Mineral County, Colorado

For other counties with similar names, see Mineral County.

Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 865,^[1] making it the third-least populous county in Colorado, behind San Juan County and Hinsdale County. The county seat and only incorporated municipality in the county is Creede.^[2] The county was named for the many valuable minerals found in the mountains and streams of the area.

Mineral County
County
The Mineral County Courthouse in Creede
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37.69°N 106.93°W / 37.69; -106.93
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Founded	March 27, 1893
Seat	Creede
Largest town	Creede
Area
• Total	878 sq mi (2,270 km2)
• Land	876 sq mi (2,270 km2)
• Water	2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	865
• Density	1.0/sq mi (0.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	mineralcounty.colorado.gov

Rio Grande below Creede, Mineral County

Bristol Head, el. 12,713 feet (3,875 meters).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 878 square miles (2,270 km²), of which 876 square miles (2,270 km²) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.2%) is water.^[3]

Adjacent counties

• Saguache County - northeast
• Rio Grande County - east
• Archuleta County - south
• Hinsdale County - west

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 160
• State Highway 149

National protected areas

• Rio Grande National Forest
• San Juan National Forest
• La Garita Wilderness
• Weminuche Wilderness

Trails and byways

• Colorado Trail
• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
• Lake Fork National Recreation Trail
• Silver Thread Scenic Byway

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	1,913		—
1910	1,239		−35.2%
1920	779		−37.1%
1930	640		−17.8%
1940	975		52.3%
1950	698		−28.4%
1960	424		−39.3%
1970	786		85.4%
1980	804		2.3%
1990	558		−30.6%
2000	831		48.9%
2010	712		−14.3%
2020	865		21.5%
2024 (est.)	933	[4]	7.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7] 1990-2000[8] 2010-2020[1]

At the 2000 census, there were 831 people in 377 households, including 251 families, in the county. The population density was 1 people per square mile (0.39 people/km²). There were 1,119 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.87% White, 0.84% Native American, 0.12% from other races, and 2.17% from two or more races. 2.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 377 households 22.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 5.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 28.10% of households were one person and 9.80% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.70.

The age distribution was 20.50% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 32.70% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 104.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.10 males.

The median household income was $34,844 and the median family income was $40,833. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,475. About 9.30% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.70% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.

Mineral County has an extremely high proportion of land under federal ownership, with 95%^[9] of the county under the management of the federal government (It houses an office of, and is surrounded by, the Rio Grande National Forest).^{[citation needed]}

2015

As of 2015 the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Mineral County, Colorado are:^[10]

Largest ancestries (2015)	Percent
English	22.5%
German	19.9%
Irish	13.9%
"American"	7.5%

Politics

Like neighboring Hinsdale County, Mineral County leans Republican. It has only voted for Democrats twice since 1968 (although heavy third-party swing had a major role to play in each). Up through 1968, it was a Democratic-leaning swing county.

United States presidential election results for Mineral County, Colorado^[11][12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	417	55.38%	317	42.10%	19	2.52%
2020	427	56.48%	317	41.93%	12	1.59%
2016	344	52.76%	237	36.35%	71	10.89%
2012	344	52.92%	291	44.77%	15	2.31%
2008	334	53.61%	270	43.34%	19	3.05%
2004	383	61.87%	227	36.67%	9	1.45%
2000	294	60.49%	168	34.57%	24	4.94%
1996	179	40.04%	192	42.95%	76	17.00%
1992	159	35.41%	171	38.08%	119	26.50%
1988	217	55.08%	174	44.16%	3	0.76%
1984	333	72.55%	117	25.49%	9	1.96%
1980	271	60.22%	125	27.78%	54	12.00%
1976	235	55.56%	167	39.48%	21	4.96%
1972	247	70.98%	96	27.59%	5	1.44%
1968	116	43.77%	126	47.55%	23	8.68%
1964	89	30.17%	204	69.15%	2	0.68%
1960	146	47.87%	158	51.80%	1	0.33%
1956	168	62.69%	99	36.94%	1	0.37%
1952	209	67.86%	98	31.82%	1	0.32%
1948	144	42.99%	190	56.72%	1	0.30%
1944	170	52.80%	150	46.58%	2	0.62%
1940	229	45.08%	273	53.74%	6	1.18%
1936	126	30.22%	285	68.35%	6	1.44%
1932	112	29.55%	210	55.41%	57	15.04%
1928	144	41.14%	187	53.43%	19	5.43%
1924	150	46.01%	101	30.98%	75	23.01%
1920	183	49.33%	146	39.35%	42	11.32%
1916	135	29.16%	278	60.04%	50	10.80%
1912	186	28.93%	286	44.48%	171	26.59%
1908	218	29.99%	488	67.13%	21	2.89%
1904	306	33.59%	575	63.12%	30	3.29%
1900	208	22.73%	700	76.50%	7	0.77%
1896	11	1.34%	808	98.30%	3	0.36%

Communities

Town

• Creede

Unincorporated communities

• Spar City
• Wagon Wheel Gap

Ghost towns

• Bachelor City
• Wason, Colorado
• Weaver

Native silver from the Bulldog Mountain Mine, Creede District. Size 4.5 x 2.6 x 0.25 cm.

See also

• Government portal
• History portal
• Mountains portal
• United States portal
• Colorado portal

• Bibliography of Colorado
• Geography of Colorado
• History of Colorado
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Mineral County, Colorado
• Index of Colorado-related articles
• List of Colorado-related lists
  • List of counties in Colorado
• Outline of Colorado