Mesa County, Colorado

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Mesa County
U.S. county
Mesa County Courthouse
Mesa County Courthouse
Map of Colorado highlighting Mesa County
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Map of the United States highlighting Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°01′N 108°28′W / 39.02°N 108.47°W / 39.02; -108.47
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedFebruary 14, 1883
Named formesas in the area
SeatGrand Junction
Largest cityGrand Junction
Area
 • Total3,341 sq mi (8,650 km2)
 • Land3,329 sq mi (8,620 km2)
 • Water12 sq mi (30 km2)  0.4%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
154,210
 • Density44/sq mi (17/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.mesacounty.us
Mesa State Park.jpg

Mesa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 146,723.[1] The county seat is Grand Junction.[2] The county was named for the many large mesas in the area, including Grand Mesa.

Mesa County comprises the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.[3][4] In 2011 it ranked as the 269th most populous metropolitan area in the United States.[5] It is the only metropolitan area in Colorado not located on the Front Range of Colorado.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,341 square miles (8,650 km2), of which 3,329 square miles (8,620 km2) is land and 12 square miles (31 km2) (0.4%) is water.[6] It is the fourth-largest county by area in Colorado.

Adjacent counties[]

Major highways[]

National protected areas[]

State protected areas[]

Trails and byways[]

  • American Discovery Trail
  • Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway National Scenic Byway
  • Grand Mesa National Scenic and Historic Byway
  • Kokopelli Trail
  • Old Spanish National Historic Trail

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18904,260—
19009,267117.5%
191022,197139.5%
192022,2810.4%
193025,90816.3%
194033,79130.4%
195038,79414.8%
196050,71530.7%
197054,7347.9%
198081,53049.0%
199093,14514.2%
2000116,25524.8%
2010146,72326.2%
2019 (est.)154,210[7]5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2015[1]

As of the census[12] of 2010, there were 146,723 people, 58,095 households, and 38,593 families living in the county. The population density was 44.1 people per square mile (17.23.1/km2). There were 62,644 housing units. Information that follows comes from the 2000 American Factfinder data: The racial makeup of the county was 92.34% White, 0.46% Black or African American, 0.91% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 3.67% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. 10.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 45,823 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.30% were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,864, and the median income for a family was $43,009. Males had a median income of $32,316 versus $22,374 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,715. About 7.00% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.50% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.

Politics[]

Unlike most urban counties, Mesa County is powerfully Republican. It has voted Democratic only once since 1952, during Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 landslide, and Hubert Humphrey in the following 1968 election is the last Democrat to tally forty percent of the county’s vote.

It was reported in August 2021 that the Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters 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 means Mesa County will not be able to use the equipment for its fall 2021 election.[13]

This was not the first time Ms. Peters has been a source of election controversy. In February 2020, it was discovered that Peters' office neglected to count 574 ballots cast in a dropbox outside her office. These uncounted ballots were cast in the November 2019 election and remained uncounted in the dropbox for 3 months. They were found only because Peters' office checked the dropbox for ballots cast in the next election - the 2020 presidential primary. This prompted an attempt to recall Tina Peters as county clerk. The effort was unsuccessful. [14]


Presidential election results

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Fruita
  • Grand Junction

Towns[]

Census-designated places[]

Other unincorporated places[]

Transportation[]

Major Highways[]

  • I-70.svg Interstate 70 runs from Interstate 15 in Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland, connecting Grand Junction to Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Columbus. Via Interstate 15, it connects Grand Junction with Las Vegas, Nevada, and southern California.
  • US 6.svg U.S. Highway 6 serves 14 states, running east–west from Provincetown, Massachusetts, to Bishop, California. In Colorado, it generally runs parallel to Interstate 76 and Interstate 70.
  • US 50.svg U.S. Highway 50 crosses 12 states, linking Ocean City, Maryland, with Sacramento, California. In Colorado, U.S. 50 connects Grand Junction with Montrose, Gunnison, and Pueblo, and to the west, it travels into the state of Utah.
  • Colorado 340.svg SH 340 runs east–west, starting at First Street in downtown Grand Junction, traversing the Redlands and ending at U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 50 in Fruita.

Air[]

  • Grand Junction Regional Airport is located 4.6 miles from downtown Grand Junction.
  • Mack Mesa Airport is located 25 miles from downtown Grand Junction.
  • Pinyon Airport is located 12.6 miles from downtown Grand Junction.

Train[]

  • There is an Amtrak Station located in downtown Grand Junction. The California Zephyr makes daily stops at the station on its way between San Francisco and Chicago.

Bus[]

  • There is a Greyhound Bus Station located in Grand Junction.
  • Grand Valley Transit is the public transportation agency that serves the Grand Junction area and currently has 11 fixed routes.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  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.
  5. ^ "Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009 (CBSA-EST2009-01)". 2009 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 23, 2010. Archived from the original (CSV) on March 26, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  13. ^ Birkeland, Bente After Data Is Posted On Conspiracy Website, Colo. County's Voting Machines Are Banned National Public Radio, August 12, 2021.
  14. ^ Verlee, Megan ‘We Got Lucky’ That Missing Mesa Ballot Situation Wasn’t Worse, Elections Chief Says Colorado Public Radio, February 27, 2020.
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  16. ^ http://geoelections.free.fr/. Retrieved January 13, 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links[]

Coordinates: 39°01′N 108°28′W / 39.02°N 108.47°W / 39.02; -108.47

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