Leasing is a valuable strategy for farmers and ranchers to gain access to pasture without the high capital investment needed to purchase the land. For the landowner, lease payments serve as an added source of income. A lease does not transfer ownership nor an equity interest in the asset. The fee is typically based on the number of acres in the arrangement ($/acre) or the number of animals allowed to graze the land ($/AUM). An animal unit month (AUM) is considered to be the number of acres needed for one beef cow to graze for one month. A yearling beef animal is generally 0.74 AUM, and one ewe sheep is 0.20 AUM.
The Colorado Board of Land Commissioners (or State Land Board) “was established in 1876 to manage the land and mineral rights given by the federal government to Colorado to generate revenue for public education and some of the state’s institutions.” The State Land Board leases 98 percent of the approximately 2.8 million acres it owns in Colorado for grazing, non-irrigated crop production, and irrigated farming.
Methodology
Agricultural and Business Management Economists at Colorado State University, in collaboration with professional staff members of the State Land Board, designed a questionnaire to collect data about leases of non-irrigated, privately owned pasture in Colorado. Similar surveys were conducted in 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2019.
In June 2022, landowners and tenants throughout Colorado were invited to complete an online survey pertaining to leases of privately owned non-irrigated pastures in 2021 and 2022. To encourage participation, follow-up emails were sent to the list of about 1,850 landowners and tenants and the researchers requested that agricultural organizations encourage their members to participate in the survey.
Survey data were collected, analyzed, and reported for five State Land Board grazing regions.
- Northwest – Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt, and Summit Counties.
- Northeast – Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld, and Yuma Counties.
- East Central – Cheyenne, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Kiowa, Kit Carson, and Lincoln.
- Southeast – Baca, Bent, Crowley, Huerfano, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers, and Pueblo.
- Southwest – Alamosa, Archuleta, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Delta, Dolores, Fremont, Gilpin, Gunnison, Hinsdale, La Plata, Lake, Mesa, Mineral, Montezuma, Ouray, Park, Pitkin, Rio Grande, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel Counties, and Teller Counties.
Survey results
Data from leases as reported by landowners and livestock owners were analyzed to determine the purpose of the lease, lease size, carrying capacities, and lease rates in 2021 and 2022. Responses with incomplete information and data outside normal bounds were excluded from the analysis. One lease, reported for the Southeast Grazing Region, consisted of 50,000 acres was not included in the analysis. There were sufficient data to report results for each grazing region and the state. All leases used in the analysis pertained to privately owned, non-irrigated pastureland. Further, any seemingly large differences of numbers reported for 2021 and 2022 are the result of differences in survey participants from one year to the next. Not all participants reported leases in both years and/or may have reported information for different leases.
| State Land Board Grazing Regions | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 82 | 89 |
| Northwest | 9 | 12 |
| Northeast | 21 | 27 |
| East Central | 13 | 14 |
| Southeast | 13 | 14 |
| Southwest | 26 | 22 |
Written Leases: Approximately two-thirds of leases in 2021 and sixty percent in 2022 were written contracts as opposed to verbal or handshake agreements. Leases in the Northwest grazing region were more likely to be written, while leases in the Northeast grazing region were least likely to be in written format.
| Year | Colorado | Northwest | Northeast | East Central | Southeast | Southwest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 68% | 89% | 52% | 62% | 84% | 69% |
| 2022 | 61% | 83% | 33% | 64% | 64% | 59% |
Lease Purpose: Survey participants had five specific options and “other” to report the type of animals allowed to graze on leased pasture: cows/cow-calf pairs, yearlings, pairs or yearlings, sheep/goats, and “the lease does not specify animal type. Examples of “other” included bees, horses, bison, and alpacas.
