Alamosa County, Colorado

County in Colorado, United States

County in Colorado

Alamosa County

County

Alamosa County Courthouse

Location within the U.S. state of Colorado

Colorado's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 37°34′N 105°47′W﻿ / ﻿37.57°N 105.78°W﻿ / 37.57; -105.78
Country|  United States
State|  Colorado
Founded| March 8, 1913
Named for| Spanish language word for a grove of cottonwood trees
Seat| Alamosa
Largest city| Alamosa
Area

• Total| 723 sq mi (1,870 km2)
• Land| 723 sq mi (1,870 km2)
• Water| 0.7 sq mi (2 km2)  0.1%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 16,376[1]
• Density| 23/sq mi (9/km2)
Time zone| UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district| 3rd
Website| alamosacounty.colorado.gov

Alamosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,376.[1] The county seat is Alamosa.[2] The county name is the Spanish language word for a grove of cottonwood trees.

## History

[edit]

Alamosa County was created by the Colorado legislature on March 8, 1913, out of northwestern Costilla County.

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 723 square miles (1,870 km2), of which 723 square miles (1,870 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (0.1%) is water.[3]

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Saguache County, Colorado \- north
* Huerfano County, Colorado \- east
* Costilla County, Colorado \- southeast
* Conejos County, Colorado \- southwest
* Rio Grande County, Colorado \- west

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 160
* U.S. Highway 285
* State Highway 17
* State Highway 150
* State Highway 368
* State Highway 370
* State Highway 371

### National protected area

[edit]

* Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

### Other protected areas

[edit]

* Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
* Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
* Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge
* Rio Grande National Forest
* San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area
* Sangre de Cristo Wilderness

### Scenic trails

[edit]

* Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic and Historic Byway
* Old Spanish National Historic Trail

## Transportation

[edit]

Alamosa is served by San Luis Valley Regional Airport. The only commercial service is to Denver.

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1920| 5,148| | —
1930| 8,602| | 67.1%
1940| 10,484| | 21.9%
1950| 10,531| | 0.4%
1960| 10,000| | −5.0%
1970| 11,422| | 14.2%
1980| 11,799| | 3.3%
1990| 13,617| | 15.4%
2000| 14,966| | 9.9%
2010| 15,445| | 3.2%
2020| 16,376| | 6.0%
2023 (est.)| 16,655| [4]| 1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2020[1]

At the 2000 census there were 14,966 people, 5,467 households, and 3,651 families living in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile (8.1 people/km2). There were 6,088 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 71.19% White, 0.97% Black or African American, 2.34% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 20.34% from other races, and 4.16% from two or more races. 41.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[9] Of the 5,467 households 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.50% were married couples living together, 11.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 27.30% of households were one person and 8.70% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.14.

The age distribution was 27.20% under the age of 18, 15.90% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 9.60% 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

The median household income was $29,447 and the median family income was $38,389. Males had a median income of $27,733 versus $22,806 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,037. About 15.60% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.40% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.

In 2000, the largest denominational groups were Catholics (with 5,716 members) and Evangelical Protestants (with 1,755 members).[10] The largest religious bodies were the Catholic Church (with 5,716 adherents) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (with 1,155 adherents).[10]

