Founded February 27, 1911 Seat Craig Congressional district 3rd Area 12,305 km² Unemployment rate 5.4% (Apr 2015) | Named for David H. Moffat Largest city Craig Time zone Mountain: UTC-7/-6 Population 13,103 (2013) Cities Craig, Maybell, Dinosaur | |
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University Colorado Northwestern Community College Rivers Green River, Vermillion Creek, Morapos Creek Points of interest Gates of Lodore, Museum of Northwest Colorado, Browns Park National, Wyman Museum, Black Mountain | ||
Moffat County is the northwesternmost of the 64 counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,795. The county seat is Craig.
Contents
- Map of Moffat County CO USA
- History
- Geography
- Adjacent counties
- National protected areas
- Scenic byway
- Major highways
- Demographics
- City
- Town
- Census designated place
- Other unincorporated places
- References
Map of Moffat County, CO, USA
Moffat County comprises the Craig, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Steamboat Springs-Craig, CO Combined Statistical Area.
History
Moffat County was created out of the western portion of Routt County on February 27, 1911. The county was named for David H. Moffat, a Colorado tycoon who died in 1911. His railroad, the Denver, Northwestern & Pacific, attempted to build a route from Denver to Salt Lake City. In 1913, a reorganized railroad, the Denver & Salt Lake, reached as far as Craig, the county seat, but no further. In the late 1890s and early 1900s, all Colorado District Courts were held in Denver, Colorado, in the State courthouse there, due to a lack of funds to build courthouses locally. All murder trials were held in Denver, in the District Courts. Allegedly, so many politically motivated murders occurred between the predominantly liberal, then, eastern Routt County, Colorado residents and the predominantly conservative, then, western Routt County residents, that the presiding judges—tired of presiding over these murder trials—requested that the State legislature split Routt County into what is now Routt and Moffat County; the legislature complied.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,751 square miles (12,310 km2), of which 4,743 square miles (12,280 km2) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km2) (0.2%) is water. It is the second-largest county by area in Colorado.
Adjacent counties
National protected areas
Scenic byway
Major highways
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,184 people, 4,983 households, and 3,577 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 5,635 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.61% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.88% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.17% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. 9.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,983 households out of which 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the county, the population was spread out with 28.50% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 107.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,528, and the median income for a family was $45,511. Males had a median income of $37,288 versus $22,080 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,540. About 6.90% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.