Hot Springs County, Wyoming
Encyclopedia
Hot Springs County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Wyoming
. As of 2010, the population was 4,812. Its county seat
is Thermopolis
. The county is named for the hot spring
s located in Hot Springs State Park
.
Hot Springs County was named for the hot springs
located in the county seat of Thermopolis
.
In the 2008 United States presidential election, Hot Springs County was the only county in the entire Mountain West
outside of Arizona
where John McCain
beat George W. Bush
's percentage of the county vote from the 2004 election
.
, the county has a total area of 2006 square miles (5,195.5 km²), of which 2004 square miles (5,190.3 km²) is land and 2 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.12%) is water. It is the smallest county in Wyoming and the largest county in the US that is a state's smallest county.
Hot Springs County includes the southern portion of Wyoming's Big Horn Basin, and is surrounded by mountains. Most of the Wind River Canyon
, with the Owl Creek Mountains
on the west and Bridger Mountains
on the east is in Hot Springs County, while the Bighorn Mountains ring the east portion on the county and the Absaroka Range
is to the west. A eastern-most portion of the Shoshone National Forest
lies within the county.
The Wind River Indian Reservation
extends into southern Hot Springs County.
of 2000, there were 4,882 people, 2,108 households, and 1,353 families residing in the county. The population density
was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 2,536 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.96% White
, 0.35% Black
or African American
, 1.52% Native American
, 0.25% Asian
, 0.63% from other races
, and 1.29% from two or more races. 2.38% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 23.3% were of German, 17.0% English
, 12.2% Irish
, 8.2% American
and 6.0% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 2,108 households out of which 25.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples
living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.80% were non-families. 31.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.00% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 23.30% from 25 to 44, 28.70% from 45 to 64, and 20.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,888, and the median income for a family was $39,364. Males had a median income of $27,030 versus $18,667 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,858. About 8.60% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
Wyoming Pioneer Home, an assisted living facility for elderly people, is located in Thermopolis
. The facility was operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform
until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. As of 2010, the population was 4,812. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Thermopolis
Thermopolis, Wyoming
Thermopolis is the largest town in, and the county seat of Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,172....
. The county is named for the hot spring
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
s located in Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park
Hot Springs State Park is a park in Thermopolis, Wyoming famous for its hot springs. It was Wyoming's first state park.The park includes a number of businesses:*Wyoming Pioneer Home, a state-run assisted-living facility*Gottsche Rehabilitation Center...
.
History
Hot Springs County was created on February 21, 1911 with land detached from Big Horn County, Fremont County, and Park County.Hot Springs County was named for the hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
located in the county seat of Thermopolis
Thermopolis, Wyoming
Thermopolis is the largest town in, and the county seat of Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,172....
.
In the 2008 United States presidential election, Hot Springs County was the only county in the entire Mountain West
Mountain States
thumb|300px|Regional definitions vary from source to source. The states shown in dark red are always included, while the striped states are usually considered part of the same region called the Mountain States....
outside of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
where John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
beat George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's percentage of the county vote from the 2004 election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 2006 square miles (5,195.5 km²), of which 2004 square miles (5,190.3 km²) is land and 2 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.12%) is water. It is the smallest county in Wyoming and the largest county in the US that is a state's smallest county.
Hot Springs County includes the southern portion of Wyoming's Big Horn Basin, and is surrounded by mountains. Most of the Wind River Canyon
Wind River Canyon
Wind River Canyon is a scenic Wyoming canyon carved out by the Wind River. It is located between the cities of Shoshoni and Thermopolis and is a popular stop for visitors to Yellowstone National Park. It is accessible by U.S. Highway 20 and Wyoming Highway 789. It was designated as a Wyoming Scenic...
, with the Owl Creek Mountains
Owl Creek Mountains
The Owl Creek Mountains are a subrange of the Rocky Mountains in central Wyoming in the United States, running east to west to form a bridge between the Absaroka Range to the northwest and the Bridger Mountains to the east. The range forms the boundary between the Bighorn Basin to the north and the...
on the west and Bridger Mountains
Bridger Mountains
The Bridger Mountains may refer to either of two mountain ranges in the United States:* Bridger Mountains * Bridger Mountains...
on the east is in Hot Springs County, while the Bighorn Mountains ring the east portion on the county and the Absaroka Range
Absaroka Range
The Absaroka Range is a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. The range stretches about 150 mi across the Montana-Wyoming border, forming the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park and the western side of the Bighorn Basin. The range borders the Beartooth Mountains...
is to the west. A eastern-most portion of the Shoshone National Forest
Shoshone National Forest
Shoshone National Forest is the first federally protected National Forest in the United States and covers nearly 2.5 million acres in the state of Wyoming. Originally a part of the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve, the forest was created by an act of Congress and signed into law by U.S....
lies within the county.
The Wind River Indian Reservation
Wind River Indian Reservation
Wind River Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation shared by the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes of Native Americans in the central western portion of the U.S. state of Wyoming...
extends into southern Hot Springs County.
Adjacent counties
- Washakie County, Wyoming (east)
- Fremont County, Wyoming (south)
- Park County, Wyoming (northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,882 people, 2,108 households, and 1,353 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 2,536 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.96% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.35% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.52% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.25% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.63% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.29% from two or more races. 2.38% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 23.3% were of German, 17.0% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 12.2% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 8.2% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 6.0% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 2,108 households out of which 25.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.80% were non-families. 31.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.00% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 23.30% from 25 to 44, 28.70% from 45 to 64, and 20.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,888, and the median income for a family was $39,364. Males had a median income of $27,030 versus $18,667 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,858. About 8.60% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The Wyoming Department of HealthWyoming Department of Health
The Wyoming Department of Health is a state agency of Wyoming. It has its headquarters in the Hathaway Building in Cheyenne.-History:...
Wyoming Pioneer Home, an assisted living facility for elderly people, is located in Thermopolis
Thermopolis, Wyoming
Thermopolis is the largest town in, and the county seat of Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,172....
. The facility was operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform
Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform
The Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform was a state agency of Wyoming that operated the state's charitable and penal institutions.-History:...
until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990.
Towns
- East ThermopolisEast Thermopolis, WyomingEast Thermopolis is a town in Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 274 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Thermopolis is located at ....
- KirbyKirby, WyomingKirby is a town in Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 57 at the 2000 census. The town was home to a coal mining camp in the early 1900s along with the nearby camps of Crosby and Gebo.-Geography:...
- ThermopolisThermopolis, WyomingThermopolis is the largest town in, and the county seat of Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 3,172....
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hot Springs County, WyomingNational Register of Historic Places listings in Hot Springs County, WyomingThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Hot Springs County, Wyoming. It is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Hot Springs County, Wyoming, United States...