Rio Blanco County, Colorado
Rio Blanco County (Spanish: Condado del Río Blanco) is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,529.[1] The county seat is Meeker.[2] The name of the county is the Spanish name for the White River which runs through it.
Rio Blanco County | |
|---|---|
Entering the county from the south on State Highway 13. | |
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado | |
Colorado's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 39°59′N 108°12′W / 39.98°N 108.2°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| Founded | March 25, 1889 |
| Named for | White River |
| Seat | Meeker |
| Largest town | Meeker |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3,223 sq mi (8,350 km2) |
| • Land | 3,221 sq mi (8,340 km2) |
| • Water | 1.9 sq mi (5 km2) 0.06% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 6,529 |
| • Density | 2.0/sq mi (0.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
History edit
Rio Blanco County was created on March 25, 1889, when it was split from Garfield County. The town of Meeker became the county seat.[3]
On May 17, 1973, Rio Blanco County became one of two counties in Colorado to have a peaceful nuclear explosion as a part of Operation Plowshare. There were three nearly simultaneous explosions targeted at producing unconventional natural gas, all detonated as Project Rio Blanco.[4] The other county is Garfield County under Project Rulison.
Geography edit
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,223 square miles (8,350 km2), of which 3,221 square miles (8,340 km2) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) (0.06%) is water.[5]
Adjacent counties edit
- Moffat County - north
- Routt County - northeast
- Garfield County - south
- Uintah County, Utah - west
Major highways edit
National protected areas edit
Scenic byways edit
State parks and wildlife areas edit
Demographics edit
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 1,200 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,690 | 40.8% | |
| 1910 | 2,332 | 38.0% | |
| 1920 | 3,135 | 34.4% | |
| 1930 | 2,980 | −4.9% | |
| 1940 | 2,943 | −1.2% | |
| 1950 | 4,719 | 60.3% | |
| 1960 | 5,150 | 9.1% | |
| 1970 | 4,842 | −6.0% | |
| 1980 | 6,255 | 29.2% | |
| 1990 | 5,972 | −4.5% | |
| 2000 | 5,986 | 0.2% | |
| 2010 | 6,666 | 11.4% | |
| 2020 | 6,529 | −2.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 6,569 | [6] | 0.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1] | |||
At the 2000 census there were 5,986 people, 2,306 households, and 1,646 families living in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). There were 2,855 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.01% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 0.77% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 2.02% from other races, and 1.74% from two or more races. 4.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[11] Of the 2,306 households 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 24.80% of households were one person and 8.70% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98.
The age distribution was 26.50% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 101.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.60 males.
The median household income was $37,711 and the median family income was $44,425. Males had a median income of $38,125 versus $19,940 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,344. About 6.70% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.60% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.
Education edit
Rio Blanco County is home to Meeker School District RE-1 and Rangely School District RE-4,[citation needed] as well as Rangely Christian Academy, a private K-8 school.[12]
The county is home to Colorado Northwestern Community College in Rangely, as well as an extension of Colorado State University in Meeker.[13]
Politics edit
Rio Blanco is an overwhelmingly Republican county in Presidential elections. It was along with Clark County, Idaho and Kane County, Utah one of only three counties west of the Continental Divide to vote for Alf Landon over Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936. In that election Rio Blanco was Landon's strongest county in the eleven western states, marginally shading normal Republican “banner county” Kane. Since that time only two Democrats – Harry S. Truman in 1948 and Lyndon Johnson who narrowly carried the county in 1964 – have obtained over forty percent of the county's vote. In fact, since 1968 only one Democratic presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis in 1988, and him only very marginally, has topped thirty percent of Rio Blanco County's ballots.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 3,061 | 82.93% | 561 | 15.20% | 69 | 1.87% |
| 2016 | 2,791 | 80.90% | 436 | 12.64% | 223 | 6.46% |
| 2012 | 2,724 | 80.85% | 568 | 16.86% | 77 | 2.29% |
| 2008 | 2,437 | 77.44% | 655 | 20.81% | 55 | 1.75% |
| 2004 | 2,403 | 80.02% | 566 | 18.85% | 34 | 1.13% |
| 2000 | 2,185 | 76.53% | 543 | 19.02% | 127 | 4.45% |
| 1996 | 1,697 | 62.50% | 731 | 26.92% | 287 | 10.57% |
| 1992 | 1,231 | 43.19% | 778 | 27.30% | 841 | 29.51% |
| 1988 | 1,821 | 68.41% | 803 | 30.17% | 38 | 1.43% |
| 1984 | 2,131 | 80.81% | 484 | 18.35% | 22 | 0.83% |
| 1980 | 1,971 | 74.46% | 462 | 17.45% | 214 | 8.08% |
| 1976 | 1,439 | 67.24% | 627 | 29.30% | 74 | 3.46% |
| 1972 | 1,586 | 77.25% | 414 | 20.17% | 53 | 2.58% |
| 1968 | 1,294 | 64.60% | 502 | 25.06% | 207 | 10.33% |
| 1964 | 1,015 | 47.17% | 1,134 | 52.70% | 3 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 1,391 | 63.57% | 794 | 36.29% | 3 | 0.14% |
| 1956 | 1,593 | 71.47% | 635 | 28.49% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1952 | 1,612 | 71.42% | 633 | 28.05% | 12 | 0.53% |
| 1948 | 981 | 56.03% | 752 | 42.95% | 18 | 1.03% |
| 1944 | 881 | 65.89% | 451 | 33.73% | 5 | 0.37% |
| 1940 | 1,021 | 65.49% | 530 | 34.00% | 8 | 0.51% |
| 1936 | 830 | 55.78% | 587 | 39.45% | 71 | 4.77% |
| 1932 | 687 | 44.47% | 826 | 53.46% | 32 | 2.07% |
| 1928 | 860 | 65.50% | 429 | 32.67% | 24 | 1.83% |
| 1924 | 766 | 60.84% | 407 | 32.33% | 86 | 6.83% |
| 1920 | 793 | 62.24% | 455 | 35.71% | 26 | 2.04% |
| 1916 | 468 | 39.46% | 702 | 59.19% | 16 | 1.35% |
| 1912 | 372 | 33.24% | 538 | 48.08% | 209 | 18.68% |
| 1908 | 384 | 43.99% | 466 | 53.38% | 23 | 2.63% |
| 1904 | 552 | 58.11% | 391 | 41.16% | 7 | 0.74% |
| 1900 | 276 | 40.89% | 391 | 57.93% | 8 | 1.19% |
| 1896 | 52 | 10.26% | 454 | 89.55% | 1 | 0.20% |
| 1892 | 127 | 36.29% | 0 | 0.00% | 223 | 63.71% |
In other statewide elections, Rio Blanco County also leans Republican, although it was carried by Democrat Roy Romer in 1990[15] – when he carried all but four counties statewide – and by Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo in 2010.[16] Rio Blanco County was also carried by Democratic Senatorial candidate “Nighthorse” Campbell in 1992,[17] although since then no Democratic candidate for this office has surpassed thirty percent since.
Communities edit
Towns edit
Unincorporated communities edit
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Rio Blanco County, Colorado Genealogy Guide". Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness. July 5, 2016. from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ . Energy.gov. Department of Energy. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. from the original on July 31, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. from the original on December 27, 1996. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "Rangely Christian Academy". US News & World Report. from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
- ^ "Archived copy". from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. from the original on July 9, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
- ^ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado January 6, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 2010 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado January 6, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1992 Senatorial General Election Results – Colorado
- ^ "White River City". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. December 31, 1981.
External links edit
- Rio Blanco County Government website
- Colorado Historical Society