La Plata County, Colorado

La Plata County
La Plata County
U.S. county
	Strater Hotel, opened in 1888 during a mining boom in Durango.
	Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
	Colorado's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 37°17′N 107°51′W / 37.29°N 107.85°W
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Founded	February 10, 1874
Named for	Spanish for "the silver"
Seat	Durango
Largest city	Durango
Area
• Total	1,700 sq mi (4,000 km2)
• Land	1,692 sq mi (4,380 km2)
• Water	7.6 sq mi (20 km2) 0.4%%
Population (2020)
• Total	55,638
• Density	33/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	co.laplata.co.us

La Plata County is one of the 64 counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 55,638.^[1] The county seat is Durango.^[2] The county was named for the La Plata River and the La Plata Mountains. "La plata" means "the silver" in Spanish.

La Plata County comprises the Durango, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.^[3]^[4]

The county is home to Durango Rock Shelters Archeology Site, the type site for the Basketmaker II period of Anasazi culture.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,700 square miles (4,400 km²), of which 1,692 square miles (4,380 km²) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km²) (0.4%) is water.^[5]

Adjacent counties[]

San Juan County - north
Hinsdale County - northeast
Archuleta County - east
San Juan County, New Mexico - south
Montezuma County - west
Dolores County - northwest

Major Highways[]

U.S. Highway 160
U.S. Highway 550
State Highway 140
State Highway 151
State Highway 172

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	1,110	—
1890	5,509	396.3%
1900	7,016	27.4%
1910	10,812	54.1%
1920	11,218	3.8%
1930	12,975	15.7%
1940	15,494	19.4%
1950	14,880	−4.0%
1960	19,225	29.2%
1970	19,199	−0.1%
1980	27,424	42.8%
1990	32,284	17.7%
2000	43,941	36.1%
2010	51,334	16.8%
2020	55,638	8.4%
U.S. Decennial Census^[6] 1790-1960^[7] 1900-1990^[8] 1990-2000^[9] 2010-2020^[1]

As of the census^[10] of 2000, there were 43,941 people in the county, organized into 17,342 households and 10,890 families. The population density was 26 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 20,765 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.31% White, 5.78% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.31% Black or African American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.90% from other races, and 2.25% from two or more races. 10.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 17,342 households, out of which 29.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.20% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.70% under the age of 18, 13.90% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 103.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,159, and the median income for a family was $50,446. Males had a median income of $32,486 versus $24,666 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,534. 11.70% of the population and 6.70% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.30% of those under the age of 18 and 7.70% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Communities[]

City[]

Durango

Towns[]

Census-designated place[]

Southern Ute

Other unincorporated communities[]

Ghost towns[]

^[11]

Politics[]

In its early years La Plata County generally leaned towards the Democratic Party. Only Benjamin Harrison in 1888, and the three landslide victories of Theodore Roosevelt, Warren G. Harding and Herbert Hoover saw the county vote Republican before World War II. In the period between 1940 and 1988, however, the county – like Colorado generally – took a turn towards supporting the Republican Party, with the result that between 1940 and 2000 the only Democrat to obtain a majority in the county was Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Since John Kerry became the first candidate in sixteen years from either party to gain a majority in La Plata county in the 2004 election, the county has tended towards the Democratic Party: Barack Obama’s 2008 share of the vote was the highest for a Democrat since Woodrow Wilson's 92 years prior.

show

Presidential elections results

Recreation[]

National forest and wilderness[]

National historic district[]

Durango-Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad National Historic District

Trails[]

Colorado Trail
Old Spanish National Historic Trail

Bicycle route[]

Great Parks Bicycle Route

Scenic byway[]

San Juan Skyway National Scenic Byway

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ "OMB Bulletin No. 10-02: Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget. December 1, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2012 – via National Archives.
^ See the Colorado census statistical areas.
^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
^ Parrott
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.

External links[]

Coordinates: 37°17′N 107°51′W / 37.29°N 107.85°W / 37.29; -107.85

[2020Census-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.

[GR6-2] "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.

[OMB_10-02-3] "OMB Bulletin No. 10-02: Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget. December 1, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2012 – via National Archives.

[4] See the Colorado census statistical areas.

[GR1-5] "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.

[6] "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.

[7] "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 8, 2014.

[8] "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.

[9] "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.

[GR8-10] "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.

[11] Parrott

[12] Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Others
2020	39.9% 14,233	57.6% 20,548	2.5% 886
2016	40.4% 12,587	49.8% 15,525	9.8% 3,038
2012	43.7% 12,794	52.9% 15,489	3.5% 1,025
2008	41.1% 11,503	57.4% 16,057	1.5% 419
2004	45.9% 11,704	52.6% 13,409	1.6% 400
2000	48.8% 9,993	38.4% 7,864	12.9% 2,633
1996	46.5% 8,057	37.6% 6,509	15.9% 2,755
1992	35.4% 5,522	37.9% 5,913	26.8% 4,178
1988	57.7% 7,714	40.7% 5,443	1.5% 205
1984	67.5% 8,719	31.3% 4,040	1.2% 159
1980	59.8% 7,291	24.9% 3,034	15.4% 1,876
1976	59.1% 6,228	36.4% 3,843	4.5% 476
1972	62.2% 5,691	31.0% 2,830	6.8% 623
1968	57.1% 4,269	33.8% 2,523	9.2% 684
1964	44.3% 3,550	55.5% 4,442	0.2% 15
1960	58.8% 4,772	41.0% 3,329	0.1% 10
1956	66.8% 4,770	33.1% 2,366	0.1% 4
1952	66.0% 4,425	33.0% 2,210	1.0% 66
1948	51.0% 2,735	47.3% 2,536	1.7% 89
1944	59.6% 3,023	40.1% 2,031	0.3% 15
1940	57.4% 3,871	42.0% 2,835	0.6% 39
1936	42.2% 2,354	54.5% 3,040	3.3% 185
1932	38.5% 2,124	57.2% 3,156	4.3% 237
1928	59.6% 2,837	39.3% 1,872	1.1% 53
1924	35.1% 1,469	36.3% 1,516	28.6% 1,197
1920	50.9% 1,711	42.9% 1,445	6.2% 209
1916	27.1% 1,029	68.1% 2,590	4.8% 182
1912	19.4% 692	49.9% 1,775	30.7% 1,093

show v t Municipalities and communities of La Plata County, Colorado, United States
County seat: Durango
City	Durango
Towns	Bayfield Ignacio
CDPs	Marvel Southern Ute
Unincorporated communities	Allison Breen Florida Hermosa Hesperus Kline La Posta Mayday Oxford Tiffany Trimble Vallecito
Indian reservations	Southern Ute Indian Reservation‡ Ute Mountain Ute Reservation‡
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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