Center, Colorado
{{short description|A statutory town in Saguache and Rio Grande counties, Colorado, United States.}}
{{infobox settlement
| name = Center, Colorado
| official_name = Town of Center
|settlement_type = statutory town{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg_lgis_ui_pu/publicMunicipalities.jsf|title=Active Colorado Municipalities|publisher=Colorado Department of Local Affairs|access-date=June 9, 2025}}
| motto =
| image_skyline = Center, Colorado.JPG
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Center in winter, December 2012
| image_flag =
| flag_size =
| image_seal =
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| shield_size =
| image_blank_emblem =
| blank_emblem_type =
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| image_map = File:Rio Grande County and Saguache County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Center Highlighted 0812855.svg
| mapsize =
| map_caption = Location of the Town of Center in Saguache and Rio Grande counties, Colorado.
| image_dot_map =
| dot_mapsize =
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|pushpin_map = USA#USA Colorado
|pushpin_relief =
|pushpin_label = Center
|pushpin_label_position = right
|pushpin_map_caption = Location of the Town of Center, Colorado.
|coordinates = {{coord|39.0000|-102.0000|type:city_region:US-CO_source:GNIS-203419|name=Center, Colorado|display=it}}
|coordinates_footnotes = {{cite gnis|id=203419|name=Center, Colorado|access-date=June 9, 2025}}
|elevation_ft = 7645
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = State
|subdivision_name1 = Colorado
|subdivision_type2 = Counties{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg_lgis_ui_pu/publicCounties.jsf|title=Colorado Counties|publisher=Colorado Department of Local Affairs|access-date=June 9, 2025}}
|subdivision_name2 = Saguache
Rio Grande
|government_footnotes =
|government_type = statutory town
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| established_title =
| established_date =
| established_title2 = Incorporated
| established_date2 = January 18, 1907{{cite web | url = http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html | title = Colorado Municipal Incorporations | publisher = State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives | date = December 1, 2004 | accessdate = September 2, 2007}}
| established_title3 =
| established_date3 =
| unit_pref = US
| area_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo/summary-files.html|title=Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data|publisher=United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=September 4, 2021}}
| area_total_km2 = 2.238
| area_land_km2 = 2.238
| area_water_km2 = 0.000
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_total = 1,929
| population_density_sq_mi = 2,232
|timezone = MST
|utc_offset = −07:00
|timezone_DST = MDT
|utc_offset_DST = −06:00
|postal_code_type = ZIP code{{cite web|url=https://tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm?bycitystate|title=ZIP Code Lookup|publisher=United States Postal Service|access-date=June 9, 2025}}
|postal_code = 81125
|area_code_type = Area code
|area_code = 719
|blank_name = GNIS pop ID
|blank_info = {{GNIS 4|203419}}
|blank1_name = GNIS town ID
|blank1_info = {{GNIS 4|2413186}}
|blank2_name = FIPS code
|blank2_info = {{FIPS|08|12855}}
|website = {{URL|https://www.colorado.gov/townofcenter}}
|footnotes =
}}
Center is a statutory town located in Saguache and Rio Grande counties, Colorado, United States. The town's population was 1,929 at the 2020 United States census with 1,885 residing in Saguache County and 44 residing in Rio Grande County.
History
The Center, Colorado, post office opened on July 1, 1899,{{cite book|title=Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989|first1=William H.|last1=Bauer|first2=James L.|last2=Ozment|first3=John H.|last3=Willard|date=1990|publisher=Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation|location=Golden, Colorado|isbn=0-918654-42-4}} and the Town of Center was incorporated on January 18, 1907. The town lies near the center of the San Luis Valley, hence the name.{{cite book|last=Dawson|first=John Frank|title=Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051116740;view=1up;seq=19|year=1954|publisher=The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co.|location=Denver, CO|page=13}}
Facilities
Leach Airport is located 4 miles east and 3 miles north of town, at County Road 53 and County Road C.[https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&q=center+leach+field&sll=37.784792,-106.046906&sspn=0.013228,0.027874&ie=UTF8&split=1&filter=0&rq=1&ev=zi&radius=0.76&hq=center+leach+field&hnear=&ll=37.793575,-106.0427&spn=0.013228,0.027874&z=14&iwloc=A&cid=1742539667178779438 Google.com: Leach Airport Map and Data] The nearest college is Adams State College; 23 miles to Alamosa, Colorado.
{{clear|left}}
Geography
At the 2020 United States census, the town had a total area of {{convert|2.238|km2|acre|order=flip}}, all of it land.
=Climate=
Center has a cold desert climate (Köppen BWk), bordering on a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk).