Most leases of pastureland in Colorado pertain to grazing of cattle, as was the case in all previous studies. All cattle accounted for more than 80 percent of all leases in both 2021 and 2022. Approximately 17 percent of reported leases did not specify nor limit the type of animal allowed to graze the pastureland. Almost no reported leases were specifically for sheep and goats.
| Region | Year | Cows & Pairs | Yearlings | Pairs or Yearlings | Sheep / Goats | Not Specified or No Limits | All Other Combinations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State-wide | 2021 | 54% | 5% | 21% | 1% | 16% | 4% |
| State-wide | 2022 | 59% | 12% | 12% | 1% | 20% | 4% |
| Northwest | 2021 | 56% | 11% | 11% | 0% | 22% | 0% |
| Northwest | 2022 | 55% | 9% | 18% | 0% | 18% | 0% |
| Northeast | 2021 | 33% | 14% | 33% | 0% | 19% | 0% |
| Northeast | 2022 | 41% | 22% | 11% | 4% | 19% | 4% |
| East Central | 2021 | 77% | n/a | 0% | 0% | 15% | 8% |
| East Central | 2022 | 43% | 7% | 14% | 0% | 36% | 0% |
| Southeast | 2021 | 46% | n/a | 8% | 0% | 31% | 15% |
| Southeast | 2022 | 64% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 29% | 0% |
| Southwest | 2021 | 62% | n/a | 31% | 4% | 4% | 0% |
| Southwest | 2022 | 73% | 5% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 9% |
Length of Leases: The highest percentage of leases in 2021 and 2022 for privately owned, non-irrigated pasture in Colorado was reported as being leased for one year. One third of reported leases were for multiple years. Conversely, few pasture leases are for periods of less than one month. It is not uncommon for annual leases to be renewed.
Lease Size: There was significant variation in the size of pastures leased in 2021 and 2022. The largest lease consisted of 26,100 acres in the Southeast grazing region, while the smallest parcel 2021 was 30 acres in the Southeast and Southwest grazing regions and 5 acres in the Northeast grazing region in 2022. The state-wide average number of acres in a lease was just more than 2,155 acres in 2021 and 1,812 acres in 2022. The median (middle of a set of numbers) number of acres per lease was 765 in 2021 and 500 in 2022. The most common (mode) number of acres in a lease was too variable to provide any reliable information.
| Lease Length | Year | Colorado | Northwest | Northeast | East Central | Southeast | Southwest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Years | 2021 | 34% | n/a | 38% | 20% | 53% | 39% |
| Multiple Years | 2022 | 35% | 42% | 19% | 29% | 38% | 41% |
| Annually | 2021 | 42% | 45% | 54% | 40% | 41% | 32% |
| Annually | 2022 | 36% | 8% | 52% | 29% | 31% | 31% |
| Monthly | 2021 | 17% | 36% | 4% | 27% | 5% | 41% |
| Monthly | 2022 | 25% | 33% | 26% | 18% | 25% | 21% |
| Daily/Other | 2021 | 7% | 18% | 4% | 13% | n/a | 7% |
| Daily/Other | 2022 | 2% | 2% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 3% |
| Measure | Year | Colorado | Northwest | Northeast | East Central | Southeast | Southwest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range | 2021 | 26,100 – 30 | 2,500 – 200 | 12,700 – 45 | 6,980 – 130 | 26,100 – 30 | 8,000 – 30 |
| Range | 2022 | 26,100 – 5 | 2,000 – 80 | 12,700 – 5 | 6,980 – 160 | 26,100 – 30 | 8,000 – 60 |
| Average² | 2021 | 2,155 | 928 | 2,539 | 1,994 | 4,549 | 1,153 |
| Average² | 2022 | 1,812 | 640 | 1,714 | 1,243 | 4,172 | 1,198 |
| Median³ | 2021 | 765 | 640 | 1,150 | 780 | 2,900 | 600 |
| Median³ | 2022 | 500 | 900 | 400 | 640 | 650 | 300 |
| Mode⁴ | 2021 | 2,000 | n/a | 4,600 | n/a | 3,000 | 300 |
| Mode⁴ | 2022 | 160 | 900 | 4,000 | n/a | 160 | 300 |
Lease Carrying Capacity: The “carrying capacity” of privately owned, non-irrigated pastures pertains to the number of acres required to produce the forage needed to graze 1.0 animal unit (AU) for a 6-month grazing period. The range of reported acres per AU varied significantly across the state. The large range could be due to several factors, including drought conditions, limits to the number of animals allowed to graze the leased land, soil types, historical grazing use, and topography.
