List of municipalities in Colorado
The State of Colorado in the United States has 272 active municipalities, comprising 197 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments.[1][2] At the 2020 United States Census, 4,299,942 of the 5,773,714 Colorado residents (74.47%) lived in one of these 272 municipalities.[citation needed] Another 714,417 residents (12.37%) lived in one of the 210 census-designated places, while the remaining 759,355 residents (13.15%) lived in the many rural and mountainous areas of the state.[3]
Colorado municipalities range in population from the City and County of Denver, the state capital,[4] with a 2020 population of 715,522, to the Town of Carbonate, which has had no year-round population since the 1890 Census due to its severe winter weather and difficult access.[3][5] The City of Black Hawk with a 2020 population of 127 is the least populous Colorado city, while the Town of Castle Rock with a 2020 population of 73,158 is the most populous Colorado town.[1][3]
Only 1,969 square miles (5,100 km2) of Colorado's 103,642 square miles (268,431 km2) of land area (1.90%) are incorporated in the 272 municipalities.[citation needed] The City of Colorado Springs with 195 square miles (506 km2) of land area is the most extensive municipality, while the Town of Sawpit with 19 acres (0.078 km2) of land area is the least extensive.[6] The City of Glendale with a 2020 population density of 8,117 residents per square mile (3,134/km2) is the most densely populated municipality, while the Town of Bonanza with a 2020 population density of 38 residents per square mile (15/km2) is the least densely populated municipality after Carbonate.[citation needed]
Municipal government[edit]
Colorado municipalities operate under one of five types of municipal governing authority – consolidated city and county, home rule municipality, statutory city, statutory town, and territorial charter municipality.[1] State law makes relatively few distinctions between a city and a town.[citation needed] The charter of a home rule municipality may designate either a city or town municipal title.[citation needed] In general, cities are more populous than towns, although long-term population changes may skew this considerably, as illustrated by the City of Black Hawk and the Town of Castle Rock.[citation needed]
Neither village nor civil township is a type of civil division in the State of Colorado.[citation needed] However, the cities of Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village and the towns of Log Lane Village, Mountain Village, and Snowmass Village have the word "village" at the end of their names.[1]
Nineteen Colorado municipalities extend into two counties, while two cities – Aurora and Littleton – extend into three counties.[1]
Consolidated city and county[edit]
In the State of Colorado, only Denver and Broomfield have consolidated city and county governments. The City and County of Denver operates under Article XX, Section 4 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado; and Title 30, Article 11, Section 101 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Denver has an elected mayor and a city council of 13 members with 11 members elected from council districts and two members elected at large.[citation needed] The City and County of Broomfield operates under Article XX, Sections 10–13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. Broomfield has an appointed city and county manager, an elected mayor, and a city council of 11 members composed of the mayor and two members elected from each of five wards.[citation needed]
Home rule municipality[edit]
Colorado has 62 cities and 37 towns that are home rule municipalities that are self-governing under Article 20 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado; Title 31, Article 1, Section 202 of the Colorado Revised Statutes; and the home rule charter of each municipality.[citation needed] The state-authorized home rule charter determines the form of government.[citation needed]
