Converse County, Wyoming

Converse County
County
Wyoming State Fair
Location within the U.S. state of Wyoming
Wyoming's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°58′N105°30′W / 42.97°N 105.5°W / 42.97; -105.5
Country	United States
State	Wyoming
Founded	March 9, 1888
Named for	A.R. Converse
Seat	Douglas
Largest city	Douglas
Area
• Total	4,265 sq mi (11,050 km2)
• Land	4,255 sq mi (11,020 km2)
• Water	10 sq mi (30 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	13,751
• Density	3.2/sq mi (1.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	conversecounty.org

Dave Johnston power plant, a large coal-fired generating station at Glenrock, owned by PacifiCorp

Converse County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 13,751. ^[1] Its county seat is Douglas. ^[2]

History

Converse County was created in 1888 by the legislature of the Wyoming Territory, of area annexed from Albany and Laramie counties. ^[3]

Converse County was named for A.R. Converse, a banker and rancher from Cheyenne, Wyoming, who was co-owner with Francis E. Warren in a large ranch in the eastern part of Converse County. ^[4]

A portion of Converse County territory was annexed for the formation of Niobrara County in 1911. Converse County was slightly enlarged with territory from Albany County in 1955 after a special election.

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,265 square miles (11,050 km²), of which 4,255 square miles (11,020 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (0.2%) is water. ^[5]

Landscape in Converse County

Adjacent counties

• Campbell County - north
• Weston County - northeast
• Niobrara County - east
• Platte County - southeast
• Albany County - south
• Carbon County - southwest
• Natrona County - west
• Johnson County - northwest

National protected areas

• Medicine Bow National Forest (part)
• Thunder Basin National Grassland (part)

Major highways

• Interstate 25
• U.S. Highway 18
• U.S. Highway 20
• U.S. Highway 26
• U.S. Highway 287
• Wyoming Highway 59

Transit

• Express Arrow

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	2,738		—
1900	3,337		21.9%
1910	6,294		88.6%
1920	7,871		25.1%
1930	7,145		−9.2%
1940	6,631		−7.2%
1950	5,933		−10.5%
1960	6,366		7.3%
1970	5,938		−6.7%
1980	14,069		136.9%
1990	11,128		−20.9%
2000	12,052		8.3%
2010	13,833		14.8%
2020	13,751		−0.6%
2023 (est.)	13,809	[6]	0.4%
US Decennial Census [7] 1870–2000 [8] 2010–2016 [1]

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[9] there were 12,052 people, 4,694 households, and 3,407 families in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km²). There were 5,669 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.72% White, 0.15% Black or African American, 0.91% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.46% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. 5.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26.6% were of German, 13.5% American, 12.2% English and 11.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 4,694 households, out of which 36.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. Of 4,694 households, 253 were unmarried partner households: 228 heterosexual, 12 same-sex male, and 13 same-sex female.

23.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.01.

The county population contained 28.50% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 25.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,603, and the median income for a family was $45,905. Males had a median income of $36,443 versus $19,032 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,744. About 9.20% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 13,833 people, 5,673 households, and 3,860 families in the county. ^[10] The population density was 3.3 people per square mile (1.3 people/km²). There were 6,403 housing units at an average density of 1.5 units per square mile (0.58 units/km²). ^[11] The racial makeup of the county was 95.1% white, 0.8% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.7% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.3% of the population. ^[10] In terms of ancestry, 36.8% were German, 19.8% were Irish, 18.0% were English, and 6.2% were American. ^[12]

Of the 5,673 households, 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.0% were non-families, and 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age was 39.0 years. ^[10]

The median income for a household in the county was $54,599 and the median income for a family was $69,057. Males had a median income of $54,863 versus $32,025 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,656. About 4.5% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over. ^[13]

Communities

City

• Douglas (county seat)

Towns

• Glenrock
• Rolling Hills
• Lost Springs

Census-designated places

• Esterbrook
• Orin

Other unincorporated communities

• Bill
• Boxelder ^[14]
• Parkerton ^[15]
• Shawnee

Politics

Like most of Wyoming, Converse County is overwhelmingly Republican. Since Wyoming statehood in 1890, it has only been won by two Democrats – Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936 – and even these two won the county by no more than eight percentage points. The last Democrat to win forty percent of the county's vote was Lyndon Johnson in 1964, and the last to pass so much as 22 percent was Bill Clinton in 1996.