The average carrying capacity of privately owned, non-irrigated pastures throughout Colorado was 24 acres per animal unit month according in both 2021 and 2022. The median carrying capacity across the state was 20 acres per AU. The Northwest and East Central grazing regions reported the lowest carrying capacities (50 acres per animal), and the Northeast and Southeast grazing regions reported the highest carrying capacities in 2021 and 2022.
| Measure | Year | Colorado | Northwest | Northeast | East Central | Southeast | Southwest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range | 2021 | 85 – 1 | 50 – 5 | 56 – 1 | 50 – 3 | 52 – 5 | 85 – 2 |
| Range | 2022 | 90 – 1 | 50 – 15 | 90 – 1 | 50 – 4 | 52 – 5 | 50 – 1 |
| Average² | 2021 | 24 | 31 | 19 | 32 | 24 | 21 |
| Average² | 2022 | 24 | 32 | 23 | 31 | 23 | 17 |
| Median³ | 2021 | 20 | 35 | 18 | 35 | 20 | 12 |
| Median³ | 2022 | 20 | 27 | 20 | 35 | 12 | 11 |
| Mode⁴ | 2021 | 50 | 50 | 20 | 50 | 10 | 50 |
| Mode⁴ | 2022 | 50 | 50 | 20 | 50 | 5 | 6 |
Lease Rates: Survey participants were asked to report the rate paid or received for privately owned, non-irrigated pasture in Colorado in 2021 and 2022 on a dollars per “acre”, “animal unit month”, “head per month”, or “head per day”. Participants also could report the total dollars associated with the lease agreement. Leases based on a dollar per head per month usually disregard animal size, whereas leases based on dollars per animal unit month, by definition, consider animal size. State-wide, 30 percent of all reported leases were computed on a per animal unit month (AUM) or per head per month basis. The number of leases paid on a “dollar per acre” increase from 18 percent in 2021 to 85 percent in 2022. Anecdotal data (conversations between the researchers and producers and lenders) support this change.
Leases reported for 2021 ranged from $35.00 to $10.00 per head per month, while the range in lease rates reported for 2022 was $27.50 to $10.00 per head per month. The average and median prices paid per acre were $6.69 and $6.00 in 2021 and $14.00 and $10.00 in 2022. There were an insufficient number of reported leases in the Northwest and Southeast grazing regions based on dollars per acre and dollars per head per day. Other survey and anecdotal data suggest drought conditions reduced grass production and caused prices to be higher in 2022.
| Rate Basis | Year | Statistic | Colorado | Northwest | Northeast | East Central | Southeast | Southwest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar per Head per Month | 2021 | Range | 35-10 | 30-15 | 35-13 | 25-16 | 22-16 | 35-10 |
| Dollar per Head per Month | 2021 | Average | 22.52 | 22.00 | 23.14 | 21.67 | 19.00 | 23.71 |
| Dollar per Head per Month | 2021 | Median | 22.00 | 21.50 | 22.00 | 24.00 | 19.00 | 25.00 |
| Dollar per Head per Month | 2021 | Mode | 30.00 | 15.00 | 30.00 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dollar per Head per Month | 2022 | Range | 50-10 | 22-15 | 40-15 | 30-18 | 24-16 | 50-10 |
| Dollar per Head per Month | 2022 | Average | 22.83 | 18.75 | 23.89 | 24.00 | 20.00 | 23.83 |
| Dollar per Head per Month | 2022 | Median | 20.00 | 19.00 | 20.00 | 24.00 | 20.00 | 20.00 |
| Dollar per Head per Month | 2022 | Mode | 20.00 | n/a | 30.00 | n/a | n/a | 10.00 |
| Dollar per Animal Unit Month | 2021 | Range | 30-10 | 28-25 | 30-18 | 25-16 | 22-16 | 26-10 |
| Dollar per Animal Unit Month | 2021 | Average | 22.06 | 26.25 | 24.88 | 21.67 | 19.00 | 21.50 |
| Dollar per Animal Unit Month | 2021 | Median | 22.00 | 26.25 | 25.75 | 24.00 | 19.00 | 23.50 |
| Dollar per Animal Unit Month | 2021 | Mode | 25.00 | n/a | 30.00 | n/a | n/a | 25.00 |
| Dollar per Animal Unit Month | 2022 | Range | 28-10 | 28-25 | 22-10 | n/a | 14-12 | 25-20 |
| Dollar per Animal Unit Month | 2022 | Average | 20.33 | 26.75 | 17.67 | n/a | 13.00 | 22.50 |
| Dollar per Animal Unit Month | 2022 | Median | 21.50 | 27.25 | 21.00 | 24.00 | 13.00 | 22.50 |
