Bonanza-Empire Chief mine and mill, on theAlpine Loop. The mill ruins were stabilized in 2000 by theBureau of Land Management and Hinsdale County Historical Society. In 2007–2008, the mill ruins were demolished by an avalanche.
Hinsdale County is a county located in theU.S. state ofColorado. As of the2020 census, the population was 788,[1] making it the second least-populous county in Colorado. With a population density of only 0.71 inhabitants per square mile (0.27/km2), it is also the least-densely populated county in Colorado. Thecounty seat and onlyincorporated municipality in the county isLake City.[2] The county is named forGeorge A. Hinsdale,[3] a prominent pioneer and former Lieut. Governor ofColorado Territory.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,123 square miles (2,910 km2), of which 1,117 square miles (2,890 km2) is land and 5.9 square miles (15 km2) (0.5%) is water.[4]
Hinsdale County is one of the most remote counties in Colorado and the United States. The county is covered by mountains, including multiplefourteeners, and contains one of the largest roadless areas in the country.[5][6] Thecontinental divide crosses the county twice. Most of the county is divided among several differentnational forests and theWeminuche Wilderness area.
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[1]
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 790 people, 359 households, and 246 families living in the county. Thepopulation density was 0.7 people per square mile (0.27 people/km2). There were 1,304 housing units at an average density of 1.2 units per square mile (0.46 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.34%White, 1.52%Native American, 0.25%Asian, 0.38% fromother races, and 0.51% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 359 households, out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% weremarried couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.6.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.5% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 34.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 105.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.9 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,279, and the median income for a family was $42,159. Males had a median income of $26,210 versus $23,750 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $22,360. About 4.5% of families and 7.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Republican presidential nominees have carried Hinsdale County sinceFranklin Delano Roosevelt defeatedAlf Landon by eight votes in 1936. Along withElbert County andWashington County it was one of three Colorado counties to vote forBarry Goldwater overLyndon Johnson in 1964. In 2020, Joe Biden received the highest vote share for a Democrat since Johnson, and became the third Democrat since 1940 to breach 40% of the vote.
The last Democrat to carry Hinsdale County in a statewide election wasJohn Hickenlooper in the2010 gubernatorial contest,[12] and the only other case since at least 1980 have been Democratic senatorBen “Nighthorse” Campbell, who was later to shift to the Republican Party, in 1992, alongside popular GovernorRoy Romer, who carried all but three counties statewide, in 1990.[13]
United States presidential election results for Hinsdale County, Colorado[14]