United States presidential election results for Converse County, Wyoming ^[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	5,756	85.41%	845	12.54%	138	2.05%
2020	5,917	84.89%	861	12.35%	192	2.75%
2016	5,520	82.96%	668	10.04%	466	7.00%
2012	5,043	79.50%	1,089	17.17%	211	3.33%
2008	4,922	76.30%	1,380	21.39%	149	2.31%
2004	4,447	77.68%	1,184	20.68%	94	1.64%
2000	3,919	75.73%	1,076	20.79%	180	3.48%
1996	2,702	55.02%	1,520	30.95%	689	14.03%
1992	2,159	45.44%	1,307	27.51%	1,285	27.05%
1988	2,885	68.45%	1,301	30.87%	29	0.69%
1984	3,542	78.31%	929	20.54%	52	1.15%
1980	2,987	70.63%	922	21.80%	320	7.57%
1976	2,188	65.37%	1,150	34.36%	9	0.27%
1972	2,312	77.07%	682	22.73%	6	0.20%
1968	1,658	69.61%	492	20.65%	232	9.74%
1964	1,559	55.50%	1,250	44.50%	0	0.00%
1960	1,933	67.61%	926	32.39%	0	0.00%
1956	1,855	71.18%	751	28.82%	0	0.00%
1952	2,056	70.51%	850	29.15%	10	0.34%
1948	1,327	56.76%	996	42.60%	15	0.64%
1944	1,601	62.05%	979	37.95%	0	0.00%
1940	1,889	57.49%	1,395	42.45%	2	0.06%
1936	1,556	47.86%	1,639	50.42%	56	1.72%
1932	1,569	45.13%	1,860	53.49%	48	1.38%
1928	2,040	70.52%	845	29.21%	8	0.28%
1924	1,758	58.46%	524	17.43%	725	24.11%
1920	1,561	69.41%	679	30.19%	9	0.40%
1916	766	45.60%	879	52.32%	35	2.08%
1912	540	39.16%	436	31.62%	403	29.22%
1908	1,030	58.36%	716	40.57%	19	1.08%
1904	1,098	72.33%	395	26.02%	25	1.65%
1900	795	66.19%	406	33.81%	0	0.00%
1896	585	55.35%	459	43.42%	13	1.23%
1892	494	54.23%	0	0.00%	417	45.77%

Education

The county has two school districts: Converse County School District 1 and Converse County School District 2. ^[17]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Converse County, Wyoming
• Wyoming
  • List of cities and towns in Wyoming
  • List of counties in Wyoming
  • Wyoming statistical areas

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Long, John H. (2006). "Wyoming: Individual County Chronologies". Wyoming Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. Urbanek, Mae (1988). Wyoming Place Names. Missoula MT: Mountain Press Pub. Co. ISBN   0-87842-204-8.
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
6. "QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
7. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
8. "Historical Decennial Census Population for Wyoming Counties, Cities, and Towns". Wyoming Department of Administration & Information, Division of Economic Analysis. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
9. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
10. "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
11. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
12. "Selected Social Characteristics in the US – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
13. "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
14. Boxelder WY Google Maps (accessed 9 January 2019)
15. Parkerton WY Google Maps (accessed 9 January 2019)
16. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
17. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Converse County, WY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved September 22, 2024. - Text list

External links

• Converse County Website
• Converse County School District #1

42°58′N105°30′W / 42.97°N 105.50°W / 42.97; -105.50