Platte County, Wyoming facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Platte County
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Location within the U.S. state of Wyoming
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 Wyoming's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Wyoming |
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| Founded | February 21, 1911 (authorized) 1913 (organized) |
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| Named for | North Platte River | |
| Seat | Wheatland | |
| Largest town | Wheatland | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2,111 sq mi (5,470 km2) | |
| • Land | 2,084 sq mi (5,400 km2) | |
| • Water | 27 sq mi (70 km2) 1.3%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,605 | |
| • Density | 4.0763/sq mi (1.5739/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | |
| Congressional district | At-large | |
Platte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 8,605. Its county seat is Wheatland.
Contents
History
Platte County was created February 21, 1911, with land detached from Laramie County and organized in 1913. The county was named for the North Platte River, which flows through the northeastern part of the county.
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,111 square miles (5,470 km2), of which 2,084 square miles (5,400 km2) is land and 27 square miles (70 km2) (1.3%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in Wyoming by area.
Adjacent counties
- Niobrara County (northeast)
- Goshen County (east)
- Laramie County (south)
- Albany County (west)
- Converse County (northwest)
National protected area
- Medicine Bow National Forest (part)
Major highways
Interstate 25
U.S. Highway 26
U.S. Highway 87
Wyoming Highway 34
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 7,421 | — | |
| 1930 | 9,695 | 30.6% | |
| 1940 | 8,013 | −17.3% | |
| 1950 | 7,925 | −1.1% | |
| 1960 | 7,195 | −9.2% | |
| 1970 | 6,486 | −9.9% | |
| 1980 | 11,975 | 84.6% | |
| 1990 | 8,145 | −32.0% | |
| 2000 | 8,807 | 8.1% | |
| 2010 | 8,667 | −1.6% | |
| 2020 | 8,605 | −0.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 8,546 | −1.4% | |
| US Decennial Census 1870–2000 2010–2016 |
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2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 8,667 people, 3,838 households, and 2,505 families in the county. The population density was 4.2 people per square mile (1.6 people/km2). There were 4,667 housing units at an average density of 2.2 units per square mile (0.85 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.4% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.0% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 45.3% were German, 21.1% were English, 17.3% were Irish, and 6.2% were American.
Of the 3,838 households, 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.7% were non-families, and 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.76. The median age was 47.5 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,947 and the median income for a family was $51,759. Males had a median income of $55,757 versus $29,366 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,185. About 6.1% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Towns
Census-designated places
- Chugcreek
- El Rancho
- Lakeview North
- Slater
- Westview Circle
- Y-O Ranch
- Whiting
Unincorporated communities
- Bordeaux
- Diamond
- Dwyer
- Dwyer Junction
- Uva
- Wendover
Ghost towns
Notable people
- Jim Geringer, governor of Wyoming
- Robert Mills Grant, Wyoming State Representative
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Platte (Wyoming) para niños