## Politics

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Alamosa County, Colorado[11] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 3,813  | 48.83% | 3,759  | 48.14%  | 236  | 3.02%
2016 | 3,046  | 43.90%  | 3,189  | 45.96% | 704  | 10.15%
2012 | 2,705  | 40.28%  | 3,811  | 56.75% | 199  | 2.96%
2008 | 2,635  | 41.92%  | 3,521  | 56.01% | 130  | 2.07%
2004 | 3,179  | 50.63% | 3,017  | 48.05%  | 83  | 1.32%
2000 | 2,857  | 50.49% | 2,455  | 43.38%  | 347  | 6.13%
1996 | 2,038  | 41.23%  | 2,330  | 47.14% | 575  | 11.63%
1992 | 1,572  | 34.05%  | 1,928  | 41.76% | 1,117  | 24.19%
1988 | 2,567  | 53.70% | 2,146  | 44.90%  | 67  | 1.40%
1984 | 2,953  | 62.68% | 1,720  | 36.51%  | 38  | 0.81%
1980 | 2,601  | 53.87% | 1,821  | 37.72%  | 406  | 8.41%
1976 | 2,599  | 53.51% | 2,052  | 42.25%  | 206  | 4.24%
1972 | 2,916  | 62.51% | 1,540  | 33.01%  | 209  | 4.48%
1968 | 2,277  | 55.00% | 1,574  | 38.02%  | 289  | 6.98%
1964 | 1,488  | 37.42%  | 2,481  | 62.40% | 7  | 0.18%
1960 | 2,271  | 55.58% | 1,811  | 44.32%  | 4  | 0.10%
1956 | 2,442  | 62.33% | 1,465  | 37.39%  | 11  | 0.28%
1952 | 2,728  | 62.13% | 1,626  | 37.03%  | 37  | 0.84%
1948 | 1,950  | 44.58%  | 2,395  | 54.76% | 29  | 0.66%
1944 | 1,933  | 51.56% | 1,806  | 48.17%  | 10  | 0.27%
1940 | 2,243  | 47.39%  | 2,467  | 52.12% | 23  | 0.49%
1936 | 1,188  | 29.71%  | 2,754  | 68.87% | 57  | 1.43%
1932 | 1,306  | 36.96%  | 2,141  | 60.58% | 87  | 2.46%
1928 | 1,759  | 58.23% | 1,239  | 41.01%  | 23  | 0.76%
1924 | 1,009  | 40.59% | 625  | 25.14%  | 852  | 34.27%
1920 | 1,081  | 51.87% | 949  | 45.54%  | 54  | 2.59%
1916 | 488  | 26.15%  | 1,308  | 70.10% | 70  | 3.75%

Alamosa County is a competitive swing county, voting for the winning presidential candidate in every election since its formation except 1944, 1960, 1976, 2016, and 2020.

## Communities

[edit]

### City

[edit]

* Alamosa

### Town

[edit]

* Hooper

### Census Designated Place

[edit]

* Alamosa East

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Estrella
* Hartner
* Henry
* La Fruto
* Mosca
* Waverly

## Sheriff's Office

[edit]

Law enforcement agency

Alamosa County Sheriff's Office

Agency overview
Preceding agency|

* Municipal Police

Employees| 39
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction| Alamosa County, Colorado, U.S.
Population| 16376
General nature|

* Local civilian police

Operational structure
Headquarters| 1315 17th Street Alamosa, Colorado 81101
Sworn members| 18
Unsworn members| 21
Agency executive|

* Robert Jackson, Sheriff

Website
http://alamosacounty.colorado.gov/departments/sheriff

The Alamosa County Sheriff's Office is a county law enforcement agency in Alamosa County, Colorado, United States.[12] It consists of 18 sworn law enforcement officers and 21 civilian support personnel.[13]

### Rank structure

[edit]

Title  | Insignia

|

Sheriff |
Undersheriff |
Sergeant |
Corporal |
Deputy

## License plate code

[edit]

Alamosa County has used the following county codes on Colorado license plates issued to passenger vehicles in the county: XE-XG and EAA-ABD.[14]

## See also

[edit]

* Government portal
* History portal
* United States portal
* Colorado portal

* Bibliography of Colorado
* Geography of Colorado
* San Luis Valley
* History of Colorado
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Alamosa County, Colorado
* Index of Colorado-related articles
* List of Colorado-related lists
* List of counties in Colorado
* Outline of Colorado

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
4. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
7. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
8. ^ "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.
9. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
10. ^ a b "County Membership Reports". thearda.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
11. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved June 11, 2011.
12. ^ "Alamosa County Sheriff's Office in Alamosa, Colorado".
13. ^ "Alamosa County Sheriffs Office / Alamosa County Jail - Alamosa, CO (Address, Phone, and Fax)".
14. ^ Colorado County Codes

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
* Colorado Historical Society
* Official page at Facebook

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Alamosa County, Colorado

|  | Saguache County |

|
|

|  |
Rio Grande County |

Alamosa County, Colorado

| Huerfano County and Costilla County
|  |
Conejos County |  |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Alamosa County, Colorado, United States

County seat: Alamosa

City|

* Alamosa

Map of Colorado highlighting Alamosa County

Town|

* Hooper

CDP|

* Alamosa East

Unincorporated
communities|

* Estrella
* Hartner
* Henry
* La Fruto
* Mosca
* Waverly

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Colorado portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Colorado

Denver (capital)

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37°34′N 105°47′W﻿ / ﻿37.57°N 105.78°W﻿ / 37.57; -105.78
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