Alamosa

Alamosa is a home rule municipality and the county seat of Alamosa County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 9,806 at the 2020 United States Census. Alamosa is the commercial center of the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado, and is the home of Adams State University. It takes its name from the Spanish adjective Alamosa, meaning "of cottonwood", for the cottonwood forests which grow along the Rio Grande and throughout town. The town hosts "Summer Fest on the Rio" which occurs the first weekend in June, the Early Iron car show over the Labor Day weekend, and "Weekends on the Rio" on various Sundays throughout the summer. It is the gateway city to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado Gators Reptile Park and the Rio Rio Scenic Railroad. The elevation is about 7,544 feet (2,299 m) in Alamosa with peaks over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) within 23 miles (37 km) of town in the Sangre de Cristo Range. It features a cold desert climate (Köppen BWk) with long, cold winters and warm summers, and dry weather year-round. On July 10, 2020, Alamosa made weather history by measuring a record low temperature and a record high temperature in less than 12 hours. At the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a total area of 4,910 acres (19.871 km²), including 47 acres (0.192 km²) of water.

History

Alamosa is the primary city name, but also Great Sand Dunes National Mo, Sand Dunes Mo are acceptable city names or spellings, Carmel, East Alamosa, Estrella, Henry, Stanley, Washington, Waverly on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. Alamosa was established in May 1878 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and quickly became an important rail center. Alamosa was the terminus of the D&RG until 1881, when the line was extended to Monte Vista. The city takes its name from the Spanish adjective Alamosa, meaning "of cottonwood", for the cottonwood forests which grow along the Rio Grande and throughout town. The town hosts "Summer Fest on the Rio" which occurs the first weekend in June, the Early Iron car show over the Labor Day weekend, and "Weekends on the Rio" on various Sundays throughout the summer. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado Gators Reptile Park and the Rio Rio Scenic Railroad are nearby. The Rio Grande Scenic Railway is a narrow-gauge rail line with trackage reaching many points throughout southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico. The railroad had an extensive construction, repair and shipping facility in Alamosa for many years and headquartered its remaining narrow gauge service here. It is now a notable tourist town with many nearby attractions, including the Great sand Dunes national park and Preserves, and the Colorado Gators reptile park. It also hosts the annual Summer Fest in June and the "Early Iron Car Show" on Labor Day Weekend. It was the first city in the United States to host a national car show in the early 1900s, and has since become a popular destination for car enthusiasts. It has also been the site of numerous rodeos and other sporting events, such as the New Mexico State Fair.

Geography

Alamosa is located at 37°28N 105°52W (37.469, 105.874), at the junction of U.S. Routes 160 and 285. At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 4,910 acres (19.871 km²), including 47 acres (0.192 km²) of water. Elevation is about 7,544 feet (2,299 m) in Alamosa with peaks over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) within 23 miles (37 km) of town. Alamosa is the gateway city to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. It has a cold desert climate (Köppen BWk) with long, cold winters and warm summers, and dry weather year-round. On July 10, 2020, Alamosa made weather history by measuring a record low temperature and a record high temperature in less than 12 hours. The city is located along the Rio Grande in the San Luis Valley, in the highest general agricultural land in the United States. It is located in the Sangre de Cristo Range, which is located about 23 miles from Alamosa. The average annual precipitation is only 7.31 inches (186 mm), with the months of July through September being the wettest. The aridity depresses normal seasonal (July through June of the following year) snowfall to 27.6 inches (70 cm) Alamosa features a long-term annual average of 227 days per year with a minimum of 32 °F (0 °C) or less.

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. Census, there were 9,806 people, 3,828 households, and 1,935 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 44.5% White, 2.6% Black or African American, 2.20% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 1.3% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from two or more races, and 49.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.04. The median income for a household in theCity was $29,593, and the median income. for a family was $33,017. About 18.1% of families and 25.0% of those under age 18 were below the poverty line, including 30.4% of. those under. age 18 and 17.0 per cent of those age 65 or over. The city has a population of 9,531 people, with 3,215 housing units at an average density of 805.8 per square mile (311.1/km²). The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there are 91.4 males. The per capita income for the city is $15,405. It is the only city in the state with more than 10,000 people living in a single-family home. It has a median age of 28 years, with 24.8% under the age of 18.