{{Weather box
|location = Center 4 SSW, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, 1941-2020 records: {{convert|7673|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = Yes
|Jan record high F = 59
|Feb record high F = 65
|Mar record high F = 74
|Apr record high F = 83
|May record high F = 88
|Jun record high F = 95
|Jul record high F = 94
|Aug record high F = 90
|Sep record high F = 89
|Oct record high F = 81
|Nov record high F = 68
|Dec record high F = 61
|year record high F =
|Jan avg record high F = 46.6
|Feb avg record high F = 52.2
|Mar avg record high F = 65.4
|Apr avg record high F = 72.5
|May avg record high F = 79.7
|Jun avg record high F = 87.3
|Jul avg record high F = 88.4
|Aug avg record high F = 86.2
|Sep avg record high F = 81.9
|Oct avg record high F = 74.6
|Nov avg record high F = 61.3
|Dec avg record high F = 50.0
|year avg record high F = 89.6
|Jan high F = 31.6
|Feb high F = 38.0
|Mar high F = 49.4
|Apr high F = 58.1
|May high F = 66.8
|Jun high F = 76.3
|Jul high F = 79.8
|Aug high F = 78.5
|Sep high F = 72.9
|Oct high F = 60.8
|Nov high F = 46.1
|Dec high F = 33.4
|year high F =
|Jan mean F = 17.9
|Feb mean F = 24.0
|Mar mean F = 34.8
|Apr mean F = 42.7
|May mean F = 51.5
|Jun mean F = 59.3
|Jul mean F = 63.8
|Aug mean F = 62.4
|Sep mean F = 56.2
|Oct mean F = 44.7
|Nov mean F = 31.3
|Dec mean F = 19.2
|year mean F =
|Jan low F = 4.2
|Feb low F = 10.0
|Mar low F = 20.2
|Apr low F = 27.3
|May low F = 36.2
|Jun low F = 42.3
|Jul low F = 47.7
|Aug low F = 46.3
|Sep low F = 39.5
|Oct low F = 28.5
|Nov low F = 16.5
|Dec low F = 5.0
|year low F =
|Jan avg record low F = -12.7
|Feb avg record low F = -9.3
|Mar avg record low F = 3.6
|Apr avg record low F = 13.7
|May avg record low F = 24.3
|Jun avg record low F = 33.1
|Jul avg record low F = 40.5
|Aug avg record low F = 39.0
|Sep avg record low F = 27.9
|Oct avg record low F = 14.3
|Nov avg record low F = -1.6
|Dec avg record low F = -12.8
|year avg record low F = -17.5
|Jan record low F = −40
|Feb record low F = −32
|Mar record low F = −16
|Apr record low F = -4
|May record low F = 12
|Jun record low F = 23
|Jul record low F = 31
|Aug record low F = 28
|Sep record low F = 16
|Oct record low F = -4
|Nov record low F = -25
|Dec record low F = −41
|year record low F =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.13
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.27
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.33
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.53
|May precipitation inch = 0.58
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.63
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.32
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.19
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.70
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.61
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.46
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.46
|year precipitation inch =
|Jan snow inch = 3.50
|Feb snow inch = 2.90
|Mar snow inch = 5.50
|Apr snow inch = 1.80
|May snow inch = 0.60
|Jun snow inch = 0.00
|Jul snow inch = 0.00
|Aug snow inch = 0.00
|Sep snow inch = 0.00
|Oct snow inch = 1.60
|Nov snow inch = 3.10
|Dec snow inch = 6.10
|year snow inch =
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 2.2
|Feb precipitation days = 2.2
|Mar precipitation days = 2.9
|Apr precipitation days = 3.3
|May precipitation days = 4.4
|Jun precipitation days = 5.0
|Jul precipitation days = 7.5
|Aug precipitation days = 9.3
|Sep precipitation days = 6.4
|Oct precipitation days = 4.3
|Nov precipitation days = 3.0
|Dec precipitation days = 2.7
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 2.0
|Feb snow days = 1.5
|Mar snow days = 2.0
|Apr snow days = 0.7
|May snow days = 0.2
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.4
|Nov snow days = 1.5
|Dec snow days = 1.7
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00051458&format=pdf
|title = Center 4 SSW, Colorado 1991-2020 Monthly Normals
|access-date = January 7, 2024
}}
|source 2 = XMACIS2 (records & monthly max/mins)
{{cite web
|url = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = xmACIS
|access-date = January 7, 2024
}}
}}
Demographics
{{US Census population|align=left
|1910= 385
|1920= 547
|1930= 1011
|1940= 1515
|1950= 2024
|1960= 1600
|1970= 1470
|1980= 1630
|1990= 1963
|2000= 2392
|2010= 2230
|2020= 1929
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census
}}
As of the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2012, there were 2,271 people, 768 households, and 603 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|2,854.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 848 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,011.9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 10.3% White, 0.3% African American, 1% Native American, 0.09% from other races, and 0.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 87.4% of the population.
There were 768 households, out of which 47.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.56.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 35.2% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $23,780, and the median income for a family was $26,143. Males had a median income of $20,844 versus $18,036 for females. The per capita income for the town was $9,289. About 27.1% of families and 27.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.6% of those under age 18 and 22.8% of those age 65 or over.{{clear left}}
Education
- Public high schools:
- Center High School - grades 9 - 12
- The Academic Recovery Center of San Luis Valley - grades 9 - 12
- Public elementary/middle schools:
- Haskin Elementary School
- Skoglund Middle School - grades 6 - 8
- Private elementary/middle school in Center:
- High Valley Christian School
{{center}}
See also
{{portal|Geography|History|United States|Colorado}}
- List of municipalities in Colorado
- List of populated places in Colorado
- List of post offices in Colorado
{{clear}}
References
{{reflist|22em}}
External links
{{sister project links|auto=yes}}
- [https://www.colorado.gov/ State of Colorado]
- [https://www.historycolorado.org/ History Colorado]
- {{Official website|https://townofcenter.colorado.gov/}}
{{Saguache County, Colorado|collapse_state=expanded}}
{{Rio Grande County, Colorado|collapse_state=expanded}}
{{Colorado}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Towns in Rio Grande County, Colorado