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In any workplace, no one enjoys dealing with colleagues who seem to offload their responsibilities onto others while still taking credit for the team’s efforts. If you happen to reside in one of these Colorado towns, you might find yourself reflecting on this dynamic.
This article aims to shed light on the less industrious habits that can emerge in certain locations, influencing workplace productivity. Using data from the latest American Community Survey, we’ve identified towns in Colorado that exhibit characteristics often associated with lower work engagement.
After analyzing the data, we’ve compiled a list of the “Least Productive Places in Colorado” based on key metrics related to work habits and educational attainment:
Continue reading to discover where the least productive residents in Colorado reside, or skip to the end to see how your town ranks.
Interestingly, Erie has emerged as the most industrious place in Colorado.
How We Identified the Least Productive Places in Colorado
At Zippia, we rely on data-driven insights to tackle tough questions. For this analysis, we turned to the latest American Community Survey, which provides updated metrics on various aspects of community life.
In our assessment, we evaluated several criteria to identify the least productive places in Colorado:
- Lowest average hours worked
- Shortest commute times
- Fewest workers per household (labor force divided by number of households)
- Highest unemployment rates
- Lowest percentage of adults with a college degree
Our rationale is straightforward: if a community has low educational attainment, minimal work hours, and few contributors per household, it may exhibit lower productivity overall.
After collecting data for 79 towns in Colorado with populations over 5,000, we ranked each based on the criteria, with 1 being the “least productive.” The town with the lowest average ranking earned the title of the “Least Productive Place in Colorado,” with La Junta leading the list.
Refer to the detailed chart below to understand the factors influencing each town’s ranking.
1. La Junta
Population: 7,040 College Educated: 14.3%
Unemployment Rate: 12.4%
2. Lamar
Population: 7,810 College Educated: 12.4%
Unemployment Rate: 11.1%
3. Alamosa
Population: 9,427 College Educated: 26.6%
Unemployment Rate: 12.0%
4. Pueblo
Population: 107,706 College Educated: 19.4%
Unemployment Rate: 12.5%
5. Montrose
Population: 19,018 College Educated: 27.3%
Unemployment Rate: 12.0%
6. Cortez
Population: 8,515 College Educated: 23.1%
Unemployment Rate: 11.7%
7. Canon City
Population: 16,410 College Educated: 19.1%
Unemployment Rate: 8.0%
8. Delta
Population: 8,801 College Educated: 18.7%
Unemployment Rate: 11.8%
9. Trinidad
Population: 8,657 College Educated: 18.5%
Unemployment Rate: 9.2%
10. Sterling
Population: 14,709 College Educated: 14.7%
Unemployment Rate: 15.9%
Evaluating Productivity in Colorado
As noted earlier, determining the least productive places in Colorado is inherently subjective. However, our analysis reveals towns where lower work engagement, limited educational opportunities, and a lack of commitment to long hours are prevalent.
Comprehensive List of the Least Productive Places in Colorado
| City | Rank |
|---|---|
| La Junta | 1 |
| Lamar | 2 |
| Alamosa | 3 |
| Pueblo | 4 |
| Montrose | 5 |
| Cortez | 6 |
| Delta | 8 |
| Trinidad | 9 |
| Sterling | 10 |
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
