List of census-designated places in Colorado facts for kids
Colorado is a state in the United States. It has many different types of communities where people live. Some of these are called census-designated places (CDPs). A CDP is a special area that the U.S. Census Bureau defines for counting people during the big population check that happens every ten years. These areas are not officially cities or towns, but they are like neighborhoods or small communities.
In 2020, Colorado had 210 CDPs. This was more than the 187 CDPs counted in 2010. About 714,417 people, which is about 12% of Colorado's population, lived in these CDPs in 2020. Most people in Colorado (about 74%) live in official cities and towns. The rest (about 13%) live in the countryside or mountains.
CDPs in Colorado can be very different in size. For example, Highlands Ranch CDP is the largest, with over 103,000 people in 2020. But some CDPs are very small, like Fulford CDP, which had no residents in 2020! The Black Forest CDP is the biggest in land area, covering about 261 square kilometers (100 square miles). The smallest is Blue Sky CDP, which is only about 0.093 square kilometers (0.036 square miles).
Some CDPs are very crowded, like Orchard Mesa CDP, which had over 41,000 people per square mile in 2020. Others are very spread out, like Cathedral CDP, with less than one person per square mile.
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What are Census-Designated Places?
A census-designated place, or CDP, is a type of community that the United States Census Bureau creates just for counting people. These places are not officially incorporated as cities or towns. This means they don't have their own local government, like a mayor or city council. Instead, they are usually part of a larger county.
The Census Bureau defines CDPs to gather information about areas that look like towns but aren't legally organized as one. This helps them understand how many people live in different parts of the country. It also helps with planning for things like schools, roads, and services.
CDPs That Cross County Lines
Some CDPs in Colorado are so large that they stretch across more than one county! This means parts of the same community are counted in different counties. Here are five examples of these multi-county CDPs:
- Brook Forest CDP is in both Jefferson County and Clear Creek County.
- Coal Creek CDP is in Jefferson County, Boulder County, and Gilpin County.
- Columbine CDP is found in Jefferson County and Arapahoe County.
- Strasburg CDP crosses into Adams County and Arapahoe County.
- Watkins CDP is in Arapahoe County and Adams County.
For example, in 2020, the Columbine CDP had a total population of 25,229 people. Most of these residents (92.1%) lived in the Jefferson County part, while the remaining 7.9% lived in the Arapahoe County part.
Population Changes in CDPs
The number of people living in CDPs can change over time. The Census Bureau tracks these changes every ten years. For example, some CDPs have grown a lot, like Highlands Ranch CDP, which added many new residents between 2010 and 2020. Other CDPs might stay about the same size or even shrink a little.
You can find more details about how the populations of Colorado's CDPs have changed over time in the Population history of Colorado census-designated places article.
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See also
- Geography of Colorado
- History of Colorado
- List of municipalities in Colorado
- List of counties in Colorado
- List of populated places in Colorado
