Bordering states
Colorado vs Utah
Short answer
- CO
- 5,957,493
- UT
- 3,503,613
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Colorado
Utah
- < 2
- < 7
- < 17
- < 45
- ≥ 45
Side by side
| Measure | Colorado | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 5,957,493 | 3,503,613 |
| Rank by population | 21st | 30th |
| Land, sq mi | 103,637 | 82,596 |
| People per sq mi | 57.5 | 42.4 |
| County-equivalents | 64 | 29 |
| Median county residents | 15,336 | 20,803 |
| Median county income | $72,982 | $75,024 |
| Most populous county | El Paso County | Salt Lake County |
| Largest county by land | Las Animas County | San Juan County |
| Capital | Denver | Salt Lake City |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 14 h 59 min | 15 h 06 min |
| Census division | Mountain | Mountain |
Population and density
Colorado has 5,957,493 residents, 70% more than Utah's 3,503,613. Colorado ranks 21st and Utah 30th of the 50 states and DC. Colorado is the more crowded, with 57.5 people per square mile against 42.4, 36% more.
Land area
Colorado has 103,637 square miles of land, 25% more than Utah's 82,596. The largest county-equivalent in Colorado is Las Animas County at 4,773 square miles; in Utah it is San Juan County at 7,824.
Counties
Colorado is divided into 64 county-equivalents and Utah into 29, so an average Colorado county covers 1,619 square miles against 2,848. The typical county in Colorado has 15,336 residents, against 20,803 in Utah. The most populous are El Paso County (752,772) and Salt Lake County (1,216,274).
6 county names appear on both sides of the border: Garfield, Grand, Morgan, San Juan, Summit, Washington. Use the FIPS code, not the name, when joining data across the two states.
Household income
The typical county household income is about the same in both: $72,982 in Colorado and $75,024 in Utah. The highest county incomes are Douglas County ($144,807) in Colorado and Summit County ($139,848) in Utah, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Denver and Salt Lake City are 371 miles apart in a straight line; from Denver the initial bearing is 283°, WNW. On June 21, 2026, Denver gets 14 h 59 min of daylight and Salt Lake City 15 h 06 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 21 min and 9 h 15 min. Month by month tables are on the Denver and Salt Lake City daylight pages.
Where they sit
Both are in the Census Mountain division of the West region. By county internal points, Colorado spans 2 UTM zones and Utah 1.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Colorado or Utah?
Colorado, with 103,637 square miles of land against 82,596, 1.25 times as large.
Which has more people, Colorado or Utah?
Colorado has 5,957,493 residents, 70% more than Utah's 3,503,613.
How far is Denver from Salt Lake City?
371 miles in a straight line, heading WNW (283°) from Denver.
Do Colorado and Utah have counties with the same name?
Yes, 6: Garfield, Grand, Morgan, San Juan, Summit, Washington.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.