Otero County

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,270 square miles (3,300 km2), of which 1,262 square miles (3,270 km2) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km2) (0.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Crowley County - north

Kiowa County - northeast

Bent County - east

Las Animas County - south

Pueblo County - west

Major highways

U.S. Highway 50

U.S. Highway 350

State Highway 10

State Highway 71

State Highway 109

State Highway 167

State Highway 207

State Highway 266

National protected areas

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Comanche National Grassland

Santa Fe National Historic Trail

Trails and byways

American Discovery Trail

Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 18,690. Of the residents, 23.4% were under the age of 18 and 21.5% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.0 males. 41.7% of residents lived in urban areas and 58.3% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 68.7% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 2.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 12.6% from some other race, and 15.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 41.2% of the population.

There were 7,676 households in the county, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 29.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 8,716 housing units, of which 11.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.2% were owner-occupied and 35.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 20,311 people, 7,920 households, and 5,472 families living in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile (6.2 people/km2). There were 8,813 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 79.02% White, 0.76% Black or African American, 1.43% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 15.06% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. 37.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 7,920 households 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 12.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 27.80% of households were one person and 12.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

The age distribution was 26.90% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median household income was $29,738 and the median family income was $35,906. Males had a median income of $26,996 versus $21,001 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,113. About 14.20% of families and 18.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.90% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Otero is a strongly Republican county, although less so than the counties of the Colorado High Plains. It was last won for the Democratic Party by Bill Clinton in 1996. Before that, Otero tended to be a Republican-leaning county at the Presidential level, although it did vote for Wilson twice, FDR in 1932 and 1936, Truman in 1948 and Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Communities

Cities

La Junta

Rocky Ford

Towns

Cheraw

Fowler

Manzanola

Swink

Census-designated places

La Junta Gardens

North La Junta