San Miguel County, Colorado

For the county in New Mexico, see San Miguel County, New Mexico.

San Miguel County, Colorado
County
The San Miguel County Courthouse
The San Miguel County Courthouse
Map of Colorado highlighting San Miguel County
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Coordinates: 38°01′N 108°26′W / 38.01°N 108.43°W / 38.01; -108.43
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedMarch 2, 1883
Named afterSan Miguel River
SeatTelluride
Largest townTelluride
Area
 • Total
1,289 sq mi (3,340 km2)
 • Land1,287 sq mi (3,330 km2)
 • Water2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total
8,072
 • Density6.272/sq mi (2.422/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.sanmiguelcountyco.gov

San Miguel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,072.[1] The county seat is Telluride.[2] The county is named for the San Miguel River.

History

San Miguel County was given the Spanish language name for "Saint Michael" due to the nearby San Miguel River. On February 27, 1883, Ouray County was split to form San Miguel County. Originally the San Miguel County portion was to retain the name Ouray County with the new portion called Uncompahgre County.

Mining operators in the San Juan mountain area of Colorado formed the San Juan District Mining Association (SJDMA) in 1903, as a direct result of a Western Federation of Miners proposal to the Telluride Mining Association for the eight-hour day, which had been approved in a referendum by 72 percent of Colorado voters.[3] The new association consolidated the power of thirty-six mining properties in San Miguel, Ouray, and San Juan counties.[4] The SJDMA refused to consider any reduction in hours or increase in wages, helping to provoke a bitter strike.

In 1875, the Smuggler gold vein was discovered near Telluride. The Smuggler-Union, Tomboy, and Liberty Bell mines combined produced over a hundred tons of gold by 1920, third in the state of Colorado.[5]: 51, 83 

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,289 square miles (3,340 km2), of which 1,287 square miles (3,330 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

National protected areas

Trails and byways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18902,909—
19005,37984.9%
19104,700−12.6%
19205,28112.4%
19302,184−58.6%
19403,66467.8%
19502,693−26.5%
19602,9449.3%
19701,949−33.8%
19803,19263.8%
19903,65314.4%
20006,59480.5%
20107,35911.6%
20208,0729.7%
2024 (est.)7,819[7] Decrease−3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[12]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 8,072. Of the residents, 19.3% were under the age of 18 and 14.2% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females there were 111.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 111.5 males. 56.8% of residents lived in urban areas and 43.2% lived in rural areas.[13][14][15]

San Miguel 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[16] Pop 2010[17] Pop 2020[18] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 5,959 6,514 6,757 90.37% 88.52% 83.71%
Black or African American alone (NH) 10 19 20 0.15% 0.26% 0.25%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 49 33 47 0.74% 0.45% 0.58%
Asian alone (NH) 49 52 55 0.74% 0.71% 0.68%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 4 4 0 0.06% 0.05% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 25 8 44 0.38% 0.11% 0.55%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 59 99 267 0.89% 1.35% 3.31%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 439 630 882 6.66% 8.56% 10.93%
Total 6,594 7,359 8,072 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

The racial makeup of the county was 85.8% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.9% from some other race, and 7.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.9% of the population.[15]

There were 3,597 households in the county, of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 22.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]

There were 6,551 housing units, of which 45.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 59.7% were owner-occupied and 40.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 16.4%.[14]

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 6,594 people, 3,015 households, and 1,423 families living in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km2). There were 5,197 housing units at an average density of 4 units per square mile (1.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.57% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 0.85% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 3.37% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 8.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[19] Of the 3,015 households 22.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.30% were married couples living together, 5.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.80% were non-families. 32.70% of households were one person and 2.50% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.77.

The age distribution was 17.60% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 43.30% from 25 to 44, 25.80% from 45 to 64, and 3.40% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 120.80 males. For every 100 females age eighteen 18 and over, there were 126.40 males.

The median household income was $48,514 and the median family income was $60,417. Males had a median income of $35,922 versus $30,278 for females. The per capita income for the county was $35,329. About 6.60% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.10% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.