Statutory city[edit]
Colorado has 11 statutory cities that operate under Title 31, Article 1, Section 203 and Article 4, Section 100 or Section 200 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.[citation needed] Statutory cities have an elected mayor and a city council composed of the mayor and two members elected from each ward.[citation needed] A statutory city may petition to reorganize as a Section 200 statutory city with an appointed city manager and a city council with two members elected from each ward and one member elected at large.[citation needed] The mayor may be the city council member elected at large or the city council may appoint a mayor.[citation needed]
Statutory town[edit]
Colorado has 159 statutory towns that operate under Title 31, Article 1, Section 203 and Article 4, Part 3 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.[citation needed] Creede uses the official title "City of Creede" despite its status as a statutory town.[1] Garden City, Lake City, Orchard City, and Sugar City are statutory towns despite the word "city" at the end of their names.[1]
Statutory towns have an elected mayor and a board of trustees composed of the mayor and four or six additional members elected at large.[citation needed] Colorado statutory towns are similar to villages in other states such as the villages of the State of New York.[citation needed]
Territorial charter municipality[edit]
The Town of Georgetown is the only municipality that still operates under a charter granted by the Territory of Colorado.[citation needed] The town operates under Article 14, Section 13 of the Charter & Constitution of the Colorado Territory enacted on January 28, 1868.[citation needed] The town mayor is called the police judge and the town council is called the board of selectmen.[7]
Municipalities[edit]
|
County seat |
|---|---|
|
State capital |
Municipalities in multiple counties[edit]
Twenty-one active municipalities currently extend into more than one county.[1]
| Municipality[1] | Counties[1] | 2020 Census population[3] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | by county | % | ||
| Arvada | Jefferson | 124,402 | 121,510 | 98% |
| Adams | 2,892 | 2% | ||
| Aurora | Arapahoe | 386,261 | 336,035 | 87% |
| Adams | 47,720 | 12% | ||
| Douglas | 2,506 | 1% | ||
| Basalt | Eagle | 3,984 | 2,917 | 73% |
| Pitkin | 1,067 | 27% | ||
| Bennett | Adams | 2,862 | 2,443 | 85% |
| Arapahoe | 419 | 15% | ||
| Berthoud | Larimer | 10,332 | 10,071 | 97% |
| Weld | 261 | 3% | ||
| Bow Mar | Arapahoe | 853 | 587 | 69% |
| Jefferson | 266 | 31% | ||
| Brighton
|
Adams[m] | 40,083 | 39,718 | 99% |
| Weld | 365 | 1% | ||
| Center | Saguache | 1,929 | 1,885 | 98% |
| Rio Grande | 44 | 2% | ||
| Central City
|
Gilpin[t] | 779 | 779 | 100% |
| Clear Creek | 0 | 0% | ||
| Erie | Weld | 30,038 | 17,387 | 58% |
| Boulder | 12,651 | 42% | ||
| Green Mountain Falls | El Paso | 646 | 622 | 96% |
| Teller | 24 | 4% | ||
| Johnstown | Weld | 17,303 | 12,547 | 73% |
| Larimer | 4,756 | 27% | ||
| Littleton
|
Arapahoe[aq] | 45,652 | 42,702 | 94% |
| Jefferson | 2,310 | 5% | ||
| Douglas | 640 | 1% | ||
| Lochbuie | Weld | 8,088 | 8,087 | 99.99% |
| Adams | 1 | 0.01% | ||
| Longmont | Boulder | 98,885 | 97,587 | 99% |
| Weld | 1,298 | 1% | ||
| Northglenn | Adams | 38,131 | 38,106 | 99.93% |
| Weld | 25 | 0.07% | ||
| Superior | Boulder | 13,094 | 13,094 | 100% |
| Jefferson | 0 | 0% | ||
| Thornton | Adams | 141,867 | 141,867 | 100% |
| Weld | 0 | 0% | ||
| Timnath | Larimer | 6,487 | 6,482 | 99.92% |
| Weld | 5 | 0.08% | ||
| Westminster | Adams | 116,317 | 71,240 | 61% |
| Jefferson | 45,077 | 39% | ||
| Windsor | Weld | 32,716 | 24,997 | 76% |
| Larimer | 7,719 | 24% | ||
Gallery[edit]
- The 20 most populous municipalities
1. Denver, the "Mile-High City", is the state capital and the most populous city.
2. Colorado Springs is the center of a military, technical, and recreational complex at the foot of Pikes Peak.[citation needed]