| Dollar per Animal Unit Month | 2022 | Mode | 27.50 | 27.50 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dollar per Acre | 2021 | Range | 20.00-1.00 | n/a | 12.50-6.50 | 20.00-5.00 | 6.00-2.50 | n/a |
| Dollar per Acre | 2021 | Average | 6.69 | n/a | 9.25 | 9.02 | 4.06 | n/a |
| Dollar per Acre | 2021 | Median | 6.00 | n/a | 9.00 | 6.59 | 3.88 | n/a |
| Dollar per Acre | 2021 | Mode | 6.00 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 2.50 | n/a |
| Dollar per Acre | 2022 | Range | 50.00-1.00 | n/a | 50.00-8.00 | 15.00-5.00 | 25.00-4.00 | 30.00-1.00 |
| Dollar per Acre | 2022 | Average | 14.00 | n/a | 18.57 | 10.00 | 9.56 | 17.67 |
| Dollar per Acre | 2022 | Median | 10.00 | n/a | 12.33 | 8.75 | 4.63 | 22.00 |
| Dollar per Acre | 2022 | Mode | 30.00 | n/a | n/a | 15.00 | 4.00 | n/a |
| Dollar per Head per Day | 2021 | Range | 30.00-0.80 | n/a | 30.00-1.00 | 1.00-0.80 | n/a | 30.00-1.00 |
| Dollar per Head per Day | 2021 | Average | 7.57 | n/a | 8.63 | 0.87 | n/a | 15.50 |
| Dollar per Head per Day | 2021 | Median | 1.00 | n/a | 1.75 | 0.80 | n/a | 15.50 |
| Dollar per Head per Day | 2021 | Mode | 1.00 | n/a | n/a | 0.80 | n/a | n/a |
| Dollar per Head per Day | 2022 | Range | 10.00-0.25 | n/a | 2.00-0.25 | 1.00-0.80 | n/a | 10.00-0.60 |
| Dollar per Head per Day | 2022 | Average | 1.59 | n/a | 1.00 | 0.90 | n/a | 3.87 |
| Dollar per Head per Day | 2022 | Median | 1.00 | n/a | 1.00 | 0.90 | n/a | 1.00 |
| Dollar per Head per Day | 2022 | Mode | 1.00 | n/a | 1.00 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Provider of Services/Activities: Within many leases of privately owned, non-irrigated pasture is language regarding whether the landowner or the tenant bears the cost of maintaining infrastructure (e.g., fences and watering systems), providing water, animal care, and providing salt and mineral. Survey participants were given the options of marking whether the costs of the service or activity was paid by the landowner or the tenant, the costs were shared by the landowner and tenant, or by some other person or entity.
For leases in 2021 and 2022, the labor to repair and maintain existing fences was provided by the tenant. Materials for new fence construction and water supply construction was provided by the landowner in about than seventy percent (70%) of the reported lease agreements. For longer-term leases, tenants were reported as paying a higher percentage of the costs associated with constructing new fences and water supplies. Tenants paid for salt and minerals and animal oversight is approximately ninety percent (90%) of reported lease agreements.
| Who Paid the Costs of: | 2021 Tenant | 2021 Land Owner | 2021 Shared | 2022 Tenant | 2022 Land Owner | 2022 Shared |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labor for repairing existing fences | 67% | 16% | 17% | 62% | 30% | 8% |
| Materials for repairing existing fences | 44% | 40% | 16% | 46% | 45% | 8% |
| Labor for building new fences | 40% | 53% | 7% | 29% | 65% | 5% |
| Materials for building new fences | 23% | 70% | 7% | 20% | 77% | 3% |
| Supplying water to grazing animals | 41% | 51% | 8% | 33% | 63% | 4% |
| Installing pipelines | 31% | 67% | 2% | 28% | 71% | 2% |
| Constructing earthen water “tanks” | 26% | 72% | 3% | 24% | 69% | 6% |
| Materials for constructing non-earthen water “tanks” | 35% | 56% | 9% | 24% | 71% | 5% |
| Construction of non-earthen water “tanks” | 38% | 58% | 4% | 26% | 68% | 5% |
| Maintenance and oversight of grazing animals | 89% | 6% | 4% | 83% | 12% | 5% |
| Salt and minerals for grazing animals | 93% | 4% | 3% | 93% | 6% | 1% |
Other Marketable Rights: Some pasture lease agreements for privately owned non-irrigated pastureland allow the tenant to use or sell hunting, fishing, and other rights to the land. Survey responses suggest that most leases (93% in 2021 and 100% in 2022) do not allow the tenant any marketable rights beyond grazing. These high percentages are consistent with the results of past surveys.
