Commerce City, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Commerce City, Colorado
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| City of Commerce City | ||
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Commerce City Civic Center at 60th Avenue and Trenton Street
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Location of the City of Commerce City in Adams County, Colorado
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 Commerce City, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Colorado |
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| County | Adams County | |
| Incorporated as town | December 12, 1952, as Town of Commerce Town | |
| Incorporated as city | 1962 as City of Commerce City | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Home rule municipality | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 36.399 sq mi (94.273 km2) | |
| • Land | 36.002 sq mi (93.246 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.397 sq mi (1.027 km2) | |
| Elevation | 5,164 ft (1,574 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 62,418 | |
| • Density | 1,734/sq mi (670/km2) | |
| • Metro | 2,963,821 (19th) | |
| • CSA | 3,623,560 (17th) | |
| • Front Range | 5,055,344 | |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) | |
| ZIP Codes |
80022 & 80037 (PO Box)
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| Area code(s) | Both 303 and 720 | |
| FIPS code | 08-16495 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0184666 | |
| Highways | I-76, I-270, US 6, US 85, SH 2, SH 35, SH 44, SH 224, SH 265 | |
The City of Commerce City is a special kind of city in Colorado, United States. It's called a home rule municipality, which means it has more freedom to govern itself. It's located in Adams County.
In 2020, about 62,418 people lived in Commerce City. This was a big jump (over 35%) from 2010! It's now the 18th largest city in Colorado by population. Commerce City is just north of Denver and is part of the larger Denver metro area.
One of the most famous places here is Dick's Sporting Goods Park. This is a top-notch soccer stadium where the Colorado Rapids team plays in Major League Soccer. Commerce City is also home to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. This special place for animals has its only public entrance right in the city.
Contents
History of Commerce City
Early Settlements and Growth
In 1859, a man named John D. "Colonel Jack" Henderson built a ranch, trading post, and hotel. This was on Henderson Island in the South Platte River, north of Denver. He sold food and supplies to gold seekers during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush. Henderson Island was the first lasting settlement in this river valley. Today, this area is the Adams County Regional Park and Fairgrounds.
Some of the first important places in what is now Commerce City were cemeteries. Riverside Cemetery was started in 1876. Rose Hill Cemetery began in 1892.
The first school in the area was a one-room schoolhouse in 1871. More schools were added later. One of these schools is now part of the Adams 14 School District Administration Buildings.
Several small towns were founded here in the 1800s. Derby was a railroad stop that became a town in 1889. Irondale was settled in 1889, named after a metal factory. It became a town in 1924 but later became unincorporated. Adams City was planned in 1903, but it was mostly empty by 1922.
From Farms to Industry
Until the late 1920s, the area was mostly farmland. There were wheat fields, dairies, and pig farms. Then, industries started to move in. An oil refinery was built in 1930, and large grain elevators appeared in the late 1930s. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal, a large government facility, was built nearby in 1942.
In the 1940s, local schools joined together to form Adams County School District 14. In 1951, people in the area decided to form their own town. They wanted to avoid being taken over by Denver. In 1952, residents voted to create Commerce Town.
Becoming a City
Commerce Town grew bigger in 1962 when it added part of Derby. This made the population large enough for it to become a city. So, the name was changed to Commerce City. In 2007, citizens voted to keep the name Commerce City.
The Mile High Kennel Club, a greyhound racing park, used to be here. It opened in 1949 but is no longer running races. The city is now redeveloping this area. New construction is happening there, bringing new life to the site.
A new Adams City High School campus opened in 2009. It was built on land that used to be part of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.
Geography of Commerce City
Commerce City has two main areas. There's the central part, often called the "heart" of the city. Then there's the large "Northern Range" area, which stretches north of Denver International Airport. The city's leaders recognize these two different parts. They plan development carefully to suit each area's unique features and potential.
Commerce City is located at 39°50′27″N 104°54′4″W / 39.84083°N 104.90111°W.
According to the 2020 Census, the city covers about 94.273 square kilometers (36.399 square miles). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.
Climate in Commerce City
| Climate data for Commerce City, Colorado | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 47 (8) |
48 (9) |
56 (13) |
63 (17) |
72 (22) |
82 (28) |
88 (31) |
85 (29) |
78 (26) |
66 (19) |
54 (12) |
45 (7) |
65.3 (18.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22 (−6) |
23 (−5) |
29 (−2) |
36 (2) |
44 (7) |
51 (11) |
57 (14) |
56 (13) |
48 (9) |
38 (3) |
28 (−2) |
21 (−6) |
37.75 (3.19) |
| Source: Accuweather | |||||||||||||
People of Commerce City
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 8,970 | — | |
| 1970 | 17,407 | 94.1% | |
| 1980 | 16,234 | −6.7% | |
| 1990 | 16,466 | 1.4% | |
| 2000 | 20,991 | 27.5% | |
| 2010 | 45,913 | 118.7% | |
| 2020 | 62,418 | 35.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were about 20,991 people living in Commerce City. The city had 6,668 households and 4,974 families. The average age of people living there was 30 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 109 males.
The city's population is made up of different groups. About 74% are White, 3% are African American, and 2.5% are Asian. About 47% of the total population is Hispanic or Latino.
The average income for a household in the city was $69,268. The city has a large workforce, with many jobs available. About 19% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included about 22.5% of those under 18 years old.
Businesses and Industry
More than 1,400 companies have their homes in Commerce City. These range from big international companies to small local businesses.
Commerce City is also home to a large oil refinery. This facility can process about 98,000 barrels of oil each day. It used to be two separate refineries on different sides of Brighton Boulevard.
Suncor Energy bought the west refinery in 2003. They started a big project to upgrade it. Then, Suncor bought the east refinery in 2005. Their goal was to combine the two operations into one large refinery.
This upgrade project, called "Project Odyssey," made the refinery more modern. It helps Suncor meet environmental rules, like reducing the amount of sulfur in diesel fuel. It also allows the refinery to process oil from Canadian tar sands. This combined facility is now the biggest refinery in the Rocky Mountain region.
Education in Commerce City
Students in Commerce City attend schools in two different school districts. These are School District 27J and Adams 14.
The main high school for the Adams 14 district is Adams City High School.
Famous People from Commerce City
Some notable people who have lived in or were born in Commerce City include:
- Ronnie Bradford (born 1970), a football defensive back.
- Dominick Moreno (born 1985), a Colorado state legislator.
- Joe Rogers (1964–2013), who was a former Lieutenant Governor of Colorado.
- JoAnn Windholz, a Colorado state legislator.
See also
In Spanish: Commerce City para niños
