Huerfano County 2022 Community Survey

Magellan Strategies is pleased to present the topline results of an online survey of 515 adult residents in Huerfano County, Colorado. The interviews were conducted from April 7th to 26th, 2022.

Residents of Huerfano County offered a mixed but cautiously positive assessment of their county as a place to live. A slim majority rated the county favorably overall, and an even larger share rated their own neighborhoods positively. The county was seen as a decent place to retire, but considerably fewer residents viewed it as a good place to raise children. Most said they would likely remain in the county over the next five years, and a modest majority indicated they would recommend it to others. The natural environment stood out as the most-loved aspect of living there, followed by the county’s location and proximity to family and friends.

When rating specific community characteristics, residents were most critical of the county’s overall appearance, cleanliness, and image or reputation — areas that drew predominantly negative marks. Job opportunities, affordable housing, educational opportunities, and affordable childcare were seen as serious deficiencies. Healthcare access and services for aging residents also received poor marks. On the more positive side, neighborliness and openness toward diverse residents earned middling but comparatively better ratings.

Residents identified drugs as the single most pressing community problem, with an overwhelming majority rating it a major issue. Run-down buildings and junk vehicles were also widely seen as significant concerns. Crime and lack of growth drew considerable concern as well, while noise and excessive growth were largely viewed as non-issues. Financial stress around unexpected expenses, food costs, and healthcare were common household worries.

Regarding the shared Health Department with Las Animas County, familiarity was moderate and satisfaction was lukewarm. A notable share of residents believed Las Animas County benefited more from the arrangement, and a majority expressed support for Huerfano County establishing its own separate Health Department. However, when informed that a dedicated funding source would be needed, most residents said they would not support a new tax to fund it.

Ratings of the District Attorney’s Office — also shared with Las Animas County — were strikingly negative across nearly every measure, including prosecution record and overall satisfaction. As with the Health Department, a sizable share believed Las Animas County residents were better served by the shared arrangement. The County Sheriff’s Office fared somewhat better but still received mixed reviews, with nighttime coverage and response times drawing particular criticism.

Satisfaction with county offices varied considerably. The County Clerk’s Office and County Assessor’s Office received the strongest ratings, while the County Planning Office and County Building Office were rated poorly. The Board of County Commissioners received middling marks. Overall satisfaction with county services was moderate, with residents roughly split between positive and fair-to-poor assessments. Residents expressed strong desire for more retail, industrial, housing, and job growth, all of which were seen as badly lagging.

On county communications, residents found it reasonably easy to obtain information about the county, and word of mouth and the local newspaper were the most frequently used information sources. There was meaningful interest in more accessible engagement opportunities, particularly open forum commissioner meetings. Support for term limits on countywide elected offices — especially the Sheriff — was broadly favored across the board.