Douglas County, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas County
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
One of two county buildings for Douglas County in Castle Rock
|
|||||
|
|||||
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
|
|||||
 Colorado's location within the U.S. |
|||||
| Country |  United States |
||||
| State |  Colorado |
||||
| Founded | November 1, 1861 | ||||
| Named for | Stephen A. Douglas | ||||
| Seat | Castle Rock | ||||
| Largest community | Highlands Ranch | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 843 sq mi (2,180 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 840 sq mi (2,200 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 2.6 sq mi (7 km2) 0.3%% | ||||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||||
| • Total | 357,978 | ||||
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
383,906 | ||||
| • Density | 426/sq mi (164/km2) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | ||||
| Congressional districts | 4th, 6th | ||||
Douglas County is a county located in the state of Colorado in the United States. A county is like a smaller region within a state. As of 2020, about 357,978 people lived here. The county is named after Stephen A. Douglas, who was a U.S. Senator. The main town and government center of Douglas County is Castle Rock.
Douglas County is part of the larger Denver–Aurora–Lakewood city area. It sits right between Colorado's two biggest cities, Denver and Colorado Springs. Part of Aurora, which is the third-largest city in the state, is also in Douglas County. This county is known for having the highest average household income in Colorado. It is also ranked among the top counties in the entire country for income.
About Douglas County
Douglas County has many lightly wooded areas. You will mostly see ponderosa pine trees here. The land has a varied look with flat-topped hills called mesas, rolling foothills, and small streams. Cherry Creek and Plum Creek both start in Douglas County. They flow north towards Denver and into the South Platte River. In the past, these creeks could cause sudden floods. Now, both Cherry Creek and Plum Creek have dams to control the water.
Most people who live in Douglas County travel to jobs outside the county. New neighborhoods are being built, adding to the county's traditional ranching way of life.
History of the County
Douglas County was one of the first 17 counties created in the Colorado Territory. This happened on November 1, 1861. The county was named after U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas from Illinois. He passed away just five months before the county was formed.
The first county seat, or main government town, was Franktown. In 1863, it moved to California Ranch. Then, in 1874, it moved to Castle Rock, where it is today. The county's borders used to reach all the way to the Kansas state line. But in 1874, most of the eastern part of Douglas County became part of Elbert County.
Geography and Nature
Douglas County covers a total area of about 844 square miles (2,186 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 841 square miles (2,178 square kilometers), is land. Only a small part, about 2.6 square miles (6.7 square kilometers), is covered by water.
Neighboring Counties
Douglas County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Jefferson County, Colorado – to the west
- Arapahoe County, Colorado – to the north
- Elbert County, Colorado – to the east
- El Paso County, Colorado – to the south
- Teller County, Colorado – to the southwest
Main Roads
Many important roads pass through Douglas County, connecting it to other areas. These include:
Interstate 25
U.S. Highway 85
U.S. Highway 87
State Highway 67
State Highway 83
State Highway 86
State Highway 105
State Highway 121
State Highway 470
E-470 tollway
.svg){kind=small}
Parks and Outdoor Fun
Douglas County is home to three state parks:
- Castlewood Canyon State Park
- Chatfield State Park
- Roxborough State Park
Parts of the county are also within the Pike National Forest. The historic South Platte Trail once crossed through these areas.
There are many trails for recreation in the county, including:
- American Discovery Trail
- Colorado Trail
- Devils Head National Recreation Trail
- Highline Canal National Recreation Trail
- Platte River Greenway National Recreation Trail
- Ridgeline Open Space Trail
- Bluffs Regional Park Trail
The Rueter–Hess Reservoir is a large body of water that offers fun activities. When it is full, it's great for fishing, hiking, and boating without motors. It would be the largest body of water in Douglas County.
Cherokee Ranch and Castle is a big private property. It forms a large open space area with the Highlands Ranch Backcountry and Daniels Park. This area is home to many different animals. It also has the Cherokee Ranch petrified forest, which contains ancient fossilized trees.
The Prairie Canyon Ranch is a Douglas County Open Space. It is located about 10 miles (16 km) south of Franktown. This ranch is still a working cattle ranch on 978 acres (396 hectares). It is open to the public for special events.