3. Aurora, Denver's twin city, is home of the regional Anschutz Medical Campus.[citation needed]
4. Fort Collins is a research center and home of Colorado State University.[citation needed]
5. Lakewood is home of the Denver Federal Center, the largest federal complex outside Washington, D.C.[citation needed]
6. Thornton is a residential community that is the northern gateway to Metropolitan Denver.[citation needed]
7. Arvada is the site of the first recorded gold discovery in the Rocky Mountain region.
8. Westminster is a northwestern Denver suburb.[citation needed]
9. The Historic Arkansas Riverwalk in downtown Pueblo.[citation needed]
10. Greeley was settled as part of the agricultural Union Colony of Colorado.[citation needed]
11. Centennial is home of the Denver Area Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[citation needed]
12. Boulder is a research center and home of the University of Colorado.[citation needed]
13. Longmont is a farm town turned high-tech center.[citation needed]
14. Loveland, the “Sweetheart City”, is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.[citation needed]
15. Castle Rock is a residential community between Denver and Colorado Springs.[citation needed]
16. Broomfield is a high-tech center midway between Denver and Boulder.[citation needed]
17. Grand Junction is the most populous city of western Colorado and the entire Colorado Plateau.[citation needed]
18. Commerce City is a residential community near Denver International Airport.[citation needed]
19. Parker is a residential community southeast of Denver.[citation needed]
20. Littleton is a farm town turned Denver suburb.[citation needed]
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See also[edit]
- List of populated places in Colorado
- List of census-designated places in Colorado
- List of counties in Colorado
- List of forts in Colorado
- List of ghost towns in Colorado
- List of historic places in Colorado
- List of populated places in Colorado by county
- List of post offices in Colorado
- List of statistical areas in Colorado
- Population history of Colorado municipalities
Notes[edit]
- ^ Three Colorado county seats: Brighton, Central City, and Littleton, extend into adjacent counties.[1][8]
- ^ The unincorporated community of Conejos, a census-designated place (CDP), is the seat of Conejos County. Conejos is the last unincorporated county seat in Colorado.[8]
- ^ Detailed municipal maps are available at CDOT map search.[9]
- ^ Ault was originally incorporated in 1904 as the Town of Bergdorf.[1]
- ^ The City of Aurora is the 51st most populous U.S. municipality.[11]
- ^ The City of Aurora is a principal city of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Denver-Aurora, CO Combined Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Aurora was originally incorporated in 1903 as the Town of Fletcher.[1]
- ^ Bonanza was originally incorporated in 1881 as the Town of Bonanza City.[1]
- ^ The City of Boulder is the principal city of the Boulder, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Boulder was originally incorporated by the Territory of Colorado in 1871 as the City of Boulder City.[1]
- ^ The Town of Breckenridge is the principal city of the Breckenridge, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Breckenridge was founded in November 1859 and named for prospector Thomas Breckenridge. In 1860, the spelling of the town's name was changed to Breckinridge in honor of U.S. Vice President John Cabell Breckinridge.[13] When Breckinridge accepted a commission as a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army in 1861, the town promptly changed its name back to the original Breckenridge.[14]
- ^ a b The City of Brighton is the seat of Adams County, but extends into Weld County.[1][8]
- ^ As a consolidated city and county, the City and County of Broomfield is its own county seat.[1][8]
- ^ The City and County of Broomfield was consolidated on November 15, 2001.[1]
- ^ The City of Cañon City is a principal city of the Cañon City, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Pueblo-Cañon City, CO Combined Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ The Town of Carbonate has had no year-round population since the 1890 United States Census.[3]
- ^ The City of Castle Pines is the youngest Colorado municipality. The City of Castle Pines North was incorporated on November 6, 2007. An election on November 2, 2010, changed the name to the City of Castle Pines.[1]
- ^ Central City uses the municipal title City of Central.[1]
- ^ a b The City of Central is the seat of Gilpin County, but extends into an uninhabited area of Clear Creek County.[1][8]
- ^ The Town of Coal Creek should not be confused with the Coal Creek CDP.
