Boulder County, Colorado

Infobox U.S. County
county = Boulder County
state = Colorado


map size = 225
founded date = November 1
founded year = 1861
seat wl = Boulder | largest city wl = Boulder
area_total_sq_mi =751
area_land_sq_mi =742
area_water_sq_mi =9
area percentage = 1.19%
census yr = 2000
pop = 291288
density_km2 =151
web = www.co.boulder.co.us
named for = large granite boulders in area
footnotes =
Sixth most populous Colorado county

Boulder County is the sixth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 282,304 in 2006.cite web | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/files/CO-EST2006-ALLDATA.csv | title = Annual County Population Estimates and Estimated Components of Change: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (CO-EST2006-alldata) | format = CSV | work = 2006 Population Estimates | publisher = United States Census Bureau, Population Division | date = 2007-03-22 | accessdate = 2007-05-08] The county seat is the City of Boulder. The Boulder Metropolitan Statistical Area comprises Boulder County.

History

Boulder County was one of the original 17 counties created by the Territory of Colorado on 1861-11-01. The county was named for Boulder City and Boulder Creek, so named because of the abundance of boulders in the area. Boulder County retains essentially the same borders as in 1861, although a small portion of its southeastern corner became part of the City and County of Broomfield in 2001.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 751 square miles (1,946 km²), of which, 742 square miles (1,923 km²) of it is land and 9 square miles (23 km²) of it (1.19%) is water.

Adjacent counties

*Larimer County, Colorado - north
*Weld County, Colorado - east
*City and County of Broomfield, Colorado - southeast
*Jefferson County, Colorado - south
*Gilpin County, Colorado - south
*Grand County, Colorado - west

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 291,288 people, 114,680 households, and 68,808 families residing in the county. The population density was 392 people per square mile (151/km²). There were 119,900 housing units at an average density of 162 per square mile (62/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.54% White, 0.88% Black or African American, 0.61% Native American, 3.06% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.67% from other races, and 2.18% from two or more races. 10.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 114,680 households out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.90% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.00% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 13.40% from 18 to 24, 33.60% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $55,861, and the median income for a family was $70,572. Males had a median income of $48,047 versus $32,207 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,976. About 4.60% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.60% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Cities, towns, and named places

*Allenspark (unincorporated CDP)
*Boulder
*Caribou (unincorporated ghost town)
*Coal Creek (unincorporated CDP, locally called Coal Creek Canyon, also partly in Gilpin County and Jefferson County)
*Eldora (unincorporated CDP)
*Eldorado Springs (unincorporated CDP)
*Erie (also partly in Weld County)
*Gold Hill (unincorporated CDP)
*Gunbarrel (unincorporated CDP)
*Hygiene (unincorporated)
*Jamestown
*Lafayette
*Longmont
*Louisville
*Lyons
*Nederland
*Niwot (unincorporated CDP)
*Superior
*Ward

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is located in Larimer County, Grand County, and Boulder County, Colorado. Longs Peak, the park's highest summit at 4345 meters (14,255 ft) elevation, is located in Boulder County.

tate park

*Eldorado Canyon State Park

Historic district

*Colorado Chautauqua National Historic District

National forest and wilderness

*Arapaho National Forest
*Roosevelt National Forest
*Indian Peaks Wilderness
*James Peak Wilderness

cenic trail and byway

*Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
*Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway

ee also

*Jackson County, Jefferson Territory
*Boulder Metropolitan Statistical Area
*Colorado census statistical areas
*Colorado counties
*Colorado metropolitan areas
*Colorado municipalities
*Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area
*Front Range Urban Corridor

References

External links

* [http://www.co.boulder.co.us/ Boulder County Government website]
* [http://www.stanwyck.com/cogenweb/cocounties.html Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck]
* [http://www.coloradohistory.org/ Colorado Historical Society]
* [http://www.nps.gov/romo/ Rocky Mountain National Park website]