Alamosa County, Colorado


Alamosa County is one of the 64 counties of the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 15,445. The county seat is Alamosa. The county name is the Spanish language word for a "grove of cottonwood trees."

History

Alamosa County was created by the Colorado legislature on March 8, 1913, out of northwestern Costilla County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Adjacent counties

Alamosa is served by San Luis Valley Regional Airport. The only commercial service is to Denver.

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 14,966 people, 5,467 households, and 3,651 families living in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile. There were 6,088 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 71.19% White, 0.97% Black or African American, 2.34% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 20.34% from other races, and 4.16% from two or more races. 41.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 5,467 households 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.50% were married couples living together, 11.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 27.30% of households were one person and 8.70% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.14.
The age distribution was 27.20% under the age of 18, 15.90% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 9.60% 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.
The median household income was $29,447 and the median family income was $38,389. Males had a median income of $27,733 versus $22,806 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,037. About 15.60% of families and 21.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.40% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.
In 2000, the largest denominational groups were Catholics and Evangelical Protestants. The largest religious bodies were the Catholic Church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Politics

YearRepublicanDemocraticOthers
201643.9% 3,04646.0% 3,18910.2% 704
201240.3% 2,70556.8% 3,8113.0% 199
200841.9% 2,63556.0% 3,5212.1% 130
200450.6% 3,17948.1% 3,0171.3% 83
200050.5% 2,85743.4% 2,4556.1% 347
199641.2% 2,03847.1% 2,33011.6% 575
199234.1% 1,57241.8% 1,92824.2% 1,117
198853.7% 2,56744.9% 2,1461.4% 67
198462.7% 2,95336.5% 1,7200.8% 38
198053.9% 2,60137.7% 1,8218.4% 406
197653.5% 2,59942.3% 2,0524.3% 206
197262.5% 2,91633.0% 1,5404.5% 209
196855.0% 2,27738.0% 1,5747.0% 289
196437.4% 1,48862.4% 2,4810.2% 7
196055.6% 2,27144.3% 1,8110.1% 4
195662.3% 2,44237.4% 1,4650.3% 11
195262.1% 2,72837.0% 1,6260.8% 37
194844.6% 1,95054.8% 2,3950.7% 29
194451.6% 1,93348.2% 1,8060.3% 10
194047.4% 2,24352.1% 2,4670.5% 23
193629.7% 1,18868.9% 2,7541.4% 57
193237.0% 1,30660.6% 2,1412.5% 87
192858.2% 1,75941.0% 1,2390.8% 23
192440.6% 1,00925.1% 62534.3% 852
192051.9% 1,08145.5% 9492.6% 54
191626.2% 48870.1% 1,3083.8% 70

Alamosa County is a competitive swing county, voting for the winning Presidential candidate in every election since its formation except 1944, 1960, 1976, 2016 and 2020. In the 2016 election, Donald Trump – who captured several previously solidly Democratic counties in southern Colorado – became the first Republican to win the presidency without carrying the county since it was created before the 1916 election.

Communities

City

Alamosa County has used the following county codes on Colorado license plates issued to passenger vehicles in the county: XE-XG and EAA-ABD.