- ^ The City of Colorado Springs is the 40th most populous U.S. municipality.[11]
- ^ The City of Colorado Springs is the principal city of the Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Commerce City was originally incorporated in 1952 as the Town of Commerce Town.[1]
- ^ The City of Craig is a principal city of the Craig, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Steamboat Springs-Craig, CO Combined Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Creede uses the official title City of Creede despite its status as a Colorado statutory town.[1]
- ^ The City and County of Denver is the 19th most populous U.S. municipality.[11]
- ^ The City and County of Denver is the principal city of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Denver-Aurora, CO Combined Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Denver has retained its "Mile-High City" elevation of 5,280 feet (1,609.344 m) despite advances in scientific measurement. When the National Geodetic Survey makes adjustments to the North American Vertical Datum (NAVD), the State of Colorado moves the official mile-high elevation point up or down the west steps of the Colorado State Capitol to reflect the changes. Most of Denver actually lies above this elevation.[15]
- ^ As a consolidated city and county, the City and County of Denver is its own county seat.[1]
- ^ Denver is the oldest Colorado municipality. The Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson granted a charter to the consolidated City of Denver, Auraria, and Highland on December 3, 1859.[16] The Territory of Colorado reincorporated the city as the City of Denver City on November 7, 1861.[1] In 1864, the city shortened its name to the City of Denver.[17] The City and County of Denver was consolidated on November 15, 1902.[1]
- ^ Dinosaur was originally incorporated in 1947 as the Town of Artesia.[1]
- ^ The City of Durango is the principal city of the Durango, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ The City of Fort Collins is the principal city of the Fort Collins, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ The City of Fort Morgan is the principal city of the Fort Morgan, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ The City of Glenwood Springs is a principal city of the Glenwood Springs, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Edwards-Glenwood Springs, CO Combined Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Golden was originally incorporated by the Territory of Colorado in 1871 as the City of Golden City.[1]
- ^ The City of Grand Junction is the principal city of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ The City of Greeley is the principal city of the Greeley, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Ignacio is the headquarters of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.[18]
- ^ The City of Lakewood is a principal city of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ LaSalle was originally incorporated in 1910 as the Town of La Salle.[1]
- ^ a b The City of Littleton is the seat of Arapahoe County, but extends into both Jefferson and Douglas counties.[1][8]
- ^ The City of Montrose is the principal city of the Montrose, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Parachute was originally incorporated in 1908 as the Town of Grand Valley.[1]
- ^ The City of Pueblo is the principal city of the Pueblo, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Pueblo-Cañon City, CO Combined Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Raymer is served by the New Raymer post office, creating some confusion about the town's name.[19]
- ^ The name "Saguache" is pronounced /səˈwætʃ/. This name comes from the Ute language noun "sawup" /səˈwʌp/ meaning "sand dunes". The Spanish language version of this name is usually spelled "Saguache", while the English language version is usually spelled "Sawatch".[10]
- ^ San Luis de la Culebra was settled on April 9, 1851, making San Luis the oldest continuously occupied community in the Colorado.[20]
- ^ The City of Steamboat Springs is the principal city of the Steamboat Springs, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Steamboat Springs-Craig, CO Combined Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ The City of Sterling is the principal city of the Sterling, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.[12]
- ^ Telluride was originally incorporated in 1887 as the Town of Columbia.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs, Division of Local Government. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ "State of Colorado Incorporated Places - Current/TAB20 - Data as of January 1, 2020". United States Census Bureau. January 1, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "QuickFacts for Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ "Why Is Denver the Capital of Colorado?". Sporkle Blog. January 21, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ Stroud, John (November 8, 2014). "Yes, that's a town — by 9-0 vote". Glenwood Springs Post Independent. Archived from the original on March 6, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "State of Colorado Incorporated Places - Current/TAB20 - Data as of January 1, 2020". United States Census Bureau. January 1, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ "First settlers came to the Georgetown are in 1859" (PDF). Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Colorado Counties (64 counties)". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
- ^ "Map Search". Colorado Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Merkl, Dameon (February 26, 2013), "What's in a Colorado name pronunciation?", The Denver Post, retrieved September 4, 2022
- ^ a b c "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places of 50,000 or More, Ranked by July 1, 2021 Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce. May 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "OMB Bulletin No. 20-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget. March 6, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
- ^ Dawson, John Frank (1954). "Breckenridge". Place Names in Colorado: Why 700 Communities Were So Named. p. 11. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ "Town History, Gold Dust to White Gold". Special Features. Town of Breckenridge. Archived from the original on 2007-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
- ^ Cook, Terri (May 26, 2015). "Only in Colorado: The Capitol's Mile-High Step(s)". 5280 Magazine. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ Provisional Laws and Joint Resolutions of the General Assembly of Jefferson Territory. General Assembly of the Territory of Jefferson. November 28, 1859. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ "The Model of Auraria-Denver of 1860" (PDF). The Colorado Magazine. Colorado Historical Society. July 1935. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
- ^ "Southern Ute Indian Tribe". Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ "Colorado Post Offices". United States Postal Service. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ "Colorado celebrates the anniversary of its oldest town, San Luis". History Colorado. April 1, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
External links[edit]
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Coordinates: 38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W