Jefferson County, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jefferson County
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Jefferson County Courthouse in Golden, nicknamed "Colorado's Taj Mahal" for its dome architecture
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| Motto(s):
Gateway to the Rocky Mountains
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Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
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 Colorado's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Colorado |
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| Founded | November 1, 1861 | ||
| Named for | Jefferson Territory | ||
| Seat | Golden | ||
| Largest city | Lakewood | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 774 sq mi (2,000 km2) | ||
| • Land | 764 sq mi (1,980 km2) | ||
| • Water | 9.8 sq mi (25 km2) 1.3% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 582,910 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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576,366  |
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| • Density | 753.1/sq mi (290.78/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) | ||
| Congressional districts | 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th | ||
Jefferson County is a place in Colorado, USA. It's often called Jeffco for short. In 2020, about 582,910 people lived here. This makes it the fourth biggest county in Colorado by population.
The main town in Jefferson County is Golden. The largest city is Lakewood. Jefferson County is part of the big Denver-Aurora-Lakewood city area. It sits right next to Denver, Colorado's capital city. It's also along the beautiful Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.
In 2010, the middle point of where everyone in Colorado lives was right here in Jefferson County! The county's motto is "Gateway to the Rocky Mountains." You'll see the name "Jeffco" used a lot, like in the Jeffco School District. Even the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport used to be called Jeffco Airport.
Some big employers in Jefferson County include the Coors Brewing Company in Golden. Also, the Colorado School of Mines is here. It's a university that teaches about mining, geology, chemistry, and engineering.
Contents
History of Jefferson County
Early Days and Gold Discoveries
Long ago, on August 25, 1855, the Kansas Territorial Legislature created Arapahoe County. This county covered the whole western part of the Kansas territory. It was named after the Arapaho Nation of Native Americans who lived there.
In June 1858, people found gold near the South Platte River. This was in what is now Englewood. This discovery started the famous Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Before that, in 1850, Lewis Ralston found gold on Ralston Creek, which is in today's Jefferson County. The creek is named after him!
On November 29, 1858, the first town in the future county was founded. It was called Arapahoe City. Then, on June 16, 1859, Golden was founded nearby.
Forming Jefferson Territory
Many people in the mining areas felt far away from the governments of Kansas and Nebraska. So, they decided to create their own Territory of Jefferson on October 24, 1859. The next month, on November 28, 1859, the Jefferson Territorial Legislature set up 12 counties. One of these was Jefferson County. It was named after Thomas Jefferson. He was a main writer of the Declaration of Independence and the third president.
On January 2, 1860, Golden City was chosen as the main town for Jefferson County. Robert Williamson Steele, who was the Governor of the Jefferson Territory from 1859 to 1861, lived in the county.
Becoming Part of Colorado
The Jefferson Territory never became an official part of the USA. But on February 28, 1861, President James Buchanan signed a law. This law created the Territory of Colorado.
On November 1, 1861, the new Colorado General Assembly created 17 original counties for Colorado. Jefferson County was one of them. Golden stayed as the county seat. Over the years, some parts of Jefferson County were moved to other counties. For example, in 1908, a small southern part went to Park County. Also, some areas became part of the City & County of Denver and the City & County of Broomfield.
Geography of Jefferson County
Jefferson County covers about 774 square miles. Most of this is land (764 square miles), and a small part is water (9.8 square miles). In 2020, the average center of where people live in Colorado was located in Jefferson County. This spot is near a tiny place called Phillipsburg.
Neighboring Counties
Jefferson County is special because it borders many other counties. It touches ten other counties!
- Boulder County – to the north
- City and County of Broomfield – to the northeast
- Adams County – to the east
- City and County of Denver – to the east
- Arapahoe County – to the east
- Douglas County – to the east
- Teller County – to the south
- Park County – to the southwest
- Clear Creek County – to the west
- Gilpin County – to the northwest
Main Roads and Highways
Many important roads run through Jefferson County. These include:
Interstate 70
U.S. Highway 6
U.S. Highway 40
U.S. Highway 285
State Highway 470
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Fun Outdoor Places
Jefferson County has many parks and outdoor areas where you can explore and have fun!
- Alderfer/Three Sisters Park
- Apex Park
- Bear Creek Lake Park
- Centennial Cone Park
- Clear Creek Canyon Park
- Crown Hill Park
- Deer Creek Canyon Park
- Elk Meadow Park
- Evergreen Lake
- Hiwan Homestead Museum
- Lair o' the Bear Park
- Lookout Mountain Nature Center
- Mount Falcon Park
- Mount Galbraith Park
- North Table Mountain Park
- Pine Valley Ranch Park
- Reynolds Park
- South Table Mountain Park
- South Valley Park
- Standley Lake Regional Park
- White Ranch Park
- Windy Saddle Park
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 2,390 | — | |
| 1880 | 6,804 | 184.7% | |
| 1890 | 8,450 | 24.2% | |
| 1900 | 9,306 | 10.1% | |
| 1910 | 14,231 | 52.9% | |
| 1920 | 14,400 | 1.2% | |
| 1930 | 21,810 | 51.5% | |
| 1940 | 30,725 | 40.9% | |
| 1950 | 55,687 | 81.2% | |
| 1960 | 127,520 | 129.0% | |
| 1970 | 233,031 | 82.7% | |
| 1980 | 371,753 | 59.5% | |
| 1990 | 438,430 | 17.9% | |
| 2000 | 527,056 | 20.2% | |
| 2010 | 534,543 | 1.4% | |
| 2020 | 582,910 | 9.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 576,366 | 7.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 |
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In 2000, there were 527,056 people living in Jefferson County. There were 206,067 households. About 33.40% of these households had children under 18 living there.
The population ages were spread out like this:
- 25.30% were under 18 years old.
- 8.10% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 32.10% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 24.90% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 9.60% were 65 years or older.
The average age of people in the county was 37 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 99 males.
Education in Jefferson County
The main school system in the county is the Jefferson County School District R-1.
Private Schools
- Colorado Academy
Colleges and Universities
- Colorado Christian University
- Colorado School of Mines
- Red Rocks Community College
- Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
The county also has its own library system, called Jefferson County Public Library.
Recreation and Nature
Jefferson County offers many ways to enjoy the outdoors!
State Parks
- Chatfield State Park
- Golden Gate Canyon State Park
- Staunton State Park
National Forests and Wilderness Areas
- Pike National Forest
- Roosevelt National Forest
- Lost Creek Wilderness
National Wildlife Refuges
Historic and Recreational Trails
- South Platte Trail
- American Discovery Trail
- Colorado Trail
- Platte River Greenway National Recreation Trail
Scenic Drives
- Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway
Golf Courses
- Hiwan Golf Club
- Indian Tree Golf Club
Communities in Jefferson County
Cities
- Arvada (part)
- Edgewater
- Golden
- Lakewood
- Littleton (part)
- Westminster (part)
- Wheat Ridge
Towns
- Bow Mar (part)
- Lakeside
- Morrison
- Mountain View
- Superior (part)
Census-Designated Places (CDPs)
These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not part of any city or town.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Jefferson (Colorado) para niños
