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Salida Colorado Demographics
The town of Salida, Colorado was founded as a railroad town in the late 1880s, an influence that began to wane after World War II. Over the next three decades—1950s through 1970s—the town's workers found employment primarily as ranchers or traveled to Leadville, Colorado where they worked for the world's largest producer of molybdenum ore, the Climax Molybdenum Company. Molybdenum ore was mined by this company continuously from the 1920s through 1980s; it shut down completely in 1995, awaiting higher ore prices.
In more recent years, the little mountain town of Salida has assumed a higher regional and national profile and along with this attention, it has attracted numerous tourism venues, from outdoor recreational activities to an appreciation for the arts and culinary delights. Thus, today the major employer for the Salida region is tourism.
To get an understanding of the demographics of Salida—its "makeup," if you will—scroll down to the table below. Here you will find the latest local, state, and national statistics that offer a more precise look at the population and its characteristics. Some important points from this compilation show that, compared to the state of Colorado and to the United States overall:
- the population in Salida tends to be older and predominantly white
- there is a lower percentage of foreign-born persons living in Salida
- Salida has a higher percentage of high school graduates; its percentage of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher is close to that of the state of Colorado but higher than the national level
- home ownership rates amongst Salida residents are comparable to the state and national levels
- the average value of owner-occupied homes in Salida is less than that for the state of Colorado but significantly higher than the reported national average.
To get a broader perspective of the community of Salida, it is important to note a few other details. According to the website www.city-data.com, the January 2011 cost of living index in Salida was 88.9 (national average is 100), a figure that suggests the town is more affordable than many other locales in the U.S. It has a population density of approximately 2,448 people per square mile.
Historical statistics reveal that the town's population increased 15.7 percent in the 1990s; census data show that the population then decreased by almost 5 percent from 2000 to 2010. Unemployment figures for March 2011 showed that 8.5 percent of the working population was unemployed (state-wide, the figure was 9.2 percent).
But an important yet anecdotal point to keep in mind is that folks come to Salida because they plan to "work to live," not live to work. The natural beauty of the region is a major draw for those whose focus is a pleasant and relaxing lifestyle. Furthermore, the town has become a favorite destination for retirees as well. So don't expect the mythical nose-to-the-grindstone Puritan ethic of the Northeastern U.S. to be at "work" here…remember that many people come here NOT to work, but rather to play in Colorado's Rocky Mountains.
For those considering a move to the area, there are other important facts to consider, everything from crime statistics and typical weather patterns to natural disasters, if any. According to www.city-data.com, the crime index for Salida during the year 2010 was 171.6, substantially lower (and better) than the national average of 319.1. The weather in Salida is much milder than other mountainous Colorado towns thanks to a "banana-belt" climate afforded by the surrounding mountain ranges and the interaction of these barriers with weather patterns. Of note, there are few natural disasters to speak of—a fire, high winds and storms, heavy snow—and nothing that reaches the level of some truly memorable national disasters on record.
Latest statistics for Salida, the state of Colorado, and the United States*
Salida Demographic Summary
|
Salida, CO |
State of Colorado |
United States |
Estimated
population in 2011 |
NA |
5,116,796 |
311,591,917 |
Population
in 2010 |
5,236 |
5.029,196 |
308,745,538 |
Percent
change 2000 to 2010 |
-4.9% |
16.9 |
9.7 |
Population
