Baca County
General Overview
Baca County was created by the Colorado legislature
on April 16, 1889, out of the eastern portions of Las
Animas County. Baca County was named in honor of pioneer
and Colorado territorial legislator Felipe Baca. Baca
County is located in the southeastern corner of
Colorado, bordered by New Mexico and Oklahoma on the
south and Kansas on the east. It is located within the
physiographic province of the Great Plains, and ranges
from 3,500 to 5,280 feet above sea level. The climate is
semi-arid, with an average annual precipitation of about
12 inches in the northwest corner to about 17 inches in
the southeastern corner. According to the U.S. Census
Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,557 square
miles, of which 2,556 square miles is land and 1 square
mile is water.
| Baca County is rural, with a population of
roughly 4,517. Compared with Front Range communities,
land, labor and cost of living are low, with labor
having a strong work ethic. Baca County is the fifth
most populous county in the Southeast Colorado
Enterprise Development region and is the second least
densely populated, with 1.8 persons per square mile in
2000 census. The state average is 41.5 persons per
square mile. |
Photo by Laneha Everitt |
Photo by Laneha Everitt |
Demographics
The county has a Hispanic population of 7%, with
close to 5.8% speaking a language other than English.
The white population is 90.4%, and American Indian
population is 2.6%. Much of the county’s population is
aging, due in large part to the fact that many residents
have live here their entire lives, while much of the
younger generation has left the area to pursue careers.
A total of 25.4%of the county’s residents are age 65 or
older. As for educational attainment levels, 78.5% of
residents over age 25 have graduated from high school
and 14.0% possess a bachelor’s degree or higher. A low
cost of living in Baca County makes it possible for many
residents to own their own homes. The county has a
homeownership rate of 76.1%, above the 67.3% average for
Colorado.
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Economy
Baca County is a farming and ranching community. The
County’s labor force is 2,237, with a current employment
rate of approximately 95.8%. The median income for a
household in the county was $28,099, and the median
income for a family was $34,018. Males had a median
income of $23,169 verses $18,292 for females. The per
capita income for the county was $15,068. About 12.90%
of families and 16.90% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 21.60% of those under age 18 and
13.30% of those are age 65 or over.
Education
Baca County is made up of six communities:
Springfield, Walsh, Pritchett, Two Buttes, Vilas, and
Campo. Each of these communities operates its own school
district. These districts have found ways to provide
opportunities for youth to compete in sports at other
schools if their home district does not have enough
youth to enable them to have teams of their own,
showcasing a partnership that crosses school rivalry
lines.
Health Services
Baca County has one hospital, located in
Springfield. Southeast Colorado Hospital District is a
23-bed Critical Access Hospital providing acute, 24-hour
emergency, skilled, swing bed and respite care.
Specialty clinics in cardiology, dermatology,
orthopedics, podiatry, pulmonology, skin care, surgery
and urology are offered at least once a month. They
also provide laboratory and X-ray services, pain
management, respiratory care and therapy. Springfield
has a 40-bed long term care unit with an attached 16-bed
Alzheimer’s unit. Located in Walsh is a 30-bed long-term
care facility, Walsh Healthcare Center, along with a
20-bed Assisted Living Unit, Maplewood Homes. Emergency
services are located throughout the county.
Photo by Lex Nichols |
Recreation
The county has several areas to offer for hunting
and or recreation. For hunting, you can visit, North
Canyon in Campo, Sand Creek South and State Line,
located west of Campo, or Pat/Whitby Canyon, west of
Springfield. For hunting and recreation, we have some
State Wildlife areas which include; Burchfield, east of
Walsh; Turk’s Pond for Dove hunting and fishing, located
northeast of Springfield; or you can head over to the
Two Buttes Reservoir for some hiking, camping, rock
climbing, hunting, fishing and wildlife observation.
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Baca County Non-Profit
Organizations:
- Baca County Government
- Baca Pest Control
- Campo Cemetery
- Campo School District
- Campo Recreation
- Minneapolis Cemetery
- Pritchett School
District
- Southeast Mental Health Services
- Springfield Cemetery
- Springfield School
District
- Springfield Recreation
- Stonington Cemetery
- Two Buttes Cemetery
- Two Buttes Fire
Department
- Two Buttes
Recreation
- Vilas Cemetery
- Vilas School District
- Vilas Recreation
- Walsh Cemetery
- Walsh School District
- Walsh Recreation
The Special Districts are:
- Southeast Colorado Hospital
- Walsh
District Hospital
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