Basin, Wyoming
Encyclopedia
Basin is a town in, and the county seat
of, Big Horn County, Wyoming
, United States
. The population was 1,239 at the 2000 census
. The community is located near the center of the Bighorn Basin
with the Big Horn River east of the town. Basin's post office, built in 1919, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.3 km²), of which 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) (1.47%) is water.
Basin has a cold desert climate
(Köppen climate classification
BWk).
of 2000, there were 1,238 people, 504 households, and 330 families residing in the town. The population density
was 613.7 people per square mile (236.6/km²). There were 565 housing units at an average density of 280.1 per square mile (108.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.77% White, 0.08% African American, 1.05% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.97% from other races
, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.26% of the population.
There were 504 households out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples
living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.74.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 26.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,519, and the median income for a family was $42,768. Males had a median income of $33,942 versus $20,139 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,890. About 6.1% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.
Wyoming Retirement Center, a nursing home, is located in Basin. The facility was operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform
until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Basin Post Office.
. The district has four campuses – Laura Irwin Elementary School (grades K-4), Manderson Elementary School (grade 5), Cloud Peak Middle School (grades 6-8), and Riverside High School
(grades 9-12).
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of, Big Horn County, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,239 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. The community is located near the center of the Bighorn Basin
Bighorn Basin
The Bighorn Basin is a plateau region and intermontane basin, approximately 100 miles wide, in north-central Wyoming in the United States. It is bounded by the Absaroka Range on the west, the Bighorn Mountains on the east, and the Owl Creek Mountains and Bridger Mountains on the south...
with the Big Horn River east of the town. Basin's post office, built in 1919, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Geography
Basin is located at 44°22′44"N 108°2′35"W (44.378777, -108.043100).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.3 km²), of which 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) (1.47%) is water.
Climate
Basin had the highest temperature ever recorded in Wyoming, 115 °F (46.1 °C), on August 8, 1983. In general, the eastern portion of the Bighorn Basin is hotter than the rest of Wyoming during the summer months. There are an average of 50.9 days annually with highs of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher and an average of 186.0 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. Due to frequent low humidity, daily temperature ranges are large. The all-time record low for Basin was -51 F on January 30, 1951. The wettest year in Basin was 2005 with 10.43 inches (264.9 mm). The driest year was 1902 with 2.63 inches (66.8 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 4.56 inches (115.8 mm) in June 1967. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.23 inches (56.6 mm) on June 29, 1909. The most snowfall in one year 52.3 inches (1,328.4 mm) in 1978. The most snowfall in one month was 23 inches (584.2 mm) in September 1984.Basin has a cold desert climate
Desert climate
A desert climate , also known as an arid climate, is a climate that does not meet the criteria to be classified as a polar climate, and in which precipitation is too low to sustain any vegetation at all, or at most a very scanty scrub.An area that features this climate usually experiences less than...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BWk).
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,238 people, 504 households, and 330 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 613.7 people per square mile (236.6/km²). There were 565 housing units at an average density of 280.1 per square mile (108.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.77% White, 0.08% African American, 1.05% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.97% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.26% of the population.
There were 504 households out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.74.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 26.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,519, and the median income for a family was $42,768. Males had a median income of $33,942 versus $20,139 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $17,890. About 6.1% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The Wyoming Department of HealthWyoming Department of Health
The Wyoming Department of Health is a state agency of Wyoming. It has its headquarters in the Hathaway Building in Cheyenne.-History:...
Wyoming Retirement Center, a nursing home, is located in Basin. The facility was operated by the Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform
Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform
The Wyoming Board of Charities and Reform was a state agency of Wyoming that operated the state's charitable and penal institutions.-History:...
until that agency was dissolved as a result of a state constitutional amendment passed in November 1990.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Basin Post Office.
Education
Public education in the town of Basin is provided by Big Horn County School District #4Big Horn County School District Number 4
Big Horn County School District #4 is a public school district based in Basin, Wyoming, United States.-Geography:Big Horn County School District #4 serves southern Big Horn County and a very small, detached tract of land in northeastern Park County, including the following communities:*Incorporated...
. The district has four campuses – Laura Irwin Elementary School (grades K-4), Manderson Elementary School (grade 5), Cloud Peak Middle School (grades 6-8), and Riverside High School
Riverside High School (Wyoming)
Riverside High School is a public high school in Basin, Wyoming, United States. It is attended by students from throughout Big Horn County School District #4 including the towns of Basin and Manderson. The mascot is the rebel.-Athletics:...
(grades 9-12).