Editing La Plata County, Colorado

{{short description|County in Colorado, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county      = La Plata County
 | state              = Colorado
 | ex image             = The Strater Hotel, opened in 1888 during a mining boom in Durango, Colorado LCCN2015632887.jpg
 | ex image size        = 220px
 | ex image cap         = Strater Hotel, opened in 1888 during a [[Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad|mining boom in Durango]].
 | flag                 = Flag of La Plata County, Colorado.png
 | seal                 = Seal of La Plata County, Colorado.png
 | logo                 = Logo of La Plata County, Colorado.png
 | founded year         = 1874
 | founded date    = February 10
 | seat wl             = Durango
 | largest city wl     = Durango
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1700
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1692
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.6
 | area percentage      = 0.4%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 55638
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 56407 {{gain}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone          = Mountain
 | footnotes            = 
 | web        = co.laplata.co.us
 | named for            = [[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "the [[silver]]"
 | district             = 3rd }}

'''La Plata County''' is a county located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Colorado]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 55,638.<ref name="2020Census">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/laplatacountycolorado/PST045219|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 5, 2021}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Durango, Colorado|Durango]].<ref name="GR6">{{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}}</ref> The county was named for the [[La Plata River (San Juan River)|La Plata River]] and the [[La Plata Mountains]].  "La plata" means "the silver" in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. La Plata County comprises the Durango, CO [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]].<ref name=OMB_10-02>{{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=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[Office of Management and Budget]]|archive-date=January 21, 2017}}</ref><ref>See the [[Colorado census statistical areas]].</ref> The county is home to [[Durango Rock Shelters Archeology Site]], the [[type site]] for the [[Pecos Classification|Basketmaker II period]] of [[Anasazi]] culture.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1700|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1692|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.6|sqmi}} (0.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{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}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
*[[San Juan County, Colorado|San Juan County]] - north
*[[Hinsdale County, Colorado|Hinsdale County]] - northeast
*[[Archuleta County, Colorado|Archuleta County]] - east
*[[San Juan County, New Mexico|San Juan County]], [[New Mexico]] - south
*[[Montezuma County, Colorado|Montezuma County]] - west
*[[Dolores County, Colorado|Dolores County]] - northwest

===Major highways===
* [[File:US 160.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 160 (Colorado)|U.S. Highway 160]]
* [[File:US 550.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 550 (Colorado)|U.S. Highway 550]]
* [[File:Colorado 140.svg|20px]] [[Colorado State Highway 140|State Highway 140]]
* [[File:Colorado 151.svg|20px]] [[Colorado State Highway 151|State Highway 151]]
* [[File:Colorado 172.svg|20px]] [[Colorado State Highway 172|State Highway 172]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 1110
|1890= 5509
|1900= 7016
|1910= 10812
|1920= 11218
|1930= 12975
|1940= 15494
|1950= 14880
|1960= 19225
|1970= 19199
|1980= 27424
|1990= 32284
|2000= 43941
|2010= 51334
|2020= 55638
|estyear=2023
|estimate=56407
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{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}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{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}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 8, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{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}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{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}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="2020Census" />
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 43,941 people in the county, organized into 17,342 households and 10,890 families. The [[population density]] was {{convert|26|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 20,765 housing units at an average density of {{convert|12|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 87.31% [[Race (U.S. census)|White]], 5.78% [[Race (U.S. census)|Native American]], 0.40% [[Race (U.S. census)|Asian]], 0.31% [[Race (U.S. census)|Black]] or [[Race (U.S. census)|African American]], 0.05% [[Race (U.S. census)|Pacific Islander]], 3.90% from [[race (U.S. census)|other races]], and 2.25% from two or more races. 10.40% of the population were [[Race (U.S. census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (U.S. census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 17,342 households, out of which 29.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.20% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.70% under the age of 18, 13.90% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 103.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,159, and the median income for a family was $50,446. Males had a median income of $32,486 versus $24,666 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $21,534. 11.70% of the population and 6.70% of families were below the [[poverty line]]. Out of the total population, 9.30% of those under the age of 18 and 7.70% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

==Communities==
===City===
*[[Durango, Colorado|Durango]]

===Towns===
*[[Bayfield, Colorado|Bayfield]]
*[[Ignacio, Colorado|Ignacio]]

===Census-designated place===
*[[Southern Ute, Colorado|Southern Ute]]
* [[Marvel, Colorado|Marvel]]

===Other unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*[[Allison, Colorado|Allison]]
*[[Bondad, Colorado|Bondad]]
*[[Breen, Colorado|Breen]]
*[[Falfa, Colorado|Falfa]]
*[[Gem Village, Colorado|Gem Village]]
*[[Hermosa, Colorado|Hermosa]]
*[[Hesperus, Colorado|Hesperus]]
*[[Kline, Colorado|Kline]]
*[[Mayday, Colorado|Mayday]]
*[[Oxford, Colorado|Oxford]]
*[[Redmesa, Colorado|Redmesa]]
*[[Tiffany, Colorado|Tiffany]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
*[[Greysill Mines]]
*[[La Plata, Colorado|La Plata]]
*[[Parrott City, Colorado|Parrott City]]<ref>[http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/co/parrot.html Parrott]</ref>

