Otero County, Colorado

Otero County is one of the 64 counties of the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,831.[1] The county seat is La Junta.[2] The county was named for Miguel Antonio Otero, one of the founders of the town of La Junta and a member of a prominent Hispanic family.

Otero County
U.S. county
Otero County Courthouse in La Junta, Colorado
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°54′N 103°43′W
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedMarch 25, 1889
Named forMiguel Antonio Otero
SeatLa Junta
Largest cityLa Junta
Area
 • Total1,270 sq mi (3,300 km2)
 • Land1,262 sq mi (3,270 km2)
 • Water7.7 sq mi (20 km2)  0.6%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
18,278
 • Density15/sq mi (6/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.oterogov.com
Otero Museum and Fine Arts League in La Junta
Cattle feedlot in Otero County west of Rocky Ford

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,270 square miles (3,300 km2), of which 1,262 square miles (3,270 km2) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km2) (0.6%) is water.[3]

Adjacent counties

Major Highways

National protected areas

Trails and byways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18904,192—
190011,522174.9%
191020,20175.3%
192022,62312.0%
193024,3907.8%
194023,571−3.4%
195025,2757.2%
196024,128−4.5%
197023,523−2.5%
198022,567−4.1%
199020,185−10.6%
200020,3110.6%
201018,831−7.3%
2019 (est.)18,278[4]−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2015[1]

At the 2000 census there were 20,311 people, 7,920 households, and 5,472 families living in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile (6/km2). There were 8,813 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 79.02% White, 0.76% Black or African American, 1.43% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 15.06% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. 37.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[9] Of the 7,920 households 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 12.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 27.80% of households were one person and 12.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

The age distribution was 26.90% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median household income was $29,738 and the median family income was $35,906. Males had a median income of $26,996 versus $21,001 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,113. About 14.20% of families and 18.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.90% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Otero is a strongly Republican county, although less so than the counties of the Colorado High Plains. It was last won for the Democratic Party by Bill Clinton in 1996. Before that, Otero tended to be a Republican-leaning county at the Presidential level, although it did vote for Wilson twice, FDR in 1932 and 1936, Truman in 1948 and Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Presidential elections results
Otero County vote
by party in presidential elections[10]
Year Republican Democratic Others
2020 60.1% 5,756 37.7% 3,605 2.3% 215
2016 58.3% 4,928 34.8% 2,943 6.9% 581
2012 53.5% 4,382 44.5% 3,647 2.0% 163
2008 54.5% 4,393 44.0% 3,547 1.6% 125
2004 60.5% 4,947 38.7% 3,164 0.8% 69
2000 55.8% 4,082 40.5% 2,963 3.7% 267
1996 45.1% 3,356 45.5% 3,386 9.3% 695
1992 37.5% 3,120 41.9% 3,485 20.6% 1,708
1988 51.4% 4,265 47.1% 3,910 1.5% 124
1984 62.4% 5,373 34.9% 3,005 2.8% 237
1980 54.6% 4,801 37.4% 3,294 8.0% 706
1976 51.5% 4,597 46.2% 4,118 2.3% 205
1972 65.8% 6,016 32.0% 2,929 2.2% 205
1968 49.7% 4,690 41.2% 3,891 9.1% 864
1964 37.4% 3,605 62.3% 5,999 0.3% 32
1960 58.8% 6,015 41.1% 4,199 0.2% 15
1956 61.5% 5,964 38.4% 3,722 0.1% 7
1952 63.6% 6,552 36.1% 3,721 0.3% 34
1948 33.1% 4,311 66.3% 8,640 0.6% 81
1944 56.7% 5,002 43.0% 3,791 0.3% 23
1940 54.1% 5,459 45.3% 4,567 0.6% 62
1936 39.5% 3,859 59.1% 5,775 1.4% 138
1932 42.8% 3,974 55.0% 5,107 2.2% 206
1928 74.9% 5,788 24.3% 1,876 0.9% 66
1924 59.2% 4,694 24.4% 1,938 16.4% 1,298
1920 55.9% 3,846 39.7% 2,727 4.4% 303
1916 38.7% 2,678 57.2% 3,963 4.1% 283
1912 21.0% 1,293 46.8% 2,885 32.2% 1,986

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated places

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  8. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  10. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.

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