Mesa County comprises the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

CMU is western Colorado's largest university, making Mesa County an epicenter of the region's higher education.

Grand Junction is also home to IntelliTec College, which offers professional certificates.

It was reported in August 2021 that the Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters in May 2021 allowed an unauthorized person into a secure facility during an annual upgrade to the county's election equipment software, compromising the equipment.

The security breach meant Mesa County would not be able to use the equipment for its fall 2021 election.

They were found only because Peters' office checked the dropbox for ballots cast in the next election - the 2020 presidential primary.

[15] In March 2022, Peters was indicted by a Mesa County grand jury on seven felony and three misdemeanor counts of election tampering and misconduct related to the alleged May 2021 security breach.

A Mesa County jury found Peters guilty on three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, and one count each of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, official misconduct, violation of duty, and failure to comply with the Secretary of State.

[18] On October 3, 2024, Peters was sentenced to a total of 9 years in prison, with the first 6 months of her sentence to be served in the Mesa County Detention Facility, and the remaining 8.5 years to be served in the Colorado Department of Corrections.

The California Zephyr makes daily stops on its way between San Francisco and Chicago.

Grand Valley Transit serves the area's eleven fixed routes.