Otero County, Colorado
Otero County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,690.[1] The county seat is La Junta.[2] The county was named for Miguel Antonio Otero, one of the founders of the town of La Junta and a member of a prominent Hispanic family.
Geography
[edit | edit source]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,270 square miles (3,300 km2), of which 1,262 square miles (3,270 km2) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km2) (0.6%) is water.[3]
Adjacent counties
[edit | edit source]- Crowley County - north
- Kiowa County - northeast
- Bent County - east
- Las Animas County - south
- Pueblo County - west
Major highways
[edit | edit source]- File:US 50.svg U.S. Highway 50
- File:US 350.svg U.S. Highway 350
- File:Colorado 10.svg State Highway 10
- File:Colorado 71.svg State Highway 71
- File:Colorado 109.svg State Highway 109
- File:Colorado 167.svg State Highway 167
- File:Colorado 207.svg State Highway 207
- File:Colorado 266.svg State Highway 266
National protected areas
[edit | edit source]Trails and byways
[edit | edit source]Demographics
[edit | edit source]2020 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 18,690. Of the residents, 23.4% were under the age of 18 and 21.5% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.0 males. 41.7% of residents lived in urban areas and 58.3% lived in rural areas.[4][5][6]
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[7] | Pop 2010[8] | Pop 2020[9] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 12,014 | 10,639 | 10,013 | 59.15% | 56.50% | 53.57% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 111 | 93 | 134 | 0.55% | 0.49% | 0.72% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 134 | 111 | 112 | 0.66% | 0.59% | 0.60% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 134 | 135 | 98 | 0.66% | 0.72% | 0.52% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 6 | 7 | 28 | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.15% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 10 | 24 | 103 | 0.05% | 0.13% | 0.55% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 260 | 226 | 500 | 1.28% | 1.20% | 2.68% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7,642 | 7,596 | 7,702 | 37.62% | 40.34% | 41.21% |
| Total | 20,311 | 18,831 | 18,690 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The racial makeup of the county was 68.7% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 2.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 12.6% from some other race, and 15.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 41.2% of the population.[6]
There were 7,676 households in the county, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 29.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[5]
There were 8,716 housing units, of which 11.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.2% were owner-occupied and 35.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%.[5]
2000 census
[edit | edit source]At the 2000 census there were 20,311 people, 7,920 households, and 5,472 families living in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile (6.2 people/km2). There were 8,813 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 79.02% White, 0.76% Black or African American, 1.43% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 15.06% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. 37.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[10] Of the 7,920 households 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 12.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 27.80% of households were one person and 12.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.
The age distribution was 26.90% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.
The median household income was $29,738 and the median family income was $35,906. Males had a median income of $26,996 versus $21,001 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,113. About 14.20% of families and 18.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.90% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
[edit | edit source]Otero is a strongly Republican county, although less so than the counties of the Colorado High Plains. It was last won for the Democratic Party by Bill Clinton in 1996. Before that, Otero tended to be a Republican-leaning county at the Presidential level, although it did vote for Wilson twice, FDR in 1932 and 1936, Truman in 1948 and Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| "text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Populist |1892 | 324 | 18.23% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,453 | 81.77% |
| 1896 | 524 | 19.13% | 2,167 | 79.12% | 48 | 1.75% |
| 1900 | 1,913 | 43.73% | 2,266 | 51.79% | 196 | 4.48% |
| 1904 | 2,975 | 53.98% | 2,225 | 40.37% | 311 | 5.64% |
| 1908 | 3,232 | 44.47% | 3,542 | 48.73% | 494 | 6.80% |
| 1912 | 1,293 | 20.98% | 2,885 | 46.80% | 1,986 | 32.22% |
| 1916 | 2,678 | 38.68% | 3,963 | 57.24% | 283 | 4.09% |
| 1920 | 3,846 | 55.93% | 2,727 | 39.66% | 303 | 4.41% |
| 1924 | 4,694 | 59.19% | 1,938 | 24.44% | 1,298 | 16.37% |
| 1928 | 5,788 | 74.88% | 1,876 | 24.27% | 66 | 0.85% |
| 1932 | 3,974 | 42.79% | 5,107 | 54.99% | 206 | 2.22% |
| 1936 | 3,859 | 39.49% | 5,775 | 59.10% | 138 | 1.41% |
| 1940 | 5,459 | 54.11% | 4,567 | 45.27% | 62 | 0.61% |
| 1944 | 5,002 | 56.74% | 3,791 | 43.00% | 23 | 0.26% |
| 1948 | 4,311 | 33.08% | 8,640 | 66.30% | 81 | 0.62% |
| 1952 | 6,552 | 63.57% | 3,721 | 36.10% | 34 | 0.33% |
| 1956 | 5,964 | 61.53% | 3,722 | 38.40% | 7 | 0.07% |
| 1960 | 6,015 | 58.80% | 4,199 | 41.05% | 15 | 0.15% |
| 1964 | 3,605 | 37.41% | 5,999 | 62.26% | 32 | 0.33% |
| 1968 | 4,690 | 49.66% | 3,891 | 41.20% | 864 | 9.15% |
| 1972 | 6,016 | 65.75% | 2,929 | 32.01% | 205 | 2.24% |
| 1976 | 4,597 | 51.54% | 4,118 | 46.17% | 205 | 2.30% |
| 1980 | 4,801 | 54.55% | 3,294 | 37.43% | 706 | 8.02% |
| 1984 | 5,373 | 62.37% | 3,005 | 34.88% | 237 | 2.75% |
| 1988 | 4,265 | 51.39% | 3,910 | 47.11% | 124 | 1.49% |
| 1992 | 3,120 | 37.53% | 3,485 | 41.92% | 1,708 | 20.55% |
| 1996 | 3,356 | 45.13% | 3,386 | 45.53% | 695 | 9.35% |
| 2000 | 4,082 | 55.83% | 2,963 | 40.52% | 267 | 3.65% |
| 2004 | 4,947 | 60.48% | 3,164 | 38.68% | 69 | 0.84% |
| 2008 | 4,393 | 54.47% | 3,547 | 43.98% | 125 | 1.55% |
| 2012 | 4,382 | 53.49% | 3,647 | 44.52% | 163 | 1.99% |
| 2016 | 4,928 | 58.31% | 2,943 | 34.82% | 581 | 6.87% |
| 2020 | 5,756 | 60.11% | 3,605 | 37.65% | 215 | 2.25% |
| 2024 | 5,520 | 61.84% | 3,164 | 35.45% | 242 | 2.71% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:C.O. GovHead Template:C.O. GovRow Template:C.O. GovFoot
Communities
[edit | edit source]Cities
[edit | edit source]Towns
[edit | edit source]Census-designated places
[edit | edit source]See also
[edit | edit source]
- Bibliography of Colorado
- Geography of Colorado
- History of Colorado
- G.W. Swink, pioneer county commissioner
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Otero County, Colorado
- Index of Colorado-related articles
- List of Colorado-related lists
- Outline of Colorado
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
- ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Otero County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
- ↑ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Otero County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
- ↑ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Otero County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
- ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
External links
[edit | edit source]Template:Otero County, Colorado Template:Geographic Location Template:Colorado