Elbert County, Colorado

Last updated
Elbert County, Colorado
County
St. Mark United Presbyterian Church 04.JPG
St. Mark United Presbyterian Church, Elbert, Colorado.
Map of Colorado highlighting Elbert County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Coordinates: 39°10′N104°05′W / 39.17°N 104.08°W / 39.17; -104.08
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Colorado.svg Colorado
FoundedFebruary 2, 1874
Named after Samuel Hitt Elbert
Seat Kiowa
Largest community Ponderosa Park
Area
 • Total
1,851 sq mi (4,790 km2)
 • Land1,851 sq mi (4,790 km2)
 • Water0.2 sq mi (0.52 km2)  0.01%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
26,062
 • Estimate 
(2024)
29,382 Increase2.svg
 • Density14.08/sq mi (5.436/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 4th
Website www.elbertcounty-co.gov

Elbert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,062. [1] The county seat is Kiowa and the largest town is Elizabeth. [2] Elbert County is included in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

History

Elbert County was created on February 2, 1874, from the eastern portions of Douglas County. On February 6, 1874, the county was enlarged to include part of northern Greenwood County upon Greenwood's dissolution, and originally extended south and east of its present boundaries to reach to the Kansas state line. The county was named for Samuel Hitt Elbert, [3] the Governor of the Territory of Colorado when the county was formed. In 1889, Elbert County was reduced to its modern size when its eastern portions were taken to create Lincoln, Kit Carson, and Cheyenne counties.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,851 square miles (4,790 km2), of which 1,851 square miles (4,790 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.01%) is water. [4]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 1,708—
1890 1,8568.7%
1900 3,10167.1%
1910 5,33171.9%
1920 6,98030.9%
1930 6,580−5.7%
1940 5,460−17.0%
1950 4,477−18.0%
1960 3,708−17.2%
1970 3,9035.3%
1980 6,85075.5%
1990 9,64640.8%
2000 19,872106.0%
2010 23,08616.2%
2020 26,06212.9%
2024 (est.)29,382 [5] 12.7%
U.S. Decennial Census [6]
1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8]
1990-2000 [9] 2010-2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 26,062. Of the residents, 21.7% were under the age of 18 and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 45.9 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.4 males. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas and 100.0% lived in rural areas. [10] [11] [12]

The racial makeup of the county was 87.5% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.2% from some other race, and 8.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.9% of the population. [12]

There were 9,376 households in the county, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 13.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. [11]

There were 9,805 housing units, of which 4.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 91.1% were owner-occupied and 8.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.7%. [11]

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 19,872 people, 6,770 households, and 5,652 families in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile (4.2 people/km2). There were 7,113 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.22% White, 0.64% Black or African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. 3.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. [13] Of the 6,770 households 42.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.10% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.50% were non-families. 12.20% of households were one person and 3.10% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.19.

The age distribution was 30.20% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 32.80% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 6.00% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.90 males.

The median household income was $62,480 and the median family income was $66,740. Males had a median income of $45,329 versus $29,767 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,960. About 2.50% of families and 4.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.60% of those under age 18 and 4.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated places

Politics

Elbert is a strongly Republican county in Presidential elections. Along with Rio Blanco County and Kit Carson County, it was one of three Colorado counties to be won by Alf Landon in 1936, and stood together with Hinsdale and Washington Counties by supporting Barry Goldwater over Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Elbert County was Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932.

United States presidential election results for Elbert County, Colorado [14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№ %№ %№ %
1880 17646.68%19551.72%61.59%
1884 22754.31%19045.45%10.24%
1888 78456.89%57841.94%161.16%
1892 18945.22%00.00%22954.78%
1896 27426.52%75172.70%80.77%
1900 62648.23%64049.31%322.47%
1904 76859.40%48237.28%433.33%
1908 97352.34%78542.23%1015.43%
1912 49624.22%75736.96%79538.82%
1916 95141.37%1,23053.50%1185.13%
1920 1,65466.35%67327.00%1666.66%
1924 1,42854.97%50619.48%66425.56%
1928 1,93371.38%73827.25%371.37%
1932 1,27741.54%1,64953.64%1484.81%
1936 1,37449.50%1,31947.51%832.99%
1940 1,75665.04%93434.59%100.37%
1944 1,41369.13%62830.72%30.15%
1948 1,15556.37%87342.61%211.02%
1952 1,57972.56%58626.93%110.51%
1956 1,29564.75%70235.10%30.15%
1960 1,24064.32%68635.58%20.10%
1964 92451.76%85748.01%40.22%
1968 1,04360.92%48428.27%18510.81%
1972 1,41673.29%45123.34%653.36%
1976 1,27952.72%1,06844.02%793.26%
1980 2,10767.49%69822.36%31710.15%
1984 2,60575.27%80223.17%541.56%
1988 2,80563.06%1,56635.21%771.73%
1992 2,20543.71%1,23724.52%1,60331.77%
1996 4,12561.04%1,89428.03%73910.94%
2000 6,15168.61%2,32625.95%4885.44%
2004 8,38973.82%2,83424.94%1411.24%
2008 9,10868.97%3,81928.92%2792.11%
2012 10,26672.41%3,60325.41%3092.18%
2016 11,70573.25%3,13419.61%1,1417.14%
2020 14,02773.89%4,49023.65%4662.45%
2024 15,20974.47%4,76823.35%4452.18%

Elbert County is in the 4th Congressional District and the current representative is Republican Lauren Boebert.

In senatorial elections, the county has been similarly Republican. In gubernatorial elections, Elbert County has also generally been powerfully Republican, but was nonetheless carried by Democrat Roy Romer by a narrow margin in 1990 [15] – when he carried all but four counties statewide – by Dick Lamm in 1982 [16] and by Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo in 2010. [17]

The official newspaper of record used by the county is the weekly Elbert County News. [18] The weekly Ranchland News and monthly Prairie Times also cover local events.

Education

School districts covering sections of the county include: [19]

See also

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
    2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
    3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  116.
    4. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
    5. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
    6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
    7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
    8. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
    9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
    10. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
    11. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
    12. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
    13. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
    14. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
    15. ↑ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
    16. ↑ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1982 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
    17. ↑ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 2010 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
    18. ↑ Humanities, National Endowment for the. "Elbert County news" . Retrieved December 8, 2019.
    19. ↑ Geography Division (December 17, 2020). 2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Elbert County, CO (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2024-11-01. - Text list
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