SchoolLamar High School
Students per teacherat that high school 15.9Highest 15.5Lowest
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.

Lamar neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lamar’s Town Square.

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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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