Other statistics

In June 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked the San Miguel County as having the best life expectancy in the United States at 100+ years old.[20]

Among all counties in Colorado, San Miguel County has the highest percentage of adults over 25 with at least a bachelor's degree, with 65.2% measured between 2019 and 2023.[21]

Politics

For most of the 20th century, San Miguel County was a national bellwether. It voted for the winner in every presidential election from 1912 to 1984. Since 1988, the county has become one of the most Democratic in Colorado and the nation, largely due to the presence of the Telluride Ski Resort and the influx of liberal-minded voters in the 1960s and 1970s. These trends have made San Miguel similar in vein to other heavily Democratic ski resort counties like Blaine County in Idaho, Teton County in Wyoming, and Pitkin County within Colorado. In the 2000 presidential election, San Miguel County was Green Party candidate Ralph Nader's best countywide performance in the country with 17.2% of the vote.

United States presidential election results for San Miguel County, Colorado[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1884 433 54.19% 365 45.68% 1 0.13%
1888 540 57.51% 378 40.26% 21 2.24%
1892 272 23.43% 0 0.00% 889 76.57%
1896 87 3.90% 2,136 95.70% 9 0.40%
1900 717 30.39% 1,604 67.99% 38 1.61%
1904 1,370 61.16% 797 35.58% 73 3.26%
1908 882 45.30% 927 47.61% 138 7.09%
1912 639 30.36% 1,029 48.88% 437 20.76%
1916 578 29.13% 1,325 66.78% 81 4.08%
1920 928 54.30% 688 40.26% 93 5.44%
1924 677 43.62% 567 36.53% 308 19.85%
1928 721 54.91% 554 42.19% 38 2.89%
1932 383 29.74% 862 66.93% 43 3.34%
1936 433 32.12% 860 63.80% 55 4.08%
1940 729 45.94% 851 53.62% 7 0.44%
1944 536 45.69% 630 53.71% 7 0.60%
1948 451 41.80% 613 56.81% 15 1.39%
1952 654 55.19% 524 44.22% 7 0.59%
1956 648 57.86% 469 41.88% 3 0.27%
1960 525 46.09% 612 53.73% 2 0.18%
1964 332 34.23% 636 65.57% 2 0.21%
1968 422 53.22% 311 39.22% 60 7.57%
1972 583 54.95% 426 40.15% 52 4.90%
1976 622 43.83% 674 47.50% 123 8.67%
1980 774 42.79% 651 35.99% 384 21.23%
1984 833 54.77% 654 43.00% 34 2.24%
1988 798 43.39% 961 52.26% 80 4.35%
1992 628 23.58% 1,380 51.82% 655 24.60%
1996 773 28.18% 1,535 55.96% 435 15.86%
2000 1,043 32.04% 1,598 49.09% 614 18.86%
2004 1,079 26.85% 2,876 71.56% 64 1.59%
2008 933 21.45% 3,349 76.99% 68 1.56%
2012 1,154 27.11% 2,992 70.30% 110 2.58%
2016 1,033 23.86% 2,975 68.72% 321 7.42%
2020 1,136 22.07% 3,924 76.24% 87 1.69%
2024 1,154 24.02% 3,529 73.46% 121 2.52%

Communities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. ^ a b United States Census Bureau. "San Miguel County, Colorado". Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Roughneck—The Life and Times of Big Bill Haywood, Peter Carlson, 1983, page 65.
  4. ^ The Corpse On Boomerang Road, Telluride's War On Labor 1899–1908, MaryJoy Martin, 2004, page 201.
  5. ^ Voynick, S.M., 1992, Colorado Gold, Missoula: Mountain Press Publishing Company, ISBN 0878424555
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  11. ^ "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 11, 2014.
  12. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  13. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  14. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  15. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  16. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – San Miguel County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  17. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - San Miguel County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  18. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - San Miguel County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  19. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  20. ^ Cirruzzo, Chelsea (June 30, 2021). "The 25 Counties With the Longest Life Expectancy". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  21. ^ "San Miguel County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  22. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Miguel_County,_Colorado