In the city, 16.6% of residents were under the age of 18, 26.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.83. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 5,492 households, out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a single female householder, and 52.6% were non-families. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.3% of the population. The racial makeup of the city was 86.8% White, 0.5% African American, 5.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.1% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. There were 5,819 housing units at an average density of 857.8 per square mile (331.4/km 2). The population density was 2,052.4 people per square mile (792.8/km 2). Durango (1971-2000 normals)Ĭlimate data for Durango, Colorado, 1991–2015 normals, extremes 1894–presentĭemographics Historical populationĪs of the 2000 census, there were 13,922 people, 5,492 households, and 2,603 families residing in the city. The average annual precipitation is 19.33 in (491 mm). Climate Īccording to the Köppen climate classification system, Durango has a mediterranean continental climate ( Dsa). At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 10,946 acres (44.296 km 2) including 1,533 acres (6.203 km 2) of water.
The D&RGW also ended their San Juan Express passenger service from Durango to Alamosa. The Rio Grande Southern lost its contract to transport mail in 1951, and soon thereafter suspended operations. However, the Great Depression and aftermath of World War II hurt the area's railroad industry.
The D&RG(W) and the Rio Grande Southern Railroad were vital resources to many places including Durango before the major introduction of the automobile, helping transport goods such as produce and mineral traffic in and out of the Southwestern Colorado area, and along with other businesses such as the Durango Smelter, immensely supporting the town's economy. Sales from the Durango Trust skyrocketed by the completion of the D&RG's Silverton Branch, by 1885 Durango’s business district had seven hotels and restaurants, eleven saloons, dancehalls and stores, two bakeries and blacksmith shops, and a variety of other businesses, also boosting the town of Silverton’s population to 2,000 at the time. Palmer among other D&RG associates such as William Bell started a subsidiary company known as the Durango Trust to sell land and plan a Main Street, 2nd, and 3rd Avenue, and so on to organize the town, taking inspiration from how Palmer founded the city of Colorado Springs. Hunt, a friend of D&RG President William Jackson Palmer, after Durango, Mexico, based on his favorable impression of that city resulting from a scouting trip undertaken on behalf of Palmer. The city was named by ex-Colorado Governor Alexander C. The D&RG chose a site in the Animas Valley close to the Animas River near what's now the Downtown Durango Historic Business District for its railroad facilities following a brief and most likely perfunctory negotiation with the other establishment in the area known as Animas City, two miles to the north. The town was organized from September 1880 to April 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG, later known as the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad) as part of their efforts to reach Silverton, Colorado, and service the San Juan mining district, the goal of their "San Juan Extension" built from Alamosa Colorado. 4.1.7 Durango Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival.4.1.2 Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.