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Lamar vs La Junta

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

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Lamar, COKnown for its schoolsColorado · 7,611 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.

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

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

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

Left end = #1 in Colorado. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Lamar’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.

Lamar$970/mo
Typical home $177K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.29% · or rent about $858/mo · Housing →
La Junta$900/mo
Typical home $164K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.29% · or rent about $642/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
LamarLa Junta
Snow a year30″34″
January low14°F17°F
July high93°F93°F
Growing season (days)163d171d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)78th67th
Outdoors & history
LamarLa Junta
Trails7 mi1 mi
Conserved land9.8%1.4%
Settled—1881
National Register places59
Archive photos—23
Community
LamarLa Junta
Library hours a week52 hrs49 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.

LamarCOLa JuntaCO
Lamar ↔ La Junta51 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.

LamarLa Junta
People
Population 7,611Highest 7,140Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.5%Lowest CO: +14.8% +3.5%Highest CO: +14.8%
Median age 33.4±2.8Lowest 11% below CO 38.2±3.2Highest about the CO average
La Junta and Lamar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.8%±3.1Highest CO: 21% 24.6%±3.9Lowest 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+ 14.8%±2.7Lowest CO: 15.6% 21.5%±4Highest 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+ 20.6%Highest CO: 45.7% 18%Lowest CO: 45.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.3%±1.7Lowest CO: 6.4% 7.1%±2Highest 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 $53,188±$10kHighest 44% below CO $52,315±$7kLowest 45% 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 $152,900±$22kLowest 72% below CO $194,800±$40kHighest 64% 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 $858±$47Highest 51% below CO $642±$202Lowest 64% 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 $441Lowest 83% below CO $562Highest 78% below CO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 64.6%±13.8Highest CO: 52.9% 45.1%±16.3Lowest 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 21.3%Lowest CO: 9.4% 27.4%Highest CO: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 64%Lowest CO: 66.2% 67%Highest CO: 66.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest 17 yrs older than CO 1960Lowest 28 yrs older than CO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 10 minLowest 62% below CO 22 minHighest 12% below CO
Work from home 4.9%±3.6Lowest CO: 21% 7.1%±4.1Highest 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 48.6%Highest 39.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 2.8 miLowest 5.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.90Lowest 1.06Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Denver (4%)Colorado Springs (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in La Junta1% work in Lamar
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.8%Highest 1.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 6.9 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 91.1Lowest 120Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #113 of 142 in CO#125 of 142 in CO
School district Lamar School District No. Re-2East Otero School District No. R1
High school in town Lamar High SchoolLa Junta Jr/Sr High School
Students per teacherat that high school 15.5Lowest 15.9Highest
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.

Lamar neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lamar’s Town Square.

La Junta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Junta’s Town Square.

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Towns like Lamar

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Fort Morgan11,605 people · $313K homes
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Florence3,885 people · $250K 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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