Mineral County, Colorado
County
The Mineral County Courthouse in Creede
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Coordinates: 37°41′N 106°56′W / 37.69°N 106.93°W / 37.69; -106.93
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Founded	March 27, 1893
Seat	Creede
Largest town	Creede
Area
• Total	878 sq mi (2,270 km2)
• Land	876 sq mi (2,270 km2)
• Water	2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	865
• Density	1/sq mi (0.39/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	mineralcounty.colorado.gov

Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 865,^[1] making it the third-least populous county in Colorado, behind San Juan County and Hinsdale County. The county seat and only incorporated municipality in the county is Creede.^[2] The county was named for the many valuable minerals found in the mountains and streams of the area.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 878 square miles (2,270 km²), of which 876 square miles (2,270 km²) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.2%) is water.^[3]

• Saguache County - northeast
• Rio Grande County - east
• Archuleta County - south
• Hinsdale County - west

• U.S. Highway 160
• State Highway 149

• Rio Grande National Forest
• San Juan National Forest
• La Garita Wilderness
• Weminuche Wilderness

• Colorado Trail
• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
• Lake Fork National Recreation Trail
• Silver Thread Scenic Byway

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	1,913		—
1910	1,239		−35.2%
1920	779		−37.1%
1930	640		−17.8%
1940	975		52.3%
1950	698		−28.4%
1960	424		−39.3%
1970	786		85.4%
1980	804		2.3%
1990	558		−30.6%
2000	831		48.9%
2010	712		−14.3%
2020	865		21.5%
2024 (est.)	933	[4]	7.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7] 1990-2000[8] 2010-2020[1]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 865. Of the residents, 10.6% were under the age of 18 and 34.2% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 56.8 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.7 males. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas and 100.0% lived in rural areas.^[9][10][11]

The racial makeup of the county was 91.2% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.0% from some other race, and 7.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.4% of the population.^[11]

There were 424 households in the county, of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 22.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[10]

There were 1,215 housing units, of which 65.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.2% were owner-occupied and 19.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%.^[10]

At the 2000 census, there were 831 people in 377 households, including 251 families, in the county. The population density was 1 people per square mile (0.39 people/km²). There were 1,119 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.87% White, 0.84% Native American, 0.12% from other races, and 2.17% from two or more races. 2.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 377 households 22.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 28.10% of households were one person and 9.80% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.70.

The age distribution was 20.50% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 32.70% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 104.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.10 males.

The median household income was $34,844 and the median family income was $40,833. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,475. About 9.30% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.70% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.

Mineral County has an extremely high proportion of land under federal ownership, with 95%^[15] of the county under the management of the federal government (It houses an office of, and is surrounded by, the Rio Grande National Forest).^{[citation needed]}

As of 2015 the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Mineral County, Colorado are:^[16]

Largest ancestries (2015)	Percent
English	22.5%
German	19.9%
Irish	13.9%
"American"	7.5%

Like neighboring Hinsdale County, Mineral County leans Republican. It has only voted for Democrats twice since 1968 (although heavy third-party swing had a major role to play in each). Up through 1968, it was a Democratic-leaning swing county.

• Creede

• Spar City
• Wagon Wheel Gap

• Bachelor City
• Wason, Colorado
• Weaver

• Bibliography of Colorado
• Geography of Colorado
• History of Colorado
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Mineral County, Colorado
• Index of Colorado-related articles
• List of Colorado-related lists
  • List of counties in Colorado
• Outline of Colorado

• Foley, N.K. et al. (1993). Mineralogy, mineral chemistry, and paragenesis of gold, silver, and base-metal ores of the North Amethyst vein system, San Juan Mountains, Mineral County, Colorado [U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1537]. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

• State of Colorado
  • History Colorado
• Official website
• Creede and Mineral County information
• Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck