Otero County, Colorado

Otero County, Colorado
Otero County Courthouse in La Junta, Colorado
Location in the state of Colorado
Colorado's location in the U.S.
Founded	March 25, 1889
Named for	Miguel Antonio Otero
Seat	La Junta
Largest city	La Junta
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,269.74 sq mi (3,289 km²) 1,262.86 sq mi (3,271 km²) 6.89 sq mi (18 km²), 0.54%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	20,311 16/sq mi (6/km²)
Time zone	Mountain: UTC-7/-6
Website	www.oterogov.com/

Otero Museum and Fine Arts League in La Junta

Cattle feedlot in Otero County west of Rocky Ford

Otero County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. 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. The county population was 20,311 at U.S. Census 2000.^[1] The county seat is La Junta.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1,269.74 square miles (3,288.6 km²), of which 1,262.86 square miles (3,270.8 km²) (or 99.46%) is land and 6.89 square miles (17.8 km²) (or 0.54%) is water.^[2]

Adjacent counties

• Crowley County, Colorado - north
• Kiowa County, Colorado - northeast
• Bent County, Colorado - east
• Las Animas County, Colorado - south
• Pueblo County, Colorado - west

Demographics

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 20,311 people, 7,920 households, and 5,472 families residing 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.

There were 7,920 households out of which 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 all households were made up of individuals and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county the population was spread out with 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% who were 65 years of age 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 income for a household in the county was $29,738, and the median income for a family 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.

Cities and towns

• Cheraw
• Fowler
• La Junta
• Manzanola
• Rocky Ford
• Swink

Historic sites

• Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
• Santa Fe National Historic Trail

National grassland

• Comanche National Grassland

Transcontinental trail

• American Discovery Trail

Scenic byway

• Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway

See also

• Colorado census statistical areas
• Colorado counties
• Colorado municipalities
• G.W. Swink, pioneer county commissioner
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Otero County, Colorado

References

1. ^ "Annual County Population Estimates and Estimated Components of Change: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (CO-EST2006-alldata)" (CSV). 2006 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2007-03-22. http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/files/CO-EST2006-ALLDATA.csv. Retrieved 2007-05-17. 
2. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt. Retrieved 2011-02-13. 
3. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• Otero County Homepage
• Otero County Government
• Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
• Colorado Historical Society

Coordinates: 37°54′N 103°43′W / 37.90°N 103.71°W / 37.90; -103.71