Morgan County, Colorado

Morgan County
County
The Morgan County Justice Center in Fort Morgan
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°16′N103°49′W / 40.26°N 103.81°W / 40.26; -103.81
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Founded	February 19, 1889
Named for	Christopher A. Morgan
Seat	Fort Morgan
Largest city	Fort Morgan
Area
• Total	1,294 sq mi (3,350 km2)
• Land	1,280 sq mi (3,300 km2)
• Water	13 sq mi (30 km2)  1.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	29,111
• Density	23/sq mi (9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	morgancounty.colorado.gov

Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,111. ^[1] The county seat is Fort Morgan. ^[2] The county was named after old Fort Morgan, which in turn was named in honor of Colonel Christopher A. Morgan.

Morgan County comprises the Fort Morgan, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. ^{[3] [4]}

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,294 square miles (3,350 km²), of which 1,280 square miles (3,300 km²) is land and 13 square miles (34 km²) (1.0%) is water. ^[5]

Adjacent counties

• Logan County - northeast
• Washington County - east, southeast
• Adams County - southwest
• Weld County - north, west

Major highways

• Interstate 76
• I-76 BL
• U.S. Highway 6
• U.S. Highway 34
• State Highway 39
• State Highway 52
• State Highway 71
• State Highway 144

State protected area

• Jackson Lake State Park

Trails and byways

• American Discovery Trail
• Pawnee Pioneer Trails
• South Platte Trail

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	1,601		—
1900	3,268		104.1%
1910	9,577		193.1%
1920	16,124		68.4%
1930	18,284		13.4%
1940	17,214		−5.9%
1950	18,074		5.0%
1960	21,192		17.3%
1970	20,105		−5.1%
1980	22,513		12.0%
1990	21,939		−2.5%
2000	27,171		23.8%
2010	28,159		3.6%
2020	29,111		3.4%
2023 (est.)	29,524	[6]	1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9] 1990-2000 [10] 2010-2020 [1]

At the 2000 census there were 27,171 people, 9,539 households, and 6,973 families living in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile (8.1 people/km²). There were 10,410 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.65% White, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 16.37% from other races, and 2.48% from two or more races. 31.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. ^[11] Of the 19,539 households 37.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.90% were non-families. 23.00% of households were one person and 10.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.29.

The age distribution was 30.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 19.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males.

The median household income was $34,568 and the median family income was $39,102. Males had a median income of $27,361 versus $21,524 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,492. About 8.50% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.30% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Brush
• Fort Morgan

Towns

• Hillrose
• Log Lane Village
• Wiggins

Countryside in northern Morgan County

Census-designated places

• Blue Sky
• Jackson Lake
• Morgan Heights
• Orchard
• Saddle Ridge
• Snyder
• Trail Side
• Weldona

Other unincorporated communities

• Goodrich
• Hoyt

Politics

Morgan County has long been one of the Republican Party's major strongholds in Colorado. It was one of only three Colorado counties (the others being El Paso County and Larimer County) to vote for the re-election of Herbert Hoover in 1932, and the only Democrat to obtain an absolute majority in the county since 1920 has been Lyndon Johnson in 1964 – although Roosevelt did win a plurality in 1936.

United States presidential election results for Morgan County, Colorado ^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	9,593	69.80%	3,876	28.20%	275	2.00%
2016	8,145	68.10%	3,151	26.35%	664	5.55%
2012	6,602	61.26%	3,912	36.30%	263	2.44%
2008	6,272	61.29%	3,813	37.26%	149	1.46%
2004	6,787	68.31%	3,039	30.59%	110	1.11%
2000	5,722	63.59%	2,885	32.06%	391	4.35%
1996	4,557	52.34%	3,347	38.44%	803	9.22%
1992	3,724	41.70%	2,985	33.43%	2,221	24.87%
1988	4,795	55.24%	3,728	42.95%	157	1.81%
1984	6,097	71.26%	2,331	27.24%	128	1.50%
1980	5,209	62.50%	2,246	26.95%	879	10.55%
1976	4,603	53.34%	3,798	44.01%	228	2.64%
1972	5,365	70.40%	2,081	27.31%	175	2.30%
1968	4,598	61.21%	2,310	30.75%	604	8.04%
1964	3,228	42.93%	4,271	56.80%	21	0.28%
1960	5,092	61.65%	3,151	38.15%	16	0.19%
1956	5,325	64.17%	2,956	35.62%	17	0.20%
1952	5,371	69.63%	2,297	29.78%	46	0.60%
1948	3,417	53.54%	2,912	45.63%	53	0.83%
1944	4,166	69.13%	1,839	30.52%	21	0.35%
1940	4,654	64.30%	2,527	34.91%	57	0.79%
1936	3,058	47.18%	3,146	48.54%	277	4.27%
1932	3,370	49.82%	3,181	47.02%	214	3.16%
1928	4,197	76.10%	1,242	22.52%	76	1.38%
1924	3,321	69.99%	757	15.95%	667	14.06%
1920	3,114	70.45%	1,105	25.00%	201	4.55%
1916	1,541	37.99%	2,371	58.46%	144	3.55%
1912	855	28.16%	1,005	33.10%	1,176	38.74%
1908	1,672	55.02%	1,208	39.75%	159	5.23%
1904	1,136	66.90%	406	23.91%	156	9.19%
1900	723	55.32%	538	41.16%	46	3.52%
1896	211	25.54%	602	72.88%	13	1.57%
1892	208	47.60%	0	0.00%	229	52.40%

In other statewide elections, the county also leans strongly Republican, although it was carried by Democrat Roy Romer in 1990 ^[13] – when he carried all but four counties statewide – by Dick Lamm in 1982 ^[14] and by Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo in 2010. ^[15]

See also

• Government portal
• History portal
• United States portal
• Colorado portal

• Bibliography of Colorado
• Geography of Colorado
• History of Colorado
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Morgan County, Colorado
• Index of Colorado-related articles
• List of Colorado-related lists
  • List of counties in Colorado
  • List of statistical areas in Colorado
• Outline of Colorado

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
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. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
10. "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.
11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
12. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
13. Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas; 1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
14. Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas; 1982 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
15. Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas; 2010 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado

External links

• Morgan County Government website
• Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
• Colorado Historical Society

40°16′N103°49′W / 40.26°N 103.81°W / 40.26; -103.81