Hinsdale County, Colorado

Last updated
Hinsdale County
County
Hinsdale County Court House.JPG
The 1877 Hinsdale County Court House in Lake City, Colorado.
Map of Colorado highlighting Hinsdale County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado in United States.svg
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°49′N107°17′W / 37.82°N 107.28°W / 37.82; -107.28
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Colorado.svg Colorado
FoundedFebruary 10, 1874
Named after George A. Hinsdale
Seat Lake City
Largest townLake City
Area
 • Total
1,123 sq mi (2,910 km2)
 • Land1,117 sq mi (2,890 km2)
 • Water5.9 sq mi (15 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
788
 • Estimate 
(2024)
747 Decrease2.svg
 • Density0.70/sq mi (0.27/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 3rd
Website hinsdalecounty.colorado.gov
Bonanza-Empire Chief mine and mill, on the Alpine Loop. The mill ruins were stabilized in 2000 by the Bureau of Land Management and Hinsdale County Historical Society. In 2007-2008, the mill ruins were demolished by an avalanche. Empire Chief mine, 2001.jpg
Bonanza-Empire Chief mine and mill, on the Alpine Loop. The mill ruins were stabilized in 2000 by the Bureau of Land Management and Hinsdale County Historical Society. In 2007–2008, the mill ruins were demolished by an avalanche.

Hinsdale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 788, [1] making it the second least-populous county in Colorado. With a population density of only 0.71 inhabitants per square mile (0.27/km2), it is also the least-densely populated county in Colorado. The county seat and only incorporated municipality in the county is Lake City. [2] The county is named for George A. Hinsdale, [3] a prominent pioneer and former Lieut. Governor of Colorado Territory.

Contents

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,123 square miles (2,910 km2), of which 1,117 square miles (2,890 km2) is land and 5.9 square miles (15 km2) (0.5%) is water. [4]

Hinsdale County is one of the most remote counties in Colorado and the United States. The county is covered by mountains, including multiple fourteeners, and contains one of the largest roadless areas in the country. [5] [6] The continental divide crosses the county twice. Most of the county is divided among several different national forests and the Weminuche Wilderness area.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 1,487—
1890 862−42.0%
1900 1,60986.7%
1910 646−59.9%
1920 538−16.7%
1930 449−16.5%
1940 349−22.3%
1950 263−24.6%
1960 208−20.9%
1970 202−2.9%
1980 408102.0%
1990 46714.5%
2000 79069.2%
2010 8436.7%
2020 788−6.5%
2024 (est.)747 [7] −5.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]
1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10]
1990-2000 [11] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the census of 2000, there were 790 people, 359 households, and 246 families living in the county. The population density was 0.7 people per square mile (0.27 people/km2). There were 1,304 housing units at an average density of 1.2 units per square mile (0.46 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.34% White, 1.52% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.38% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 359 households, out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.6.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.5% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 105.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,279, and the median income for a family was $42,159. Males had a median income of $26,210 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,360. About 4.5% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Republican presidential nominees have carried Hinsdale County since Franklin Delano Roosevelt defeated Alf Landon by eight votes in 1936. Along with Elbert County and Washington County it was one of three Colorado counties to vote for Barry Goldwater over Lyndon Johnson in 1964. In 2020, Joe Biden received the highest vote share for a Democrat since Johnson, and became the third Democrat since 1940 to breach 40% of the vote.

The last Democrat to carry Hinsdale County in a statewide election was John Hickenlooper in the 2010 gubernatorial contest, [12] and the only other case since at least 1980 have been Democratic senator Ben “Nighthorse” Campbell, who was later to shift to the Republican Party, in 1992, alongside popular Governor Roy Romer, who carried all but three counties statewide, in 1990. [13]

United States presidential election results for Hinsdale County, Colorado [14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1880 42153.84%36146.16%00.00%
1884 24557.11%18041.96%40.93%
1888 15857.66%11642.34%00.00%
1892 41225.81%00.00%1,18474.19%
1896 192.63%69796.40%70.97%
1900 23027.68%59571.60%60.72%
1904 24347.55%23946.77%295.68%
1908 15638.71%21553.35%327.94%
1912 13638.64%15744.60%5916.76%
1916 9431.13%17858.94%309.93%
1920 14959.13%6726.59%3614.29%
1924 13850.00%7928.62%5921.38%
1928 12853.78%10644.54%41.68%
1932 9438.21%13856.10%145.69%
1936 12947.78%13750.74%41.48%
1940 15058.82%10340.39%20.78%
1944 12467.03%6132.97%00.00%
1948 13363.94%7536.06%00.00%
1952 15474.04%5425.96%00.00%
1956 15576.73%4723.27%00.00%
1960 13862.73%8237.27%00.00%
1964 10753.23%9446.77%00.00%
1968 12766.15%4322.40%2211.46%
1972 17277.48%4419.82%62.70%
1976 18966.55%8329.23%124.23%
1980 23269.05%7622.62%288.33%
1984 31074.88%9823.67%61.45%
1988 29572.48%11127.27%10.25%
1992 18839.50%15131.72%13728.78%
1996 28952.83%18533.82%7313.35%
2000 31655.83%18833.22%6210.95%
2004 35558.97%23639.20%111.83%
2008 34457.43%24040.07%152.50%
2012 35358.83%22938.17%183.00%
2016 33957.56%19733.45%539.00%
2020 35355.85%25540.35%243.80%
2024 33254.70%25742.34%182.97%

Recreation

National forests

National wilderness areas

Trails

Scenic byways

Communities

Capitol City, Colorado, a ghost town on the Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway. Capitol City once had a population of 400; its founders wanted it to become the capital of Colorado. The post office, some outbuildings, and brick kilns remain. Capitol City, Colo.jpg
Capitol City, Colorado, a ghost town on the Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway. Capitol City once had a population of 400; its founders wanted it to become the capital of Colorado. The post office, some outbuildings, and brick kilns remain.

Town

Census-designated places

Ghost towns

[15]

Education

School districts include: [16]

See also

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 May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  157.
  4. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  5. ↑ Watts, Raymond D.; Compton, Roger W.; McCammon, John H.; Rich, Carl L.; Wright, Stewart M.; Owens, Tom; Ouren, Douglas S. (May 4, 2007). "Roadless Space of the Conterminous United States" . Science . 316 (5825): 736–738. doi:10.1126/science.1138141. ISSN   0036-8075.
  6. ↑ Tracy Staedter (May 3, 2007). "Roadless Space Uneven Across U.S." Discovery News. Archived from the original on May 6, 2007.
  7. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. 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. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 2010 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
  13. ↑ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
  14. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Ghost Towns of Colorado- Hinsdale County". Ghost Towns. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  16. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hinsdale County, CO" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022. - Text list
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