Goshen County, Wyoming

Goshen County, Wyoming

Location in the state of Wyoming

Wyoming's location in the U.S.
Founded 1911
Seat Torrington
Largest city Torrington
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

2,232 sq mi (5,781 km²)
2,225 sq mi (5,763 km²)
7 sq mi (18 km²), 0.31%
Population
 - (2010)
 - Density

13,249
6/sq mi (2.3/km²)
Website goshencounty.org

Goshen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 13,249. Its county seat is Torrington[1].

Contents

History

Goshen County was created on February 21, 1911 with land given up by Laramie County.[2]

The county was named for Goshen Hole, a valley in the southwest part of the county [3] At least four conflicting stories are available for the origin of the name Goshen Hole.

In the late spring of 2009, a weather research team known as VORTEX2 observed the full life cycle of a tornado near the border with Nebraska in Goshen County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,232 square miles (5,780.9 km2), of which 2,225 square miles (5,762.7 km2) is land and 7 square miles (18.1 km2) (0.31%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Major Highways

National protected area

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1920 8,064
1930 11,754 45.8%
1940 12,207 3.9%
1950 12,634 3.5%
1960 11,941 −5.5%
1970 10,885 −8.8%
1980 12,040 10.6%
1990 12,373 2.8%
2000 12,538 1.3%
2010 13,249 5.7%

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 12,538 people, 5,061 households, and 3,426 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 5,881 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.83% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.86% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 3.65% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 8.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.2% were of German, 10.4% English, 8.0% American and 8.0% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 5,061 households out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.20% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 24.30% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,228, and the median income for a family was $40,297. Males had a median income of $27,713 versus $17,584 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,965. About 9.70% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Wyoming Department of Corrections Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution is located in Torrington.[5][6][7] WMCI, a facility of the Wyoming Department of Corrections, serves as an intake center for men who are not sentenced to death. The grand opening and ribbon cutting occurred on January 6, 2010.[8]

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated places

Other community

See also

References

  1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  2. ^ Long, John H. (2006). "Wyoming: Individual County Chronologies". Wyoming Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. http://historical-county.newberry.org/website/Wyoming/documents/WY_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm#Individual_County_Chronologies. Retrieved 2011-09-06. 
  3. ^ Urbanek, Mae (1988). Wyoming Place Names. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87842-204-8. 
  4. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ^ "Torrington city, Wyoming." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 12, 2010.
  6. ^ "Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution (WMCI)." Goshen County GIS Department. 2009. Retrieved on December 12, 2010.
  7. ^ "Contact Institutions." Wyoming Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 22, 2010. "7076 Road 55F Torrington, WY 82240"
  8. ^ "Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution." Wyoming Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 22, 2010.