Montrose County, Colorado

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Montrose County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,679.<ref name="2020Census">Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Montrose,<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> for which the county is named.

Montrose County comprises the Montrose, CO, Micropolitan Statistical Area.<ref name=OMB_10-02>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>See the Colorado census statistical areas.</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.08%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

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

Template:US Census population

As of the census<ref name=CountyPop2>Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, there were 41,276 people, 16,484 households, and 11,461 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 18,250 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. 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<ref name=CountyIncome>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.

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.<ref>Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1992 Senatorial General Election Results – Colorado</ref> Montrose County did back Constitution Party nominee Tom Tancredo in the 2010 gubernatorial election,<ref>Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 2010 Gubernatorial General Election Results</ref> and Bill Ritter did win 46 percent in 2006,<ref>Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 2006 Gubernatorial General Election Results</ref> but Roy Romer in 1990 remains the last Democratic candidate for governor to win Montrose County.<ref>Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas; 1990 Gubernatorial General Election Results</ref>