Our Picture of Health 1998:
Focusing on Community Health to the Year 2000CHAPTER 2: MESA COUNTY DEMOGRAPHICS
Marital Status
Almost two-thirds of households are headed by married couples.
- Married — 64.2%
- Single — 13.1%
- Separated/Widowed/Divorced — 21.6%
There were 8.5 marriages per 1,000 population in 1997, compared to 13.3 in 1980. The divorce rate is also declining (4.0/1,000 in 1994; 8.0 in 1980).
Children in Household
More than half of Mesa County households have no children in the home.
- None — 55.1%
- One — 16.2%
- Two — 18.6%
- Three+ — 10.2%
Home Ownership
- Own Home — 78%
- Rent / other — 22%
- Average purchase price: $114,552
- Average rental cost: $437
Years at Present Address
Half of the population has lived at the same address for less than five years. This mobility can be attributed to movement both within the area and from other locations.
- Less than 5 years — 50%
- 5-19 years — 35%
- 20+ years — 15%
Education
One fourth of adults in Mesa County in 1995 were college graduates, and one-fifth had less than a high school diploma.
- College Grad+ — 25%
- Some college or technical school — 23%
- High school graduate — 32%
- Less than high school — 20%
Ethnic Diversity in Community
The vast majority of residents are Caucasian and the next largest population is Hispanic.
- White — 90.0%
- Hispanic — 8.0%
- Native American — 0.7%
- Asian — 0.6%
- Black — 0.4%
- Other — 0.3%
Climate
Average Daily Temperature Precipitation High Low January 35.5 14.5 0.56 April 65.8 38.5 0.75 July 93.6 63.9 0.65 October 67.7 41.6 0.98 1997 Retail Sales
Mesa County sales tax revenues were up 5.7% from 1996. Grand Junction sales tax revenue increased 7.1%. Retail activity, according to The Research Bureau, will remain strong due to strong consumer confidence, low inflation, solid population growth and low unemployment.
Sources: 1995 Colorado Division of Local Government; Demography Section, 1997 Risk Behavior Survey, U.S. Census Bureau
Maternal Education
Mesa County has a higher proportion of mothers with less than 12 years of education than does the state. Maternal education has been linked to healthcare, success in school and other indicators throughout this report.
Figure 3: Proportion of Mothers with Less than 12 Years of Education
Source: Colorado Vital Statistics, 1996
1995 Per Capita Income
Source: The Bureau of Economic Analysis, The Research Bureau
1996-2000 figures are estimates; Estimates for the US are not available for 1998-2000.
Tourism
The number of visitors to the Colorado National Monument gives a rough idea of the tourism industry in Mesa County. Visitations in 1997 may have been lower because of reduced entrance gate staffing and road construction in the spring.
A 1998 report, conducted by economist Dr. Tucker Hart Adams, found tourism to be a major component of the local economy.
Figure 4: Visits to Colorado National Monument
Source: Grand Junction Visitor and Convention Bureau
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