Littleton, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Littleton, Colorado
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Downtown Littleton, 2015.
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 Littleton, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| Counties | Arapahoe County Douglas County Jefferson County |
| City | Littleton |
| Settled | 1862 |
| Incorporated | March 13, 1890 |
| Named for | Richard Little |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager government |
| Area | |
| • Total | 35.63 km2 (13.75 sq mi) |
| • Land | 32.69 km2 (12.62 sq mi) |
| • Water | 2.93 km2 (1.13 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,645 m (5,397 ft) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 45,652 |
| • Density | 1,281.92/km2 (3,320.15/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP codes |
80120-80130, 80160-80163 (PO Boxes), 80165, 80166
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| Area code(s) | Both 303 and 720 |
| FIPS code | 08-45255 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410845 |
| Highways | US 85, SH 75, SH 88, SH 470 |
| Website | littletonco.gov/ |
Littleton is a city in Colorado, United States. It's special because it's located in three different counties: Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson. It's the main city (called the county seat) for Arapahoe County. Littleton is also part of the big Denver area, which is a group of cities and towns close to each other. In 2020, about 45,652 people lived there, making it the 20th largest city in Colorado.
Contents
History of Littleton
The story of Littleton began around 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. This rush brought many people to the area, not just gold seekers, but also merchants and farmers.
Early Settlement and Growth
Richard Sullivan Little was an engineer from New Hampshire. He came West to help build irrigation systems. In 1862, he decided to settle in the area that is now Littleton. He brought his wife, Angeline, from the East.
The Littles and their neighbors built the Rough and Ready Flour Mill in 1867. This mill helped the town grow and become strong. By 1890, the community had 245 people. The residents then voted to officially make it the Town of Littleton.
Modern Development
Littleton grew a lot in the 1950s and 1960s. This was because it was close to Denver and had big companies like Martin Marietta. They made rockets and other cool aerospace products there! Today, Littleton is a busy part of the larger Denver city area.
In 1961, Littleton became a "sister city" with Bega, Australia. This means they share a special friendship and learn from each other. Littleton also became widely known in 1999 due to a tragic event at Columbine High School.
Geography of Littleton
Littleton is located in central Colorado. It's about 9 miles (14 km) south of downtown Denver. It's also about 55 miles (89 km) north of Colorado Springs.
Rivers and Lakes
The city sits along the South Platte River. This area is part of the Colorado Piedmont region, which is near the Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains. Most of Littleton is on the east side of the river.
Several small streams flow through the city into the river. These include Big Dry Creek, Slaughterhouse Gulch, Lee Gulch, and Dad Clark Gulch. There are also many small lakes and reservoirs near the river. Some of these are Cooley Lake, Bufflehead Lake, and Chatfield Reservoir.
Size and Neighbors
The city covers about 13.87 square miles (35.92 km2). About 12.98 square miles (33.62 km2) is land, and 0.89 square miles (2.31 km2) is water.
Littleton is a suburb of Denver. It shares borders with several other cities. These include Denver and Englewood to the north, Centennial to the east, and Highlands Ranch to the south.
Climate in Littleton
| Climate data for Littleton, Colorado (Elevation 5,310ft) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 78 (26) |
76 (24) |
86 (30) |
88 (31) |
90 (32) |
98 (37) |
99 (37) |
98 (37) |
94 (34) |
88 (31) |
82 (28) |
76 (24) |
99 (37) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 43.8 (6.6) |
47.2 (8.4) |
53.9 (12.2) |
62.6 (17.0) |
69.4 (20.8) |
80.3 (26.8) |
85.4 (29.7) |
82.7 (28.2) |
75.4 (24.1) |
64.1 (17.8) |
51.0 (10.6) |
43.0 (6.1) |
63.2 (17.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 15.3 (−9.3) |
19.1 (−7.2) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
35.1 (1.7) |
43.4 (6.3) |
52.6 (11.4) |
57.6 (14.2) |
55.8 (13.2) |
46.6 (8.1) |
33.7 (0.9) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
15.0 (−9.4) |
35.4 (1.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) |
−23 (−31) |
−5 (−21) |
6 (−14) |
21 (−6) |
36 (2) |
44 (7) |
42 (6) |
17 (−8) |
2 (−17) |
−2 (−19) |
−29 (−34) |
−29 (−34) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.36 (9.1) |
0.47 (12) |
1.44 (37) |
1.50 (38) |
2.75 (70) |
1.88 (48) |
1.89 (48) |
1.99 (51) |
1.09 (28) |
1.23 (31) |
1.14 (29) |
0.64 (16) |
16.39 (416) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.9 (23) |
7.8 (20) |
11.9 (30) |
7.8 (20) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.9 (2.3) |
3.0 (7.6) |
12.2 (31) |
12.7 (32) |
65.7 (167) |
| Source: The Western Regional Climate Center | |||||||||||||
People of Littleton (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 100 | — | |
| 1900 | 738 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,373 | 86.0% | |
| 1920 | 1,636 | 19.2% | |
| 1930 | 2,019 | 23.4% | |
| 1940 | 2,244 | 11.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,378 | 50.5% | |
| 1960 | 13,670 | 304.7% | |
| 1970 | 26,466 | 93.6% | |
| 1980 | 28,631 | 8.2% | |
| 1990 | 33,685 | 17.7% | |
| 2000 | 40,340 | 19.8% | |
| 2010 | 41,737 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 45,652 | 9.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, about 41,737 people lived in Littleton. There were 18,312 households, which are groups of people living together. The population density was about 3,215 people per square mile.
