Jobs, pay and daily life in Delta, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Delta is a city in Colorado with 9,421 residents. The median household earns $45,250 a year and the median rent is $990 a month, which is 26.3% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Grand Junction, CO (67,170 jobs), about 30 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Delta compares. Among the 80 largest places in Colorado, Delta is #73 by population, #79 for household income (#1 = highest), #3 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #69 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Delta County, is #45 of 64 counties for average pay ($47,843).
Delta has 9,421 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Colorado. It covers 13 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 710 people per square mile. The median age is 40.3, 7% older than the state median (40.3 against 37.7).
The median gross rent is $990 a month (rent plus utilities), 44% below the state median ($990 against $1,761). Over a year that is 26.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $283,300, which is 6.3 times the median household income ($45,250); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 66.0% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (66.0% against 66.2%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Grand Junction, CO, metropolitan area has 67,170 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,510 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,510 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (7,650 jobs, median $46,910); sales and related (7,340 jobs, median $38,220); food preparation and serving related (7,200 jobs, median $34,920). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.3 times) and sales and related (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($95,570) and office and administrative support ($46,910). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Delta County was 5.9%. 50.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Delta County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.5% drive alone, 2.2% use public transit, 2.4% walk, 10.1% work from home. 13.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, about the same as the state average (13.8% against 14.1%).
24.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 47% below the state share (24.4% against 45.7%). 7.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 25% below the state share (7.4% against 9.8%). The poverty rate is 20.5%, 117% above the state rate (20.5% against 9.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 72°F (22.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 24°F (-4.7°C). About 404 mm (16 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Sep is the wettest month (41 mm) and Jun the driest (16 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Montrose (23 miles, rent 21% higher); Clifton (30 miles, rent 12% higher); Grand Junction (34 miles, rent 15% higher); Fruita (44 miles, rent 49% higher). Rent differences are against Delta; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Colorado (1,073) →State guide: ColoradoCountry guideDelta CountyColorado rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,073 federal postings open in Colorado (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Colorado →
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Grand Junction, CO, about 30 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,510 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.4% |
| Retail trade | 16.3% |
| Construction | 11.4% |
| Manufacturing | 11.3% |
| Public administration | 8.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 7.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.7% |
| Other services | 2.2% |
| Information | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Delta lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta County | 31,598 | $1,203 million | $38,074 | 8,997 | 1,041 | $47,843 | +2.7% | 5.9% | 11,275 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,213 | 19.3% | $36,208 | 1.35 |
| Health care and social assistance | 866 | 13.8% | $38,922 | 0.67 |
| Accommodation and food services | 784 | 12.5% | $22,331 | 0.96 |
| Manufacturing | 720 | 11.5% | $47,429 | 0.97 |
| Construction | 587 | 9.3% | $57,527 | 1.24 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 420 | 6.7% | $45,232 | 5.77 |
| Finance and insurance | 348 | 5.5% | $91,654 | 0.95 |
| Administrative and waste services | 325 | 5.2% | $46,192 | 0.61 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 271 | 4.3% | $43,389 | 1.00 |
| Professional and technical services | 219 | 3.5% | $57,781 | 0.35 |
| Wholesale trade | 139 | 2.2% | $46,547 | 0.39 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 90 | 1.4% | $47,157 | 0.24 |
| Real estate and rental | 74 | 1.2% | $41,581 | 0.53 |
| Information | 67 | 1.1% | $49,832 | 0.40 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 54 | 0.9% | $29,173 | 0.36 |
| Utilities | 45 | 0.7% | $79,773 | 1.32 |
| Educational services | 32 | 0.5% | $65,288 | 0.17 |
| Management of companies | 22 | 0.3% | $60,672 | 0.15 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 12 | 0.2% | $73,245 | 0.35 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.5% |
| Public transit | 2.2% |
| Walk | 2.4% |
| Work from home | 10.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,250 |
| Income per person | $34,317 |
| Median gross rent per month | $990 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.3% |
| Median home value | $283,300 |
| Homeowners | 66.0% |
| Poverty rate | 20.5% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 95.5 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $48,510 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.40%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.4% |
| Born abroad | 7.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 50.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.7 | 24 | 33 |
| Feb | -3.0 | 27 | 32 |
| Mar | 1.8 | 35 | 34 |
| Apr | 5.8 | 42 | 36 |
| May | 11.4 | 53 | 34 |
| Jun | 18.5 | 65 | 16 |
| Jul | 22.1 | 72 | 34 |
| Aug | 20.1 | 68 | 38 |
| Sep | 15.3 | 60 | 41 |
| Oct | 7.5 | 46 | 38 |
| Nov | 1.2 | 34 | 30 |
| Dec | -4.7 | 24 | 38 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montrose | CO | 23 mi | 21,044 | $70,386 | $1,197 |
| Clifton | CO | 30 mi | 19,518 | $52,100 | $1,107 |
| Grand Junction | CO | 34 mi | 68,142 | $70,080 | $1,142 |
| Fruita | CO | 44 mi | 13,691 | $87,184 | $1,472 |
| Rifle | CO | 57 mi | 10,570 | $80,000 | $1,308 |
| Glenwood Springs | CO | 68 mi | 10,241 | $91,481 | $1,867 |
| Gypsum | CO | 85 mi | 8,941 | $115,564 | $2,183 |
| Edwards | CO | 98 mi | 10,785 | $81,909 | $1,845 |
| Cortez | CO | 101 mi | 8,976 | $54,247 | $984 |
| Durango | CO | 104 mi | 19,411 | $78,602 | $1,636 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
9,421 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$990 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.3% of the median household income.
$45,250 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.9% (BLS county, Delta County (latest month 2026M09)).
Colorado. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.