Otero County (Colorado)

The Otero County is a county located in the southeast of the U.S. state of Colorado. The administrative headquarters ( County Seat) is in La Junta.

Geography

The county is surrounded by the counties in the North Crowley, Kiowa in the northwest, to the east Bent, Las Animas and Pueblo in the south and southwest to the west.

History

The county was created in 1889 by splitting off from the Bent County. The name of the county comes from Miguel Antonio Otero (1829-1882), a prominent member of the Otero family, ago. Otero was of Hispanic origin, and invested as an entrepreneur in the former New Mexican territory. Was also named after him, the County Otero County in New Mexico.

During the Second World War was in Otero County a training camp of the American Air Force. Today, the square is used as the town of La Junta Airport.

Demographic data

1900-1990 2000 2010

According to the census of 2000, there were 20 311 people in the county. There were 7,920 households and 5,472 families. The population density was 6 people per square kilometer. The racial the population was made up of 79.02 percent White, 0.76 percent African American, 1.43 percent Native American, 0.70 percent Asian, 0.08 percent of residents from the Pacific Islander and 15.06 percent from other races groups; 2.96 percent were descended from two or more races. 37.62 percent of the total population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 7,920 households out of which 32.2 percent have children under the age of 18 living with them. 52.7 percent were married couples living together, 12.0 percent were single mothers. 30.9 percent were non-families. 27.8 percent of all households and 12.9 percent lived in people aged 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

Based on the county the population was spread from 26.9 percent population under 18 years, 8.9 percent between 18 and 24 years, 24.4 percent between 25 and 44 years, 23.4 percent between 45 and 64 years and 16.5 percent were 65 years old or older. The average age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males to 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household was $ 29,738, and the median income for a family was $ 35,906. Males had a median income of $ 26,996, women $ 21,001. The per capita income was $ 15,113. 18.8 percent of the population and 14.2 percent of families are below the poverty line. This included 25.9 percent of the population under the age of 18 and 11.8 percent of the population aged 65 and over.

Places in Otero County

Ayer
Benton
Bloom
Casa
Castiel
Cheraw
Elder
Fayette
Fowler
Hadley
Hawley
Hays
Higbee
La Junta
La Junta Gardens
La Junta Village
Manzanola
Mindeman
North La Junta
Ormega
Orr
Randall
Roberta
Rocky Ford
Shelton
Swink
Timpas
Vroman

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