Comparison Across Years
Colorado State University has conducted, on behalf of the Colorado Land Board, a survey of lease rates and attributes of privately owned non-irrigated pastureland since 2010. Survey results were analyzed and 8 shared with the Colorado Land Board, agricultural lenders throughout Colorado, landowners, and land tenants.
Lease rates have tended to increase from 2010 to 2022, regardless of the basis for computing lease rates. Drought conditions in a particular area of Colorado will cause annual increases (and/or larger than normal increases) to lease rates. Additionally, both survey data and anecdotal data suggest that pastures near urban areas tend to be smaller in acreage and higher in price.
| Basis | Region | Statistic | 2010 | 2013 | 2016 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar Per Acre | Colorado | Average | 3.73 | 4.96 | 6.29 | 4.59 | 6.69 | 14.00 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Colorado | Median | 5.00 | 4.00 | 5.00 | 4.00 | 6.00 | 10.00 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Northwest | Average | 4.07 | 4.39 | 3.22 | 4.01 | n/a | 30.00 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Northwest | Median | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | n/a | 30.00 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Northeast | Average | 3.80 | 6.73 | 7.43 | 3.82 | 9.25 | 18.57 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Northeast | Median | 2.00 | 7.00 | 7.50 | 3.88 | 9.00 | 12.33 |
| Dollar Per Acre | East Central | Average | 4.89 | 5.79 | 5.19 | 6.78 | 9.02 | 10.00 |
| Dollar Per Acre | East Central | Median | 5.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 6.50 | 6.59 | 8.75 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Southeast | Average | 3.07 | 4.34 | 4.01 | 5.10 | 4.06 | 9.59 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Southeast | Median | 4.00 | 3.67 | 4.00 | 5.00 | 3.88 | 4.63 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Southwest | Average | 3.05 | 4.96 | 11.72 | 1.73 | 1.00 | 17.67 |
| Dollar Per Acre | Southwest | Median | 1.00 | 4.00 | 2.57 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 22.00 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Colorado | Average | 14.82 | 16.49 | 17.53 | 21.00 | 22.06 | 20.33 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Colorado | Median | n/a | 15.00 | 17.00 | 20.00 | 22.00 | 21.50 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Northwest | Average | 14.22 | 15.12 | 17.62 | 17.86 | 26.25 | 26.75 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Northwest | Median | 13.25 | 15.00 | 18.00 | 16.25 | 26.25 | 27.25 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Northeast | Average | 17.84 | 21.18 | 20.25 | 24.64 | 24.88 | 17.67 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Northeast | Median | 18.00 | 20.00 | 18.00 | 27.00 | 25.75 | 21.00 |
| Dollar Per AUM | East Central | Average | 14.76 | 15.16 | 17.64 | 21.78 | 21.67 | n/a |
| Dollar Per AUM | East Central | Median | 13.00 | 15.00 | 17.50 | 20.00 | 24.00 | 24.00 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Southeast | Average | 17.72 | 15.82 | 16.40 | 21.78 | 19.00 | 13.00 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Southeast | Median | 15.00 | 15.00 | 18.00 | 20.00 | 19.00 | 13.00 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Southwest | Average | 13.77 | 14.67 | 15.80 | 21.95 | 21.50 | 22.50 |
| Dollar Per AUM | Southwest | Median | n/a | 14.00 | 15.00 | 20.00 | 23.50 | 22.50 |
NASS Survey Results
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts county level surveys of pasture lease rates. Pasture consists of permanent pasture and grassland that is normally grazed by livestock, regardless of whether the pasture is irrigated or not irrigated. The “per acre” cash rental rate for each county, according to the NASS surveys for 2021 and 2022 are provided as references.
