County population in 2012: 25,431 (33% urban, 67% rural); it was 23,830 in 2000 County owner-occupied with a mortgage or a loan houses and condos in 2010: 4,421 County owner-occupied free and clear houses and condos in 2010: 3,208 County owner-occupied houses and condos in 2000: 6,880 Renter-occupied apartments: 2,912 (it was 2,321 in 2000)
% of renters here:
25%
State:
34%
Land area: 2037 sq. mi. Water area: 3.3 sq. mi.
Population density: 12 people per square mile
(low).
Mar. 2012 cost of living index in Montezuma County: 92.8 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)
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Industries providing employment: Educational,health and social services (24.0%), Retail trade (13.2%), Construction (10.4%).
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2009: $692 (0.4%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2009: $588 (0.3%)
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2009: 17.0%
(13.6% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 18.9% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 35.3% for American Indian residents, 19.1% for other race residents, 12.6% for two or more races residents) Median age of residents in 2010: 42 years old
(Males: 41 years old, Females: 44 years old)
(Median age for: White residents: 47 years old, Black residents: 24 years old, American Indian residents: 27 years old, Asian residents: 35 years old, Hispanic or Latino residents: 28 years old, Other race residents: 33 years old)
Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
16.4%
Whole state:
9.3%
Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009:
This county:
6.4%
Whole state:
4.1%
Fair market rent in 2006 for a 1-bedroom apartment in Montezuma County is $500 a month. Fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $577 a month. Fair market rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $689 a month.
Notable locations in this county outside city limits:
Notable locations in Montezuma County: Rusts Sawmill (A), Ridge Point Overlook (B), Beaver Creek Marina (C), Lowry Pueblo Ruins (D), Hackberry Group (E), Goodman Point Group (F), The Forks Campground (G), Stoner Guard Station (H), Stoner Ski Area (I), Priest Gulch Campground (J), Circle K Ranch (K), Wallace Ranch (L), Truelson Ranch (M), Nordenskiolds Site 16 (N), Badger House Overlook (O), Mountezuma County Fairgrounds (P), Dolores Forest Service Facility (Q), Sharkstooth Trailhead (R), Jackson Gulch Campground (S), Dry Canyon Fishing (T). Display/hide their locations on the map
Churches in Montezuma County include: Francis Xavier Church (A), Lighthouse Baptist Church (B), Emmanuel Church (C), The Chapel (D). Display/hide their locations on the map
Cemeteries: Majors Cemetery (1), Sunset Memorial Gardens (2), Lamb Cemetery (3), Sheek Cemetery (4), Lebanon Cemetery (5), Memorial Garden (6), Goodman Point Cemetery (7). Display/hide their locations on the map
Lakes and reservoirs: Dry Lake (A), Taylor Mesa Lake (B), Twin Lakes (C), Chicken Lake (D), Cliff Lake (E), Spruce Lake (F), Goodman Lake (G), Moqui Lake (H). Display/hide their locations on the map
Streams, rivers, and creeks: Tohache Wash (A), West Mancos River (B), Toh Dahstini Wash (C), Grindstone Creek (D), Polly Creek (E), Roaring Forks Creek (F), Dipping Vat Creek (G), Lewis Creek (H), Rio Lado (I). Display/hide their locations on the map
Parks in Montezuma County include: Yucca House National Monument (1), Cabin Canyon Recreation Site (2), Dolores River State Wildlife Area (3), House Creek Recreation Area (4), Lone Dome Recreation Area (5), McPhee Recreation Area (6), Metaska Recreation Site (7), Dolores River State Wildlife Area (8), Spruce Mill Park (9). Display/hide their locations on the map
Current college students: 723 People 25 years of age or older with a high school degree or higher: 81.1% People 25 years of age or older with a bachelor's degree or higher: 21.0%
Number of foreign born residents: 517 (46% naturalized citizens)
Montezuma County:
2.2%
Whole state:
8.6%
Year of entry for the foreign-born population
1995 to March 2000: 57
1990 to 1994: 83
1985 to 1989: 39
1980 to 1984: 78
1975 to 1979: 34
1970 to 1974: 62
1970 to 1974: 23
1965 to 1969: 141
Mean travel time to work (commute): 21.8 minutes
Percentage of county residents living and working in this county: 85.5%
Housing units in structures:
One, detached: 6,667
One, attached: 124
Two: 185
3 or 4: 277
5 to 9: 151
10 to 19: 49
20 or more: 88
Mobile homes: 2,839
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.: 117
Housing units in Montezuma County with a mortgage: 2,520 (183 second mortgage, 155 home equity loan, 0 both second mortgage and home equity loan) Houses without a mortgage: 1,114
Here:
69.3% with mortgage
State:
79.2% with mortgage
Religion statistics:
Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 30.80%
Here
30.8%
USA
50.2%
Total adherents: 7,340 Total congregations: 40
Adherents
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregations
Name
LDS (Mormon) Church
Catholic Church
Assemblies of God
Southern Baptist Convention
United Methodist Church
Adherents
1,729 (23.6%)
1,015 (13.8%)
825 (11.2%)
818 (11.1%)
580 (7.9%)
Congregations
5 (12.5%)
3 (7.5%)
5 (12.5%)
4 (10.0%)
3 (7.5%)
Name
Lutheran Church
American Baptist Churches in the USA
Churches of Christ
Episcopal Church
Other
Adherents
416 (5.7%)
415 (5.7%)
304 (4.1%)
289 (3.9%)
949 (12.9%)
Congregations
1 (2.5%)
2 (5.0%)
4 (10.0%)
1 (2.5%)
12 (30.0%)
Source: Jones, Dale E., et al. 2002. Congregations and Membership in the United States 2000. Nashville, TN: Glenmary Research Center.
Average size of farms: 988 acres Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $17,516 Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $156.41 The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 9.01% The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 55.49% Average total farm production expenses per farm: $22,555 Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 5.05% Irrigated harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 80.87% Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $62,927 The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 92.52% Average age of principal farm operators: 56 years Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 2.36 Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 0.12% All wheat for grain: 2147 harvested acres Vegetables: 14 harvested acres Land in orchards: 263 acres
Tornado activity:
Montezuma County historical area-adjusted tornado activity is significantly below Colorado state average. It is 11.0 times below overall U.S. average.
Earthquake activity:
Montezuma County-area historical earthquake activity is significantly below Colorado state average. It is 87% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 9/13/1994 at 06:01:23, a magnitude 4.6 (4.4 MB, 4.6 ML, Depth: 6.2 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 64.2 miles away from the county center On 5/27/2000 at 21:58:18, a magnitude 4.3 (4.3 ML, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 70.0 miles away from the county center On 11/7/2004 at 06:54:59, a magnitude 4.1 (4.1 ML, Depth: 0.4 mi) earthquake occurred 63.8 miles away from the county center On 6/6/2008 at 20:09:59, a magnitude 3.7 (3.7 ML, Depth: 6.0 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 49.2 miles away from Montezuma County center On 6/3/1999 at 15:35:34, a magnitude 3.6 (3.6 ML, Depth: 2.6 mi) earthquake occurred 67.7 miles away from the county center On 7/6/1999 at 22:05:45, a magnitude 3.5 (3.5 ML, Depth: 3.1 mi) earthquake occurred 68.5 miles away from the county center Magnitude types: body-wave magnitude (MB), local magnitude (ML)
Most recent natural disasters:
Colorado Hurricane Katrina Evacuation, Incident Period: August 29, 2005 to October 1, 2005, Emergency Declared (EM-3224): September 5, 2005, FEMA Id: FEMA-EM-3224, Natural disaster type: Hurricane
Colorado Wildfires, Incident Period: April 23, 2002 to August 6, 2002, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-1421): June 19, 2002, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-1421, Natural disaster type: Fire
Colorado FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, Incident Period: July 6, 1973, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-396): July 6, 1973, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-396, Natural disaster type: Landslide, Flood
Colorado Heavy Rains, Flooding, Incident Period: September 22, 1970, Major Disaster (Presidential) Declared (DR-293): September 22, 1970, FEMA Id: FEMA-DR-293, Natural disaster type: Flood, Heavy Rain
The number of natural disasters in Montezuma County (4) is a lot smaller than the US average (12). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 3 Emergencies Declared: 1
