Morgan County, Colorado

Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,111. The county seat is Fort Morgan. The county was named after old Fort Morgan, which in turn was named in honor of Colonel Christopher A. Morgan.

Morgan County comprises the Fort Morgan, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1294 sqmi, of which 1280 sqmi is land and 13 sqmi (1.0%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Logan County - northeast
 * Washington County - east, southeast
 * Adams County - southwest
 * Weld County - north, west

Major highways

 * I-76 (CO).svg Interstate 76
 * US 6.svg U.S. Highway 6
 * US 34.svg U.S. Highway 34
 * Colorado 39.svg State Highway 39
 * Colorado 52.svg State Highway 52
 * Colorado 71.svg State Highway 71
 * Colorado 144.svg State Highway 144
 * Colorado 144.svg State Highway 144

State protected area

 * Jackson Lake State Park

Trails and byways

 * American Discovery Trail
 * Pawnee Pioneer Trails
 * South Platte Trail

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 27,171 people, 9,539 households, and 6,973 families living in the county. The population density was 21 /mi2. There were 10,410 housing units at an average density of 8 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 79.65% White, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 16.37% from other races, and 2.48% from two or more races. 31.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 19,539 households 37.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.90% were non-families. 23.00% of households were one person and 10.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.29.

The age distribution was 30.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 19.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males.

The median household income was $34,568 and the median family income was $39,102. Males had a median income of $27,361 versus $21,524 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,492. About 8.50% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.30% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Brush
 * Fort Morgan

Towns

 * Hillrose
 * Log Lane Village
 * Wiggins

Census-designated places

 * Blue Sky
 * Jackson Lake
 * Morgan Heights
 * Orchard
 * Saddle Ridge
 * Snyder
 * Trail Side
 * Weldona

Other unincorporated communities

 * Goodrich
 * Hoyt

Politics
Morgan County has long been one of the Republican Party's major strongholds in Colorado. It was one of only three Colorado counties (the others being El Paso County and Larimer County) to vote for the re-election of Herbert Hoover in 1932, and the only Democrat to obtain an absolute majority in the county since 1920 has been Lyndon Johnson in 1964 – although Roosevelt did win a plurality in 1936.

In other statewide elections, the county also leans strongly Republican, although it was carried by Democrat Roy Romer in 1990 – when he carried all but four counties statewide – by Dick Lamm in 1982 and by Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo in 2010.