| Region | County | 2020 ($/Acre) | 2021 ($/Acre) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest & Mountain | Chaffee | 7.70 | n/a |
| Northwest & Mountain | Clear Creek | n/a | n/a |
| Northwest & Mountain | Eagle | n/a | n/a |
| Northwest & Mountain | Gilpin | n/a | n/a |
| Northwest & Mountain | Grand | 8.80 | 11.50 |
| Northwest & Mountain | Gunnison | 5.90 | 9.50 |
| Northwest & Mountain | Jackson | 5.60 | n/a |
| Northwest & Mountain | Lake | n/a | n/a |
| Northwest & Mountain | Moffat | 4.00 | 3.80 |
| Northwest & Mountain | Park | 1.30 | 1.80 |
| Northwest & Mountain | Pitkin | n/a | n/a |
| Northwest & Mountain | Rio Blanco | 1.80 | 1.50 |
| Northwest & Mountain | Routt | n/a | 5.00 |
| Northwest & Mountain | Summit | n/a | n/a |
| Northwest & Mountain | Teller | 1.90 | 1.70 |
| Northwest & Mountain | Other (Combined) Counties | 11.50 | n/a |
| Northeast | Boulder | 3.10 | n/a |
| Northeast | Broomfield | n/a | n/a |
| Northeast | Jefferson | 1.90 | 2.00 |
| Northeast | Larimer | 8.40 | 7.90 |
| Northeast | Logan | 7.30 | 8.40 |
| Northeast | Morgan | 11.00 | 8.60 |
| Northeast | Sedgwick | 15.50 | 12.50 |
| Northeast | Weld | 7.50 | 5.50 |
| Northeast | Other (Combined) Counties | n/a | n/a |
| East Central | Adams | 16.00 | 6.20 |
| East Central | Arapahoe | 5.50 | 6.80 |
| East Central | Cheyenne | 8.60 | 6.20 |
| East Central | Denver | n/a | n/a |
| East Central | Douglas | n/a | 9.70 |
| East Central | El Paso | 6.60 | 6.80 |
| East Central | Elbert | 6.00 | 6.00 |
| East Central | Kiowa | 7.50 | 7.30 |
| East Central | Kit Carson | 12.50 | 12.50 |
| East Central | Lincoln | 5.00 | 6.50 |
| East Central | Phillips | n/a | 12.00 |
| East Central | Washington | 10.50 | 8.90 |
| East Central | Yuma | 14.00 | 14.00 |
| East Central | Other (Combined) Counties | 10.50 | n/a |
| Southeast | Baca | 5.00 | 4.60 |
| Southeast | Bent | 5.30 | 4.00 |
| Southeast | Crowley | 4.90 | 4.20 |
| Southeast | Custer | 3.80 | 5.90 |
| Southeast | Fremont | 1.70 | 4.60 |
| Southeast | Huerfano | 2.90 | 3.90 |
| Southeast | Las Animas | 4.30 | 3.60 |
| Southeast | Otero | 4.30 | 3.00 |
| Southeast | Prowers | 5.70 | 5.40 |
| Southeast | Pueblo | 3.50 | 3.70 |
| Southeast | Other (Combined) Counties | n/a | n/a |
| San Luis Valley | Alamosa | 8.90 | 9.70 |
| San Luis Valley | Conejos | 9.70 | 11.50 |
| San Luis Valley | Costilla | 4.80 | 2.70 |
| San Luis Valley | Mineral | n/a | n/a |
| San Luis Valley | Rio Grande | n/a | 10.00 |
| San Luis Valley | Saguache | 7.50 | 10.50 |
| San Luis Valley | Other (Combined) Counties | 13.50 | n/a |
| Southwest | Archuleta | 3.00 | 3.10 |
| Southwest | Delta | 5.50 | 5.40 |
| Southwest | Dolores | n/a | n/a |
| Southwest | Garfield | 2.70 | 2.10 |
| Southwest | Hinsdale | n/a | n/a |
| Southwest | La Plata | 11.00 | 10.00 |
| Southwest | Mesa | 2.70 | 2.20 |
| Southwest | Montezuma | 6.40 | 7.50 |
| Southwest | Montrose | 8.30 | 7.00 |
| Southwest | Ouray | n/a | n/a |
| Southwest | San Juan | n/a | n/a |
| Southwest | San Miguel | 3.10 | 3.10 |
| Southwest | Other (Combined) Counties | 3.00 | n/a |