Other management occupations except farmers and farm managers (6%)
Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (5%)
Carpenters (5%)
Construction trades workers except carpenters, electricians, painters, plumbers, and construction laborers (5%)
Supervisors, construction and extraction workers (5%)
Other sales and related workers including supervisors (4%)
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers (4%)
Preschool, kindergarten, elementary and middle school teachers (8%)
Secretaries and administrative assistants (6%)
Other management occupations except farmers and farm managers (5%)
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks (5%)
Information and record clerks except customer service representatives (4%)
Cashiers (4%)
Registered nurses (4%)
Most common places of birth for the foreign-born residents (%):
Mexico (40%)
Germany (18%)
United Kingdom (9%)
Netherlands (5%)
Other Northern Africa (3%)
Honduras (3%)
Canada (3%)
Most common first ancestries reported in Montezuma County (%):
German (16%)
United States or American (15%)
English (11%)
Irish (7%)
Scotch-Irish (3%)
Italian (2%)
European (2%)
Means of transportation to work:
Drove a car alone: 7,566 (73%)
Carpooled: 1,742 (17%)
Bus or trolley bus: 31 (0%)
Streetcar or trolley car: 3 (0%)
Motorcycle: 27 (0%)
Bicycle: 56 (1%)
Walked: 365 (4%)
Other means: 95 (1%)
Worked at home: 486 (5%)
Owners and renters by unit type in %
Breakdown of mean house values by ages of householders
People in group quarters in Montezuma County, Colorado in 2000:
184 people in nursing homes
116 people in other noninstitutional group quarters
101 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups)
25 people in other workers' dormitories
11 people in homes or halfway houses for drug/alcohol abuse
People in group quarters in Montezuma County, Colorado in 2010:
146 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities
38 people in other noninstitutional facilities
24 people in correctional residential facilities
12 people in emergency and transitional shelters (with sleeping facilities) for people experiencing homelessness
9 people in group homes intended for adults
4 people in residential treatment centers for adults
4 people in workers’ group living quarters and job corps centers
Average gross adjusted income of non-migrant taxpayers in this county in 2005 was $42,669.
9.08% of this county's 2006 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2005 ($39,788 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
9.08%
Colorado average:
10.77%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries.
2.58% relocated from other counties in Colorado ($11,603 average AGI)
6.50% relocated from other states ($28,186 average AGI)
Montezuma County:
6.50%
Colorado average:
4.67%
Percentage of residents relocating from other counties or countries
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2005 and 2006:
8.14% of this county's 2005 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2006 ($30,717 average adjusted gross income)
Here:
8.14%
Colorado average:
10.03%
10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries.
2.75% relocated to other counties in Colorado ($10,444 average AGI)
5.39% relocated to other states ($20,272 average AGI)
Montezuma County:
5.39%
Colorado average:
3.96%
Percentage of residents relocating to other counties or countries
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2005 and 2006:
Births per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 14.7 Births per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 12.9
Births per 1000 population in Montezuma County
Deaths per 1000 population from 1990 to 1999: 8.7 Deaths per 1000 population from 2000 to 2006: 10.2
Deaths per 1000 population in Montezuma County
Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 1990 to 1999: 9.3 Infant deaths per 1000 live births from 2000 to 2006: 5.9
Infant deaths per 1000 live births in Montezuma County
Persons enrolled in hospital insurance and/or supplemental medical insurance (Medicare) in July 1, 2003: 3,959 (3,404 aged, 555 disabled) Population without health insurance coverage in 2000: 20% Children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000: 17%
Suicides per 1,000,000 population from 2000 to 2006: 259.6. This is less than state average.
