Table 55. Selected Operator Characteristics for Principal, Second, and Third Operator: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All operators 1 
Principal operator 
Second operator 
Third operator 
Operators number 
58,189 
36,180 
19,104 
2,905 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
36,746 
29,320 
5,772 
1,654 
Spouse of principal operator 
2,267 
(X) 
2,216 
51 
Female 
21,443 
6,860 
13,332 
1,251 
Spouse of principal operator 
12,421 
(X) 
12,101 
320 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
26,671 
17,962 
7,272 
1,437 
Other 
31,518 
18,218 
11,832 
1,468 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
46,720 
29,176 
15,739 
1,805 
Not on farm operated 
11,469 
7,004 
3,365 
1,100 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
21,001 
13,721 
6,259 
1,021 
Any 
37,188 
22,459 
12,845 
1,884 
1 to 49 days 
5,298 
3,153 
1,812 
333 
50 to 99 days 
3,049 
1,765 
1,075 
209 
100 to 199 days 
6,195 
3,819 
2,055 
321 
200 days or more 
22,646 
13,722 
7,903 
1,021 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
2,163 
982 
796 
385 
3 or 4 years 
3,469 
1,828 
1,303 
338 
5 to 9 years 
10,248 
5,834 
3,796 
618 
10 years or more 
42,309 
27,536 
13,209 
1,564 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
1,639 
669 
614 
356 
3 or 4 years 
2,759 
1,427 
1,043 
289 
5 to 9 years 
8,579 
4,737 
3,268 
574 
10 years or more 
45,212 
29,347 
14,179 
1,686 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
738 
147 
232 
359 
25 to 34 years 
3,619 
1,762 
1,312 
545 
35 to 44 years 
6,108 
3,182 
2,493 
433 
45 to 54 years 
13,737 
7,890 
5,212 
635 
55 to 64 years 
16,990 
10,873 
5,630 
487 
65 to 74 years 
11,341 
7,829 
3,250 
262 
75 years and over 
5,656 
4,497 
975 
184 
Average age 
56.8 
58.9 
54.4 
46.0 
Number of persons living in household 
107,320 
87,829 
14,900 
4,591 
1 Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
42 Colorado 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
