Delta County is a county in Colorado, United States, on the Uncompahgre and Gunnison Plateau country of the state’s Western Slope. It had a population of 31,196 at the 2020 census and covers 1,149 square miles (2,980 km2) centred near 38°52′N 107°52′W.
Delta is the county seat, and its postal code is 81416. The county has one city, five incorporated towns, one census-designated place, and several unincorporated communities. Delta County runs on Mountain Time and was created February 11, 1883.
Towns & Villages in Delta County
Delta County has one city (the county seat), five incorporated towns, one census-designated place (CDP), and a scatter of unincorporated communities and rural localities. Austin, Cory, and Eckert sit within the town limits of Orchard City, which was formed in 1912 by combining those three settlements under one municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | City · seat | 9,035 | 81416 |
| Cedaredge | Town | — | 81413 |
| Paonia | Town | — | 81428 |
| Hotchkiss | Town | — | 81419 |
| Crawford | Town | — | 81415 |
| Orchard City | Town | — | — |
| Lazear | CDP | — | 81420 |
| Austin | Unincorp. | — | 81410 |
| Bowie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cory | Unincorp. | — | 81414 |
| Eckert | Unincorp. | — | 81418 |
| Brimstone Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Broughton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chipeta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coburn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colby | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dominguez | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Escalante | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Huff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Juanita Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Keyhole | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Delta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Payne | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peeples | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Read | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rogers Mesa | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saunders | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saxton | Unincorp. | — | — |
Grand Mesa, listed in older place directories as a Delta County settlement, is chiefly a landform — the large flat-topped mountain that forms the county’s northern boundary — rather than a distinct town, so it is left off the table above.
ZIP Codes
- 81416 — Delta (also serves North Delta)
- 81413 — Cedaredge
- 81428 — Paonia
- 81419 — Hotchkiss
- 81415 — Crawford
- 81418 — Eckert (also serves Rogers Mesa)
- 81410 — Austin
- 81420 — Lazear
- 81414 — Cory
Orchard City and several of the smaller localities have no ZIP code of their own and use a neighboring town’s post office instead.
Geography
Delta County sits at the meeting point of the Uncompahgre and Gunnison rivers, on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains. Grand Mesa, one of the world’s largest flat-topped mountains, rises along the county’s northern edge; the North Fork Valley around Paonia and Hotchkiss is a fruit- and wine-growing district in the county’s east. Of the county’s 1,149 square miles, 1,142 square miles are land and about 6.5 square miles are water.
Delta County borders Mesa County to the northwest, Gunnison County to the east, and Montrose County to the south.
Demographics
Delta County had 31,196 residents at the 2020 census. Delta, the county seat, is the largest community at 9,035; Cedaredge and Paonia are the next-largest incorporated towns. Delta County’s median household income runs well below the Colorado median of $92,911, reflecting the county’s agricultural and rural-service economic base. Density works out to roughly 27 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture remains central to Delta County’s economy — orchards, vineyards, and cattle ranching around Cedaredge, Paonia, and the North Fork Valley — alongside tourism tied to Grand Mesa National Forest and public-lands recreation. Delta hosts the U.S. Forest Service headquarters for the Grand Mesa, Gunnison, and Uncompahgre National Forests, a significant local employer and administrative anchor for the region.
History
The Colorado legislature organized Delta County on February 11, 1883, carving it out of Gunnison County. The county takes its name from the delta of farmland formed where the Uncompahgre River empties into the Gunnison River near the town of Delta, itself a former fur-trading post site dating to Fort Uncompahgre in 1828. Orchard City was created in 1912 by consolidating the settlements of Austin, Cory, and Eckert into a single town.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 50 and Colorado State Highways 65, 92, 133, and 348 are the county’s main routes.
- Montrose — 20 miles south
- Grand Junction — 40 miles northwest
- Gunnison — 65 miles east
- Glenwood Springs — 75 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), about 20 miles south of Delta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Delta County?
It sits in the west-central part of Colorado, on the Western Slope where the Uncompahgre River meets the Gunnison River.
What is the population of Delta County?
31,196 at the 2020 census.
How big is Delta County?
1,149 square miles (2,980 km2), of which about 1,142 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Delta County?
Delta is the county seat.
How many towns are in Delta County?
One city (Delta) and five incorporated towns: Cedaredge, Crawford, Hotchkiss, Orchard City, and Paonia, plus the CDP of Lazear and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Delta County?
Delta uses 81416; other towns include Cedaredge 81413, Paonia 81428, Hotchkiss 81419, and Crawford 81415.
What is Delta County known for?
Orchards and vineyards in the North Fork Valley, and access to Grand Mesa National Forest.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Colorado.