==Politics==
In its early years La Plata County generally leaned towards the Democratic Party. Only [[Benjamin Harrison]] in 1888, and the three landslide victories of [[Theodore Roosevelt]], [[Warren G. Harding]] and [[Herbert Hoover]] saw the county vote Republican before [[World War II]]. In the period between 1940 and 1988, however, the county – like Colorado generally – took a turn towards supporting the Republican Party, with the result that between 1940 and 2000 the only Democrat to obtain a majority in the county was [[Lyndon Johnson]] in 1964. Since [[John Kerry]] became the first candidate in sixteen years from either party to gain a majority in La Plata County in the 2004 election, the county has tended towards the Democratic Party: [[Barack Obama]]'s 2008 share of the vote was the highest for a Democrat since [[Woodrow Wilson]]'s 92 years prior. In the 2020 election, Democrat Joe Biden handily won majority of the vote in the county, with a higher share of the vote than the previous presidential elections, and this trend continued even further in the 2024 election.

{{PresHead|place=La Plata County, Colorado|source=<ref>{{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}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|14,024|20,677|991|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|14,233|20,548|886|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|12,587|15,525|3,038|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|12,794|15,489|1,025|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|11,503|16,057|419|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|11,704|13,409|400|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|9,993|7,864|2,633|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|8,057|6,509|2,755|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|5,522|5,913|4,178|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|7,714|5,443|205|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|8,719|4,040|159|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|7,291|3,034|1,876|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|6,228|3,843|476|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,691|2,830|623|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|4,269|2,523|684|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,550|4,442|15|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|4,772|3,329|10|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|4,770|2,366|4|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,425|2,210|66|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,735|2,536|89|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,023|2,031|15|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,871|2,835|39|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,354|3,040|185|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,124|3,156|237|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,837|1,872|53|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,469|1,516|1,197|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,711|1,445|209|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,029|2,590|182|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|692|1,775|1,093|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,381|2,004|368|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,745|1,458|210|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|900|1,844|25|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|91|2,729|6|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1892|Populist|545|0|1,078|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1888|Republican|849|774|38|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1884|Republican|722|629|64|Colorado}}
{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|259|345|0|Colorado}}

==Recreation==
===National forest and wilderness===
*[[San Juan National Forest]]
*[[Weminuche Wilderness]]

===National historic district===
*[[Durango-Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad National Historic District]]

===Trails===
*[[Colorado Trail]]
*[[Old Spanish National Historic Trail]]

===Bicycle route===
*[[Great Parks Bicycle Route]]

===Scenic byway===
*[[San Juan Skyway National Scenic Byway]]
{{clear}}

==Education==
===Public Education===
====''Durango School District 9-R''====
;Elementary Schools
*Animas Valley Elementary School
*Florida Mesa Elementary School
*Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School
*Needham Elementary School
*Park Elementary School
*Riverview Elementary School
*Sunnyside Elementary School
;Middle Schools
*Escalante Middle School
*Miller Middle School
;High Schools
*Durango High School
*Durango Big Picture High School

====''Bayfield School District''====
;Elementary Schools
*Bayfield Primary School
*Bayfield Intermediate School
;Middle School
*Bayfield Middle School
;High School
*Bayfield High School

====''Ignacio School District 11-JT''====
;Elementary School
*Ignacio Elementary School
;Middle School
*Ignacio Middle School
;High School
*Ignacio High School

==See also==
{{portal|Government|History|Mountains|United States|Colorado}}
*[[Bibliography of Colorado]]
*[[Geography of Colorado]]
*[[History of Colorado]]
**[[East Canyon Fire]]
**[[National Register of Historic Places listings in La Plata County, Colorado]]
*[[Index of Colorado-related articles]]
*[[List of Colorado-related lists]]
**[[List of counties in Colorado]]
**[[List of statistical areas in Colorado]]
*[[Outline of Colorado]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://co.laplata.co.us/ La Plata County Government website]
*[http://www.coloradohistory-oahp.org/programareas/register/1503/cty/lp.htm La Plata County State Register properties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050310162651/http://coloradohistory-oahp.org/programareas/register/1503/cty/lp.htm |date=March 10, 2005 }}
*[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]
*[http://www.gatewayreservations.com/ La Plata County Central Reservations]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080111032457/http://accessdurango.com/ Access Durango, Colorado Community Portal]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = La Plata County, Colorado
|North     = [[San Juan County, Colorado|San Juan County]]
|Northeast = [[Hinsdale County, Colorado|Hinsdale County]]
|East      = [[Archuleta County, Colorado|Archuleta County]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = [[San Juan County, New Mexico]]
|Southwest = 
|West      = [[Montezuma County, Colorado|Montezuma County]]
|Northwest = [[Dolores County, Colorado|Dolores County]]
}} 
{{La Plata County, Colorado}}
{{Colorado}}
{{authority control}}
{{coord|37.29|-107.85|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CO_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:La Plata County, Colorado| ]]
[[Category:Colorado counties]]
[[Category:1874 establishments in Colorado Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1874]]