in 2000 |
5,504 |
4,301,261 |
281,421,906 |
Persons
under 5 years, percent, 2010 |
5.1% |
6.8% |
6.5% |
Persons
under 18 years, 2010 |
17.9% |
24.4% |
24% |
Persons
65 years of age and older, 2010 |
20.6% |
10.9% |
13% |
Females,
2010 |
51% |
49.9% |
50.8% |
White
persons, percent, 2010 |
93.7% |
81.3% |
72.4% |
Black
persons, percent, 2010 |
0.2% |
4.0% |
12.6% |
Hispanic
origin, percent, 2010 |
11.0% |
20.7% |
16.3% |
Foreign-born
persons, percent, 2006-2010 |
2.1% |
9.8% |
12.7% |
High
school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2006-2010 |
92.6% |
89.3% |
85% |
Bachelor’s
degree or higher, percent of persons age 25+, 2006-2010 |
33.4% |
35.9% |
27.9% |
Mean
travel time to work (mins.), workers ages 16+, 2006-2010 |
16.5 |
24.2 |
25.2 |
Housing
units, 2010 |
2,894 |
2,212,898 |
131,704,730 |
Home
ownership rate, 2006-2010 |
67.1% |
67.6% |
66.6% |
Median
value of owner-occupied housing units, 2006-2010 |
$227,000 |
$236,600 |
$188,400 |
Persons
per household, 2006-2010 |
2.08 |
2.49 |
2.59 |
Persons
below poverty level, percent 2006-2010 |
12.9% |
12.2% |
13.8% |
Land area
in square miles, 2010 |
2.57 |
103,642 |
3,531,905 |
Persons
per square mile, 2010 |
2,034.2 |
48.5 |
87.4 |
Salida Census Data
Want more information? Browse data
sets for Salida at the US Census link
People QuickFacts |
Salida |
Colorado |
Population,
2011 estimate |
NA |
5,116,796 |
Population,
2010 |
5,236 |
5,029,196 |
Population,
percent change, 2000 to 2010 |
-4.9% |
16.9% |
Population,
2000 |
5,504 |
4,301,261 |
Persons
under 5 years, percent, 2010 |
5.1% |
6.8% |
Persons
under 18 years, percent, 2010 |
17.9% |
24.4% |
Persons
65 years and over, percent, 2010 |
20.6% |
10.9% |
Female
persons, percent, 2010 |
51.0% |
49.9% |
White
persons, percent, 2010 |
93.7% |
81.3% |
Black
persons, percent, 2010 |
0.2% |
4.0% |
American
Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2010 |
1.1% |
1.1% |
Asian
persons, percent, 2010 |
0.4% |
2.8% |
Native
Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2010 |
Z |
0.1% |
Persons
reporting two or more races, percent, 2010 |
1.9% |
3.4% |
Persons
of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2010 |
11.0% |
20.7% |
White
persons not Hispanic, percent, 2010 |
86.4% |
70.0% |
Living
in same house 1 year & over, 2006-2010 |
76.6% |
80.6% |
Foreign
born persons, percent, 2006-2010 |
2.1% |
9.8% |
Language
other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2006-2010 |
4.6% |
16.8% |
High
school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2006-2010 |
92.6% |
89.3% |
33.4% |
35.9% |
|
Mean
travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2006-2010 |
16.5 |
24.2 |
Housing
units, 2010 |
2,894 |
2,212,898 |
Homeownership
rate, 2006-2010 |
67.1% |
67.6% |
Housing
units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2006-2010 |
16.6% |
25.6% |
Median
value of owner-occupied housing units, 2006-2010 |
$227,000 |
$236,600 |
Households,
2006-2010 |
2,355 |
1,918,959 |
Persons
per household, 2006-2010 |
2.08 |
2.49 |
Per
capita money income in past 12 months (2010 dollars) 2006-2010 |
$23,451 |
$30,151 |
Median
household income 2006-2010 |
$36,387 |
$56,456 |
Persons
below poverty level, percent, 2006-2010 |
12.9% |
12.2% |
Business QuickFacts |
Salida |
Colorado |
Total
number of firms, 2007 |
1,217 |
547,770 |
Black-owned
firms, percent, 2007 |
F |
1.7% |
American
Indian- and Alaska Native-owned firms, percent, 2007 |
F |
0.8% |
Asian-owned
firms, percent, 2007 |
F |
2.6% |
Native
Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander-owned firms, percent, 2007 |
F |
0.1% |
Hispanic-owned
firms, percent, 2007 |
7.6% |
6.2% |
Women-owned
firms, percent, 2007 |
S |
29.2% |
Manufacturers
shipments, 2007 ($1000) |
NA |
46,331,953 |
Merchant
wholesaler sales, 2007 ($1000) |
D |
53,598,986 |
Retail
sales, 2007 ($1000) |
140,991 |
65,896,788 |
Retail
sales per capita, 2007 |
$26,105 |
$13,609 |
Accommodation
and food services sales, 2007 ($1000) |
18,024 |
11,440,395 |
Geography QuickFacts |
Salida |
Colorado |
Land
area in square miles, 2010 |
2.57 |
103,641.89 |
Persons
per square mile, 2010 |
2,034.2 |
48.5 |
FIPS
Code |
67280 |
08 |
Counties |
Chaffee County |
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