Las Animas County, Colorado

Las Animas County, Colorado
County
Las Animas County Courthouse in Trinidad
Las Animas County Courthouse in Trinidad
Map of Colorado highlighting Las Animas County
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Coordinates: 37°19′N 104°02′W / 37.32°N 104.04°W / 37.32; -104.04
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedFebruary 9, 1866
Named afterPurgatoire River
SeatTrinidad
Area
 • Total
4,775 sq mi (12,370 km2)
 • Land4,773 sq mi (12,360 km2)
 • Water2.7 sq mi (7.0 km2)  0.06%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
14,555
 • Estimate 
(2024)
14,518 Decrease
 • Density3.049/sq mi (1.177/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Area code719
Websitelasanimascounty.colorado.gov
Not to be confused with the City of Las Animas, Colorado
Statue of Liberty replica at the Las Animas Courthouse in Trinidad

Las Animas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,555.[1] The county seat is Trinidad.[2] The county takes its name from the Mexican Spanish name of the Purgatoire River, originally called El Río de las Ánimas Perdidas en el Purgatorio, which means "River of the Lost Souls in Purgatory."[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,775 square miles (12,370 km2), of which 4,773 square miles (12,360 km2) is land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2) (0.06%) is water.[4] It is the largest county by area in Colorado.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Protected areas

Historic trails and landmarks

Scenic byways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18704,276—
18808,903108.2%
189017,20893.3%
190021,84226.9%
191033,64354.0%
192038,97515.8%
193036,008−7.6%
194032,369−10.1%
195025,902−20.0%
196019,983−22.9%
197015,744−21.2%
198014,897−5.4%
199013,765−7.6%
200015,20710.5%
201015,5072.0%
202014,555−6.1%
2024 (est.)14,518[5] Decrease−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 14,555. Of the residents, 17.3% were under the age of 18 and 25.7% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 48.4 years. For every 100 females there were 109.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 110.2 males. 57.2% of residents lived in urban areas and 42.8% lived in rural areas.[10][11][12]

Las Animas County, Colorado – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[13] Pop 2010[14] Pop 2020[15] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 8,387 8,399 7,965 55.15% 54.16% 54.72%
Black or African American alone (NH) 52 195 183 0.34% 1.26% 1.26%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 161 170 145 1.06% 1.10% 1.00%
Asian alone (NH) 53 98 108 0.35% 0.63% 0.74%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 13 4 12 0.09% 0.03% 0.08%
Other race alone (NH) 16 12 87 0.11% 0.08% 0.60%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 221 183 423 1.45% 1.18% 2.91%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6,304 6,446 5,632 41.45% 41.57% 38.69%
Total 15,207 15,507 14,555 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

The racial makeup of the county was 68.9% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 2.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 11.0% from some other race, and 15.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 38.7% of the population.[12]

There were 6,373 households in the county, of which 22.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]

There were 8,077 housing units, of which 21.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.7% were owner-occupied and 30.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.2%.[11]

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 15,207 people, 6,173 households, and 4,092 families living in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km2). There were 7,629 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.63% White, 0.39% Black or African American, 2.54% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 10.03% from other races, and 3.83% from two or more races. 41.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[16] Of the 6,173 households 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 29.70% of households were one person and 14.30% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.

The age distribution was 24.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median household income was $28,273 and the median family income was $34,072. Males had a median income of $27,182 versus $20,891 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,829. About 14.00% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.00% of those under age 18 and 17.20% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

A Democratic stronghold since the days of Franklin Roosevelt after having been solidly Republican during the "system of 1896" like the rest of Hispanic Colorado, Las Animas County has seen a strong trend toward the Republican Party in recent elections. Hillary Clinton's 2016 performance was the worst by a Democrat since John W. Davis in 1924. She was also the first Democrat to lose the county since George McGovern in 1972. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to win the presidency without the county since Woodrow Wilson in 1912.

Las Animas County was the only county in Colorado to vote for legal abortion but against legal same-sex marriage in 2024, although anti-LGBT sentiment was also noticeably higher than anti-abortion sentiment in neighboring Bent County as well as in Jackson County on the opposite side of the state, both of which opposed both but only opposed same-sex marriage by a landslide margin. In Colorado overall, the pro-LGBT Amendment J did slightly better than the pro-choice Amendment 79.[17]

United States presidential election results for Las Animas County, Colorado[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1880 586 30.14% 1,314 67.59% 44 2.26%
1884 1,039 41.73% 1,451 58.27% 0 0.00%
1888 2,655 46.85% 2,785 49.14% 227 4.01%
1892 1,276 41.31% 0 0.00% 1,813 58.69%
1896 1,126 16.90% 5,497 82.50% 40 0.60%
1900 3,382 44.16% 4,204 54.90% 72 0.94%
1904 5,218 52.97% 4,486 45.54% 146 1.48%
1908 5,716 56.39% 4,212 41.55% 209 2.06%
1912 4,318 43.82% 3,604 36.57% 1,932 19.61%
1916 3,511 38.81% 5,300 58.58% 236 2.61%
1920 4,707 51.19% 4,167 45.31% 322 3.50%
1924 5,698 48.68% 2,758 23.56% 3,250 27.76%
1928 5,367 44.74% 6,459 53.85% 169 1.41%
1932 3,651 28.35% 8,964 69.61% 262 2.03%
1936 3,333 24.49% 10,220 75.08% 59 0.43%
1940 4,859 35.53% 8,766 64.10% 50 0.37%
1944 4,179 37.87% 6,800 61.63% 55 0.50%
1948 3,452 30.79% 7,586 67.67% 172 1.53%
1952 4,467 40.74% 6,446 58.79% 51 0.47%
1956 5,290 50.80% 5,099 48.96% 25 0.24%
1960 2,989 30.74% 6,704 68.96% 29 0.30%
1964 1,833 21.68% 6,591 77.97% 29 0.34%
1968 2,499 33.30% 4,602 61.33% 403 5.37%
1972 3,659 52.59% 3,222 46.31% 76 1.09%
1976 2,615 36.45% 4,459 62.15% 101 1.41%
1980 2,917 39.37% 4,117 55.57% 375 5.06%
1984 2,992 44.38% 3,670 54.43% 80 1.19%
1988 2,162 34.15% 4,075 64.37% 94 1.48%
1992 1,739 26.47% 3,847 58.56% 983 14.96%
1996 1,905 31.53% 3,611 59.76% 526 8.71%
2000 2,569 42.16% 3,243 53.22% 282 4.63%
2004 3,196 48.48% 3,300 50.06% 96 1.46%
2008 3,086 45.64% 3,562 52.68% 113 1.67%
2012 3,263 47.55% 3,445 50.20% 154 2.24%
2016 3,710 54.62% 2,650 39.01% 433 6.37%
2020 4,284 53.81% 3,497 43.93% 180 2.26%
2024 4,328 55.54% 3,276 42.04% 189 2.43%

Communities

City

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Former towns

Census-designated places

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021. Cite error: The named reference "2020Census" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 182.
  4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  5. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  6. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  8. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  9. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  11. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  12. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  13. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Las Animas County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  14. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Las Animas County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  15. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Las Animas County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  17. ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com.
  18. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Animas_County,_Colorado