Crook County, Wyoming facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Crook County
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Crook County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Wyoming
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 Wyoming's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Wyoming |
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| Founded | December 8, 1875 (authorized) 1888 (organized) |
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| Named for | George Crook | |
| Seat | Sundance | |
| Largest town | Sundance | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2,865 sq mi (7,420 km2) | |
| • Land | 2,854 sq mi (7,390 km2) | |
| • Water | 11 sq mi (30 km2) 0.4%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,181 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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7,592  |
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| • Density | 2.5065/sq mi (0.96775/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | |
| Congressional district | At-large | |
Crook County is a special area called a county in the northeastern part of Wyoming, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 7,181 people lived here. This makes it one of the least populated counties in Wyoming.
The main town and biggest city in Crook County is Sundance. The county is known for being at the edge of the Black Hills, which are a famous group of mountains.
Contents
A Look Back: History of Crook County
Crook County was first created by the government of the Wyoming Territory on December 8, 1875. It was formed from parts of Albany and Laramie Counties. It officially started working as a county in 1888.
The county got its name from Brigadier General George Crook. He was an army leader during the Indian Wars. Over time, Crook County's size changed. In 1890, some of its land was used to create Weston County. Later, in 1911, more land from Crook County helped form Campbell County.
Where is Crook County? Geography and Nature
According to the US Census Bureau, Crook County covers a total area of about 2,865 square miles. Most of this, about 2,854 square miles, is land. Only about 11 square miles (0.4%) is water.
The lowest point in the entire state of Wyoming is found right here in Crook County. It's on the Belle Fourche River, where the river flows out of Wyoming and into South Dakota.
A very famous landmark, Devils Tower National Monument, is located in Crook County. It's part of the Bear Lodge Mountains. Also, the Missouri Buttes are in the county. These are unique rock formations found about 3.5 miles northwest of Devils Tower.
Roads and Routes: Major Highways
Getting around Crook County is easy with these important roads:
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Neighboring Areas: Adjacent Counties
Crook County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Butte County, South Dakota – to the northeast
- Lawrence County, South Dakota – to the east
- Weston County – to the south
- Campbell County – to the west
- Powder River County, Montana – to the northwest
- Carter County, Montana – to the north
Special Natural Places: National Protected Areas
Parts of these important natural areas are found in Crook County:
- Black Hills National Forest (a large forest)
- Devils Tower National Monument (a famous rock tower)
- Thunder Basin National Grassland (a big grassland area)
Who Lives Here? Population Over Time
The number of people living in Crook County has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at the population from different census counts:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 239 | — | |
| 1890 | 2,338 | 878.2% | |
| 1900 | 3,137 | 34.2% | |
| 1910 | 6,492 | 106.9% | |
| 1920 | 5,524 | −14.9% | |
| 1930 | 5,333 | −3.5% | |
| 1940 | 5,463 | 2.4% | |
| 1950 | 4,738 | −13.3% | |
| 1960 | 4,691 | −1.0% | |
| 1970 | 4,535 | −3.3% | |
| 1980 | 5,308 | 17.0% | |
| 1990 | 5,294 | −0.3% | |
| 2000 | 5,887 | 11.2% | |
| 2010 | 7,083 | 20.3% | |
| 2020 | 7,181 | 1.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 7,592 | 7.2% | |
| US Decennial Census 1870–2000 2010–2016 |
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In 2010, there were about 7,083 people living in Crook County. Most people were white (97.2%). About 2.0% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background. The average age of people in the county was about 43.6 years old.
The average income for a household in 2010 was about $49,890. For families, it was about $55,765. About 7.8% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Beliefs and Faiths: Religion in Crook County
Here's a look at the different religious groups in Crook County, based on information from 2020:
Religion in Crook County (2020) LDS Church (13.2%) Evangelical Churches (13.1%) Catholic Church (8.9%) Mainline Protestant Churches (4.4%) Anabaptist Church ( Amish ) (2.4%) Others (0.1%) None* (57.1%)
Places to Live: Communities in Crook County
Crook County has several towns and smaller communities where people live.
Towns
These are the main towns in the county:
- Hulett
- Moorcroft
- Pine Haven
- Sundance (This is the county seat, meaning it's where the county government is located.)
Census-designated place
- Beulah (This is a community that the Census Bureau tracks, but it's not an officially incorporated town.)
Unincorporated communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially towns:
Want to Learn More? See Also