Most people in Littleton (89%) were White. About 2.2% were Asian, and 1.4% were African American. About 12.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.
Age and Households
About 27.1% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (44.8%) were married couples. The average household had 2.25 people.
The median age in Littleton was 41.3 years old. This means half the people were younger than 41.3, and half were older. About 21.6% of the population was under 18.
Income and Economy
The median income for a household in Littleton was $54,512. For families, it was $74,744. This means half of the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less.
About 11% of the people in Littleton lived below the poverty line. This includes 13.8% of those under 18.
Economy and Jobs
In 2013, most people over 16 (66.8%) were working or looking for jobs. Many jobs were in management, business, science, and arts (44.4%). Other common jobs were in sales and office work (25%).
The top industries for jobs were:
- Education, healthcare, and social help (20.1%)
- Professional, scientific, and management services (14.1%)
- Retail stores (11.2%)
The cost of living in Littleton is about average compared to the rest of the U.S. In 2013, the average home value was $269,000.
Government and Leadership
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Littleton has a special type of government called a council-manager system. The city council makes the rules and approves the city's budget. A city manager then carries out these rules and manages the city's daily operations.
Littleton is the main city for Arapahoe County. This means many county government offices are located there.
City Council Members
The city council has seven members. There's a mayor, two at-large members (meaning they represent the whole city), and four members who represent specific areas (districts). All council members are elected for 4-year terms.
| Member | District | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Schlachter | Mayor (At Large) | 2021-2025 |
| Joel Zink* | At Large | 2025* |
| Pam Grove | At Large | 2023-2027 |
| Patrick Driscoll | District 1 | 2021-2025 |
| Robert Reichardt | District 2 | 2023-2027 |
| Stephen Barr | District 3 | 2021-2025 |
| Andrea Peters | District 4 | 2023-2027 |
*Joel Zink was appointed to fill a spot when another council member left. His term ends in November 2025.
ZIP Codes and Nearby Areas
The name "Littleton" is used for many ZIP codes. These ZIP codes cover a much larger area than just the city itself. This area includes other communities that are not officially part of Littleton. Some of these are Highlands Ranch and Columbine.
Education in Littleton
Littleton has several schools and colleges.
Schools for Kids
Most of the schools in Littleton are part of the Littleton Public Schools district. Some smaller parts of the city are in the Sheridan School District 2 and Englewood School District 1.
If you live in the Jefferson County part of Littleton, you'd go to schools in Jeffco Public Schools. For the Douglas County part, it's the Douglas County School District RE-1.
Colleges and Training
- Arapahoe Community College
- Denver Seminary
The Colorado Center for the Blind is also in Littleton. It's a program that helps blind teenagers and adults learn new skills.
Transportation in Littleton
Littleton has several major roads and public transport options.
Highways for Travel
Four main highways pass through Littleton:
US 85 (South Santa Fe Drive) runs from the northern border to the southern border of the city.
State Highway 75 (South Platte Canyon Road) starts in Littleton and goes south.
State Highway 88 (East Belleview Avenue) runs near the northern edge of the city.
State Highway 470 runs along the southern edge of the city.
Public Transportation
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) offers bus and light rail services in Littleton. Light rail trains started running in 2000. There are two light rail stations in the city: Littleton-Downtown station and Littleton-Mineral station. The Mineral station is the end of the D Line.
Culture and Fun in Littleton
Arts and Music
- The Depot Art Gallery and Littleton Fine Arts Guild
- Littleton Symphony Orchestra
- Voices West (a local choir)
- Littleton Museum
- You can even see a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket booster!
Special Events
Western Welcome Week Since the 1920s, Littleton has celebrated Western Welcome Week every year. It's a big community party with over 40 events. These events help local charities and groups.
Candlelight Walk The Candlelight Walk is a fun holiday tradition. It's an evening of festive activities that ends with lighting up the trees on Main Street.
Twilight Criterium The Littleton Twilight Criterium is a bicycle race held in late summer. It takes place in Historic Downtown Littleton on a 0.8-mile course. The event features famous athletes, concerts, and a fun ride for everyone.
Healthcare
The main hospital in Littleton is AdventHealth Littleton.
Places to Visit
- Hudson Gardens
- Town Hall Arts Center, which offers professional theater shows.
- The Littleton Museum
- The gravesite of Alferd Packer
Sister City
Bega, New South Wales, Australia
See also
In Spanish: Littleton (Colorado) para niños
- List of municipalities in Colorado
- List of statistical areas in Colorado
- List of people from Littleton, Colorado