Government

Alamosa is a home rule municipality like many other Colorado towns. The City Council has six members, four elected from wards and two at large. The city elects a mayor-at-large on a non-partisan ballot. The current mayor of Alamosa is Ty Coleman. The Council has authority to make, change, and repeal laws and ordinances. The council is made up of six members: four members from wards, two from at large, and one from the city's central business district. The mayor is elected for a four-year term, ending in 2018. The town has a population of 2,000 people. It is located in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and is on the Colorado Turnpike, which runs through Alamosa.

Education

Adams State University, founded in 1921 as a teacher's college, offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Graduate level programs emphasize teaching and education, art, history and business. In 2015, the college reached an all-time high enrollment of 3,701 students. The schools in Alamosa were the subject to the educational segregation lawsuit, Maestas vs. George H. Shone. Alamosa Public Schools are part of the Alamosa School District RE-11J, and include Alamosa Elementary School, Ortega Middle School, and Alamosa High School. In 2014, ASU added a cycling program. Many courses are available online. The University's location in Alam Rosa, with an elevation of about 7,800 ft above sea level, attracts many athletes (especially runners) to the school's athletic program. The school district was the subject of the educational segregations lawsuit,Maestas & Shone, which ended in a settlement of $1.5 million. The lawsuit was settled out of court, and the school district is no longer a part of Alamosa Unified School District. The district is part of a larger school district called Alamosa-Ortega School District, which includes Alamosa Middle School and High School, as well as Alamosa elementary and high schools. The superintendent of the district is Robert Alejo, who is also the superintendent of Alam Rosa High School and Alam Rosa Elementary School. He is the father of two children, one of whom is a junior at ASU.

Infrastructure

Alamosa is on the Rio Grande River, which is crossed by two auto bridges, one pedestrian bridge and one rail bridge in town. It is the shopping center for the San Luis Valley and has a Walmart Supercenter, a Walgreens and two supermarkets, Safeway and City Market. There are a number of fast food restaurants, two medical clinics, and a regional hospital. Alamosa is part of Colorado's Bustang network, and is on Alamosa-Pueblo Outrider line. Adams State University is a four-year, state-supported university founded in 1921 and offering degrees in several fields including business and education. Trinidad State College offers 2-year degrees in gunsmithing, aquaculture, cosmetology, welding and nursing, as well as traditional arts and sciences classes like English, physics and chemistry. The local airport isSan Luis Valley Regional Airport, located in the town's downtown area. The town is home to the Alamosa High School football team, which won the state championship in 2010. The school is located in Alamosa, Colorado, and has an enrollment of about 2,000 students. The high school football team won the Colorado State Championship in 2010, the team's first win in the state since 1998. The team also won the national championship in the 2010-11 season, the first time the team has won the title since 2000-01. The city has a population of about 3,000. The U.S. Highway 160 highway runs east and west and runs north and south through Alamosa.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Alamosa, Alamosa County, Colorado = 98. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 79. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 98. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Alamosa = 5.2 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 9,806 individuals with a median age of 29.1 age the population grows by 3.80% in Alamosa, Alamosa County, Colorado population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 184.0 residents per square mile of area (71.03/km²). There are average 2.29 people per household in the 3,190 households with an average household income of $29,909 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 4.80% of the available work force and has dropped -1.55% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 32.10%. The number of physicians in Alamosa per 100,000 population = 208.4.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Alamosa = 7.1 inches and the annual snowfall = 31.7 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 65. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 282. 82 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and -1.9 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 74, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Alamosa, Alamosa County, Colorado which are owned by the occupant = 48.54%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 40 years with median home cost = $144,340 and home appreciation of -1.47%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $6.61 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,277 per student. There are 15 students for each teacher in the school, 346 students for each Librarian and 244 students for each Counselor. 3.33% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 16.52% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 13.09% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).