2010 Census shows diversity, poverty in San Juan

The spectacular scenery in San Juan County is not the only thing that differentiates the county from the rest of the United States.
Preliminary figures released from the 2010 Census show that the county continues to differ from other counties in the nation.
One difference is in population growth. The Census counts 14,746 residents of San Juan County, a 2.3 percent increase over 2000. The local growth rate over the past ten years is significantly less that the 9.7 percent growth in the United States as a whole and pales in comparison to the 23.8 percent increase in Utah.
In total, the population of Utah grew by more than 500,000 between 2000 and 2010. In contrast, the population of San Juan County grew by less than 350 people.
Another difference is in the racial makeup of the county. The Census shows that 50.4 percent of San Juan County residents are Native American. The rough count of Native Americans is 7,432.
In contrast, the white population of the county is 45.8 percent of the total, or roughly 6,754 residents. In the United States, 72.4 percent of residents are white.
Just 4.4 percent of San Juan County residents are of Hispanic or Latino origin, compared to 13 percent of Utahans and 16.3 percent of U.S. residents.
Nearly half of San Juan County residents (49.3 percent) have a language other than English spoken in the home, compared to 13.8 percent of Utah households and 19.6 percent of homes in the nation.
Income levels also differentiate San Juan County residents. The annual per capita income of San Juan County residents is $14,024, which is just more than half of the national per capita income of $27,041. The per capita income in Utah is $22,684.
In previous Census reports, the per capita income in San Juan County has been among the lowest in the nation.
The Census shows that 28.3 percent of San Juan County residents are below the poverty level, compared to 11.7 percent of Utahans and 14.3 percent of Americans.
The median household income in San Juan County is $36,038, compared to $55,183 for Utah and $50,221 for the nation.
The median value of homes in San Juan County is $100,500, compared to a Utah median home value of $208,100 and a national median home value of $185,400.
The home ownership rate is 77.4 percent in San Juan County, 72 percent in Utah, and 66.9 percent for the nation.
In the United States, 84.6 percent of adults are high school graduates and 27.5 percent hold a bachelors degree.
In Utah, 90.4 percent are high school graduates and 28.7 percent hold a bachelors degree.
In San Juan County, 79.3 percent have a high school diploma and 16.3 percent have a bachelors degree.
Retail sales per capita in San Juan County is just $3,102, compared to $13,730 in Utah and $12,990 in the United States.