People and Population
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,388 | — | |
| 1880 | 2,486 | 79.1% | |
| 1890 | 3,006 | 20.9% | |
| 1900 | 3,120 | 3.8% | |
| 1910 | 3,192 | 2.3% | |
| 1920 | 3,517 | 10.2% | |
| 1930 | 3,498 | −0.5% | |
| 1940 | 3,496 | −0.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,507 | 0.3% | |
| 1960 | 4,816 | 37.3% | |
| 1970 | 8,407 | 74.6% | |
| 1980 | 25,153 | 199.2% | |
| 1990 | 60,391 | 140.1% | |
| 2000 | 175,766 | 191.0% | |
| 2010 | 285,465 | 62.4% | |
| 2020 | 357,978 | 25.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 383,906 | 34.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
|||
In 2000, there were 175,766 people living in Douglas County. There were 60,924 households and 49,835 families. The population density was about 209 people per square mile (81 people/km²).
About 47.2% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (73.8%) were married couples. The average household had 2.88 people, and the average family had 3.19 people.
In terms of age, 31.6% of the population was under 18. About 37.9% were between 25 and 44 years old. The median age was 34 years. This means half the people were younger than 34 and half were older.
The median income for a household in the county was $82,929 in 2000. For a family, it was $88,482. By 2007, these numbers had grown to $93,819 for households and $102,767 for families. The average income per person in the county was $34,848. Only a small number of families (1.6%) and people (2.1%) lived below the poverty line.
Douglas County had the highest median household income in Colorado in 2000. In 2008, it was ranked eighth in the entire United States for this. It was one of only two counties in the top 15 that were not near New York City or Washington, D.C..
Education
Douglas County is served by the Douglas County School District RE-1. This district covers the whole county and is the third-largest school district in Colorado. Besides regular neighborhood schools, the district also has sixteen charter schools and four option schools. There is even an online school. Schools in the area are generally highly rated.
The University Center at Chaparral in Parker offers college courses. These courses are from Arapahoe Community College, the University of Colorado Denver, and the University of Denver. The University of Phoenix also has a campus in Lone Tree.
The county used to have its own university, the University of Colorado South Denver in Lone Tree. However, it closed permanently in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and money problems.
Libraries
The Douglas County Libraries system has seven library branches across the county. The library also has the Douglas County History Research Center. This center collects and saves the history of Douglas County and Colorado. It helps people research the past.
Economy and Jobs
The county's economy includes many different types of jobs. Here are the top employers in Douglas County, based on a 2015 report:
| # | Employer | Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas County School District RE-1 | 5,563 |
| 2 | Charles Schwab Corporation | 2,400 |
| 3 | EchoStar | 2,010 |
| 4 | CH2M Hill | 1,660 |
| 5 | HealthONE: Sky Ridge Medical Center | 1,220 |
| 6 | Western Union | 1,210 |
| 7 | Douglas County Government | 1,146 |
| 8 | Centura Health: Parker Adventist Hospital | 1,110 |
| 9 | Information Handling Services | 980 |
| 10 | Specialized Loan Servicing | 940 |
Awards and Recognition
Douglas County has been recognized by several national magazines and groups:
- Money magazine ranked Douglas County number five in the U.S. for "Job Growth over the Last Eight Years" in August 2009.
- American City Business Journals (ACBJ) ranked Douglas County fourth in the nation for "Quality of Life" in May 2004.
- SchoolDigger.com ranked Douglas County School District number one in the Denver area. It was also ranked number 12 in Colorado based on 2009 test scores.
Communities in Douglas County
Douglas County has several cities, towns, and other communities.
Cities
- Aurora (part of the city)
- Castle Pines
- Littleton (part of the city)
- Lone Tree
Towns
Census-Designated Places (CDPs)
These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.
- Acres Green
- Castle Pines Village
- Franktown
- Grand View Estates
- Highlands Ranch
- Louviers
- Meridian
- Meridian Village
- Perry Park
- Roxborough Park
- Sedalia
- Sierra Ridge
- Stepping Stone
- Sterling Ranch
- Stonegate
- The Pinery
- Westcreek
Other Communities (Unincorporated)
These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city or town.
Images for kids
-
Second Douglas County office building in Castle Rock
-
Douglas County Events Center and Fairgrounds in Castle Rock
-
The "rock castle" of Castle Rock, Colorado
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Douglas (Colorado) para niños
