Montrose County, Colorado

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Montrose County

| state = Colorado

| seal =

| founded year = 1883

| founded date = February 11

| seat wl = Montrose

| largest city wl = Montrose

| area_total_sq_mi = 2243

| area_land_sq_mi = 2241

| area_water_sq_mi = 1.9

| area percentage = 0.08%

| census yr = 2020

| pop = 42679

| density_sq_mi = 19

| time zone = Mountain

| footnotes =

| web = www.montrosecounty.net

| named for = City of Montrose

| ex image = File:Montrose County Courthouse (15076304426).jpg

| ex image cap = Montrose County Courthouse in Montrose

| district = 3rd

|population_est=44156|pop_est_as_of=2023|pop_est_footnotes={{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 24, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}}}

Montrose County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,679.{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/montrosecountycolorado/PST045219|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 5, 2021}} The county seat is Montrose,{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}} for which the county is named.

Montrose County comprises the Montrose, CO, Micropolitan Statistical Area.{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/bulletins/b10-02.pdf|title=OMB Bulletin No. 10-02: Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses|date=December 1, 2009|access-date=April 19, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121004722/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/bulletins/b10-02.pdf|via=National Archives|work=Office of Management and Budget|archive-date=January 21, 2017}}See the Colorado census statistical areas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|2243|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|2241|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.9|sqmi}} (0.08%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

=Adjacent counties=

Mesa County - north
Delta County - northeast
Gunnison County - east
Ouray County - southeast
San Miguel County - south
San Juan County, Utah - west

=Major highways=

=National protected areas=

=River=

Dolores River (part)
Uncompahgre River (part)
San Miguel River (part)
Gunnison River (part)

=Trails and byways=

=Historical site=

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1890= 3980

|1900= 4535

|1910= 10291

|1920= 11852

|1930= 11742

|1940= 15418

|1950= 15220

|1960= 18286

|1970= 18366

|1980= 24352

|1990= 24423

|2000= 33432

|2010= 41276

|2020= 42679

|estyear=2023

|estimate=44156

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 31, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 8, 2014}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 8, 2014}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/co190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 8, 2014}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 8, 2014}} 2010-2020

}}

As of the census{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov | title = U.S. Census website | publisher = United States Census Bureau | access-date = May 31, 2011}} of 2010, there were 41,276 people, 16,484 households, and 11,461 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|18|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 18,250 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 86.70% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 1.10% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 8.70% from other races, and 2.40% from two or more races. 19.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 16,484 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.10% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.97.

The county population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 22.50% from 25 to 44, 28.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.

Also from the census{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov | title = U.S. Census website| publisher = United States Census Bureau | access-date = November 22, 2011}} of 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $46,058, and the median income for a family was $52,152. Males had a median income of $41,301 versus $31,659 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,413. About 7.30% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Montrose is a staunch Republican county. It has not been won by a Democratic presidential nominee since Lyndon Johnson‘s 1964 landslide – indeed since then, no Democrat has managed forty percent of the county's vote. The county has leaned Republican ever since 1920; although before this, it did tend to vote Democratic between 1896 and 1916 except during the landslide loss of Alton B. Parker in 1904.

{{PresHead|place=Montrose County, Colorado|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 26, 2017}}}}

In other offices, Montrose also is strongly Republican. The last Democratic Senatorial candidate it backed was Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who later shifted to the Republican Party, in the 1992 election.Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; [https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1992&fips=8&f=0&off=3&elect=0&class=3 1992 Senatorial General Election Results – Colorado] Montrose County did back Constitution Party nominee Tom Tancredo in the 2010 gubernatorial election,Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; [https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2010&off=5&elect=0&fips=8&f=0 2010 Gubernatorial General Election Results] and Bill Ritter did win 46 percent in 2006,Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; [https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2006&off=5&elect=0&fips=8&f=0 2006 Gubernatorial General Election Results] but Roy Romer in 1990 remains the last Democratic candidate for governor to win Montrose County.Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; [https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1990&off=5&elect=0&fips=8&f=0 1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results]

Culture

Ute Indian Museum

Communities

=City=

Montrose

=Towns=

=Census-designated place=

Redvale

=Other unincorporated places=

Notes

References

External links

[http://www.montrosecounty.net/ Montrose County Government website]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102713/http://www.stanwyck.com/cogenweb/cocounties.html Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck]
[http://www.coloradohistory.org/ Colorado Historical Society]

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Montrose County, Colorado

|North = Mesa County

|Northeast = Delta County

|East = Gunnison County

|Southeast = Ouray County

|South = San Miguel County

|Southwest =

|West = San Juan County, Utah

|Northwest =

}}

{{coord|38.41|-108.27|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CO_source:UScensus1990}}