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Moffat County, Colorado

Coordinates: 40°37′N 108°12′W / 40.61°N 108.20°W / 40.61; -108.20
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Moffat County
County
Round Bottom Area in Moffat County, Colorado
Round Bottom Area in Moffat County, Colorado
Map of Colorado highlighting Moffat County
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Map of the United States highlighting Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°37′N 108°12′W / 40.61°N 108.2°W / 40.61; -108.2
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedFebruary 27, 1911
Named forDavid H. Moffat
SeatCraig
Largest cityCraig
Area
 • Total4,751 sq mi (12,310 km2)
 • Land4,743 sq mi (12,280 km2)
 • Water7.6 sq mi (20 km2)  0.2%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
13,283
 • Density2.9/sq mi (1.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.co.moffat.co.us

Moffat County is the northwestern most of the 64 counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,795.[1] The county seat is Craig.[2]

Moffat County comprises the Craig, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Steamboat Springs-Craig, CO Combined Statistical Area.

History

Moffat County was created out of the western portion of Routt County on February 27, 1911. The county was named for David H. Moffat, a Colorado tycoon who died in 1911. His railroad, the Denver, Northwestern & Pacific, attempted to build a route from Denver to Salt Lake City. In 1913, a reorganized railroad, the Denver & Salt Lake, reached as far as Craig, the county seat, but no farther. In the late 1890s and early 1900s, all state District Courts were held in Denver, in the State courthouse there, due to a lack of funds to build courthouses locally. All murder trials were held in Denver, in the District Courts.

Allegedly, so many murders occurred between sheep farmers from Wyoming and cattle ranchers from Colorado that the presiding judges—tired of presiding over these murder trials—requested that the State legislature split Routt County into what is now Routt and Moffat counties; the legislature complied.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,751 square miles (12,310 km2), of which 4,743 square miles (12,280 km2) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km2) (0.2%) is water.[3] It is the second-largest county by area in Colorado.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Scenic byway

Major highways

Entering Moffat County from the east on U.S. Route 40.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19205,129—
19304,861−5.2%
19405,0864.6%
19505,94616.9%
19607,06118.8%
19706,525−7.6%
198013,133101.3%
199011,357−13.5%
200013,18416.1%
201013,7954.6%
2019 (est.)13,283[4]−3.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2015[1]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 13,184 people, 4,983 households, and 3,577 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 5,635 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.61% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.88% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.17% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. 9.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,983 households out of which 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.50% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,528, and the median income for a family was $45,511. Males had a median income of $37,288 versus $22,080 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,540. About 6.90% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Fortification Rocks in Moffat County are a volcanic uplifts just to the west of Colorado State Highway 13.
Fortification Rocks in Moffat County are a volcanic uplifts just to the west of Colorado State Highway 13.

City

Town

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

Politics

Moffat is a Republican county in Presidential elections. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried Moffat County since Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landslide, and indeed no Democrat post-1964 has obtained even forty percent of the county's vote. Moffat was one of fifteen counties (two in Colorado) to give a plurality to Ross Perot in the 1992 election, but every other Republican candidate since 1968 has obtained an absolute majority in Moffat County.

Presidential election results
Moffat County vote
by party in presidential elections[10]
Year Republican Democratic Others
2016 81.3% 5,305 13.4% 874 5.3% 346
2012 76.1% 4,695 21.6% 1,330 2.3% 143
2008 70.4% 4,135 27.0% 1,582 2.6% 154
2004 74.2% 4,247 23.7% 1,355 2.2% 123
2000 72.0% 3,840 22.9% 1,223 5.1% 274
1996 51.0% 2,466 33.8% 1,635 15.2% 735
1992 35.5% 1,809 27.2% 1,386 37.3% 1,900
1988 61.0% 2,757 36.2% 1,634 2.8% 128
1984 72.9% 3,630 24.7% 1,228 2.5% 123
1980 67.9% 3,344 21.9% 1,079 10.2% 502
1976 55.7% 2,099 38.5% 1,451 5.8% 220
1972 67.7% 1,928 20.8% 591 11.6% 329
1968 62.1% 1,785 26.6% 765 11.3% 325
1964 46.3% 1,438 53.4% 1,657 0.3% 8
1960 59.3% 1,754 40.6% 1,200 0.1% 3
1956 68.8% 1,762 31.1% 797 0.1% 2
1952 70.1% 1,922 29.5% 808 0.4% 11
1948 52.7% 1,261 46.1% 1,101 1.2% 29
1944 60.9% 1,445 38.9% 923 0.3% 6
1940 59.2% 1,556 40.2% 1,056 0.6% 15
1936 42.1% 954 48.1% 1,090 9.7% 220
1932 36.6% 880 57.7% 1,388 5.8% 139
1928 64.6% 1,346 34.1% 710 1.4% 29
1924 50.7% 1,009 32.5% 647 16.8% 334
1920 65.4% 1,294 29.8% 589 4.8% 95
1916 39.7% 512 57.4% 740 2.9% 37
1912 31.3% 294 43.6% 409 25.1% 235

In gubernatorial elections, Moffat County has also generally been Republican, but was nonetheless carried by Democrat Roy Romer by a narrow margin in 1990[11] – when he carried all but four counties statewide – by Dick Lamm in 1982[12] and by Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo in 2010.[13] In senatorial elections, the Republican candidate has consistently garnered over sixty percent of Moffat County voters since future party-switcher Ben “Nighthorse” Campbell won the county for the Democratic Party in 1992.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  4. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  7. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  9. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  10. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  11. ^ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
  12. ^ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1982 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
  13. ^ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 2010 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Colorado
  14. ^ Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1992 Senatorial General Election Results – Colorado
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40°37′N 108°12′W / 40.61°N 108.20°W / 40.61; -108.20

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