Mechanisms of suicide:
Deaths per 1,000,000 population:
Firearm - 177.0
Other - 82.6
Household type by relationship:
Households: 25,298
In family households: 21,187 (4,926 male householders, 2,152 female householders)
5,343 spouses, 6,775 children (6,186 natural, 185 adopted, 404 stepchildren), 649 grandchildren, 194 brothers or sisters, 134 parents, 253 other relatives, 572 non-relatives
In nonfamily households: 4,111 (1,681 male householders (1,391 living alone)), 1,782 female householders (1,499 living alone)), 648 nonrelatives
In group quarters: 237 (170 institutionalized population)
Size of family households: 3,601 2-persons, 1,490 3-persons, 1,062 4-persons, 539 5-persons, 241 6-persons, 145 7-or-more-persons.
86.7% of residents of Montezuma County speak English at home.
5.8% of residents speak Spanish at home (72% speak English very well, 17% speak English well, 9% speak English not well, 2% don't speak English at all).
0.8% of residents speak other Indo-European language at home (89% speak English very well, 8% speak English well, 4% speak English not well).
0.1% of residents speak Asian or Pacific Island language at home (52% speak English very well, 48% speak English well).
6.6% of residents speak other language at home (67% speak English very well, 28% speak English well, 4% speak English not well, 1% don't speak English at all).
In fiscal year 2004:
Federal Government expenditure: $217,395,000 ($8768 per capita) Department of Defense expenditure: $2,796,000 Federal direct payments to individuals for retirement and disability: $60,575,000 Federal other direct payments to individuals: $23,635,000 Federal direct payments not to individuals: $55,199,000 Federal grants: $30,833,000 Federal procurement contracts: $31,540,000 ($64,000 Department of Defense) Federal salaries and wages: $15,613,000 ($114,000 Department of Defense) Federal Government direct loans: $967,000 Federal guaranteed/insured loans: $13,019,000 Federal Government insurance: $20,974,000
Population change from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005:
Births: 1,656
Here:
67 per 1000 residents
State:
76 per 1000 residents
Deaths: 1,287
Here:
52 per 1000 residents
State:
32 per 1000 residents
Net international migration: +55
Here:
+2 per 1000 residents
State:
+24 per 1000 residents
Net internal migration: +557
Here:
+22 per 1000 residents
State:
+10 per 1000 residents
Population growth in Montezuma County
Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply: 7.27 millions of gallons per day (all from surface)
Median number of rooms in houses and condos:
Here:
5.6
State:
6.5
Median number of rooms in apartments:
Here:
4.3
State:
3.9
Year house built
2005 or later: 230
2000 to 2004: 1,106
1990 to 1999: 2,150
1980 to 1989: 1,742
1970 to 1979: 2,064
1960 to 1969: 802
1950 to 1959: 1,034
1940 to 1949: 648
1939 or earlier: 1,374
Rooms in houses/apartments in Montezuma County, Colorado
53% of Montezuma County residents lived in the same house 5 years ago. Out of people who lived in different houses, 53% lived in this county. Out of people who lived in different counties, 30% lived in Colorado.
Montezuma County:
52.9%
State average:
45.7%
Place of birth for U.S.-born residents:
This state: 10933
Northeast: 852
Midwest: 2709
South: 2321
West: 6346
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses in 2000: $84,400
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities: 2%
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities: 2%
Year Householders Moved Into Unit:
Most commonly used house heating fuel in Montezuma County
42.0 years
36.0 years
(45.9%)
(54.1%)
, Dolores County 
, San Juan County, Utah 
, San Juan County, New Mexico 
, La Plata County 
, San Juan County 
.
