Park County, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Park County is the 17th most extensive of the 64 counties
of the State of Colorado of the United States
. The county was named after the large geographic region known as South Park
, which was named by early fur traders and trappers in the area. The geographic center of the State of Colorado is located in Park County. The county population was 14,523 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat
is Fairplay
. Despite its location in the heart of the Rocky Mountains
, Park County is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area
.
of 2000, there were 14,523 people, 5,894 households, and 4,220 families residing in the county. The population density
was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 10,697 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.07% White
, 0.50% Black
or African American
, 0.92% Native American
, 0.41% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 1.23% from other races
, and 1.84% from two or more races. 4.32% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 5,894 households out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.10% were married couples
living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 5.10% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 30.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $51,899, and the median income for a family was $57,025. Males had a median income of $41,480 versus $27,807 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $25,019. About 3.40% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.60% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.
, the fictional town of the same name is situated in Park County, Colorado. The police on the show are almost always referred to as "Park County Police" as opposed to "South Park Police".
Colorado counties
The U.S state of Colorado is divided into 64 counties. Counties are important units of government in Colorado since the state has no secondary civil subdivisions, such as townships...
of the State of Colorado of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The county was named after the large geographic region known as South Park
South Park (Colorado basin)
South Park is a high intermontane grassland basin, approximately 10,000 ft in elevation, in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. It encompasses approximately 1,000 square miles around the headwaters of the South Platte River in Park County approximately 60 mi southwest of Denver...
, which was named by early fur traders and trappers in the area. The geographic center of the State of Colorado is located in Park County. The county population was 14,523 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Fairplay
Fairplay, Colorado
The Town of Fairplay is a statutory town that is the county seat and the most populous town of Park County, Colorado, United States. Fairplay is located in South Park at an elevation of . The town is the fifth-highest incorporated place in the State of Colorado. The population was 610 at the...
. Despite its location in the heart of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, Park County is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area
Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area
thumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the state of Colorado...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 2210.69 square miles (5,725.7 km²), of which 2200.69 square miles (5,699.8 km²) (or 99.55%) is land and 10 square miles (25.9 km²) (or 0.45%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Clear Creek CountyClear Creek County, ColoradoClear Creek County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 9,322 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Georgetown...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- north - Jefferson CountyJefferson County, ColoradoJefferson County , whose slogan is the "Gateway to the Rocky Mountains", is the fourth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Located along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Jefferson County is adjacent to the west side of the state capital, Denver....
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- northeast - Teller CountyTeller County, ColoradoTeller County is the 22nd most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 20,555 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Cripple Creek, and the most populous city is Woodland Park...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- east - Fremont CountyFremont County, ColoradoFremont County is the thirteenth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county is named for explorer and presidential candidate John C. Frémont. The county population was 46,824 at the 2010 census. The county seat is Cañon City. The Cañon City...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- southeast - Chaffee CountyChaffee County, ColoradoChaffee County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 16,242 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Salida.-History:...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- southwest - Lake CountyLake County, ColoradoLake County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The highest natural point in Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountains is the summit of Mount Elbert in Lake County at 14,440 feet elevation. The county population was 7,812 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- west - Summit CountySummit County, ColoradoSummit County is the 19th most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 23,538 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Breckenridge...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- northwest
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,523 people, 5,894 households, and 4,220 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 10,697 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.07% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.50% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.92% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.41% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.23% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.84% from two or more races. 4.32% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 5,894 households out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.10% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 5.10% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 30.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $51,899, and the median income for a family was $57,025. Males had a median income of $41,480 versus $27,807 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $25,019. About 3.40% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.60% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- AlmaAlma, ColoradoThe historic Town of Alma is a Statutory Town located in Park County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 179 at the U.S. Census 2000....
- BaileyBailey, ColoradoBailey is an unincorporated town and U.S. Post Office in northeastern Park County, Colorado, United States.The ZIP Code of the Bailey Post Office is 80421. Bailey is in the Mountain Time Zone. The community is located along U.S...
- ComoComo, ColoradoComo is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Park County, Colorado, United States. The Como Post Office has the ZIP Code 80432.Located at the northern end of South Park, the town is a historic mining settlement founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in 1859. It sits approximately...
- FairplayFairplay, ColoradoThe Town of Fairplay is a statutory town that is the county seat and the most populous town of Park County, Colorado, United States. Fairplay is located in South Park at an elevation of . The town is the fifth-highest incorporated place in the State of Colorado. The population was 610 at the...
- GrantGrant, ColoradoGrant is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Park County, Colorado, United States. The community is located in foothills of the Front Range in the Platte Canyon, in the upper valley of the North Fork South Platte River, approximately 6 miles east of Kenosha Pass. It sits along U.S....
- GuffeyGuffey, ColoradoGuffey is a census-designated place and a U.S. Post Office located in Park County, Colorado, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 98.The Guffey Post Office has the ZIP Code 80820....
- HartselHartsel, ColoradoHartsel is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office located in Park County, Colorado, United States. Hartsel was founded in 1880. Located at the geographic center of the state, it is often referred to as "The Heart of Colorado". The community's namesake is Samuel Hartsel, a local cattle...
- JeffersonJefferson, ColoradoJefferson is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Park County, Colorado, United States. It is located the northern end of South Park, along U.S. Route 285, approximately 15 miles northeast of Fairplay, at the western foot of Kenosha Pass. It lies from Como, from Bailey, and from...
- Lake GeorgeLake George, ColoradoLake George is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Park County, Colorado, United States. The Lake George Post Office has the ZIP Code 80827. It lies along U.S...
- ShawneeShawnee, ColoradoShawnee is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office located in northern Park County, Colorado, United States. Shawnee is situated in the Platte Canyon, along the North Fork South Platte River, west of Bailey on U.S. Highway 285. It consists largely of a general store and post office, and well...
- TarryallTarryall, ColoradoTarryall is an unincorporated town of cabins and old buildings in eastern Park County, Colorado, United States. The town is located on Tarryall Creek in the eastern edge of the South Park, between Lake George and Jefferson....
National forests and wildernesses
- Pike National ForestPike National ForestThe Pike National Forest is located in the Front Range of Colorado, USA, west of Colorado Springs and including Pikes Peak. The forest encompasses 1,106,604 acres within Clear Creek, Teller, Park, Jefferson, Douglas and El Paso counties. The major rivers draining the forest are the South Platte...
- Roosevelt National ForestRoosevelt National ForestThe Roosevelt National Forest is a National Forest located in north central Colorado. It is contiguous with the Colorado State Forest as well as the Arapaho National Forest...
- San Isabel National ForestSan Isabel National ForestSan Isabel National Forest is located in central Colorado. The forest contains 19 of the state's 54 fourteeners, peaks over high, including Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado....
- Buffalo Peaks WildernessBuffalo Peaks WildernessThe Buffalo Peaks Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in San Isabel National Forest and Pike National Forest in central Colorado. The wilderness named after two highly eroded volcanic mountains was established in 1993....
- Lost Creek WildernessLost Creek WildernessThe Lost Creek Wilderness is a wilderness area located in central Colorado in Jefferson and Park counties south of the town of Bailey. The area is situated entirely within the boundaries of the Pike National Forest....
Trails
- American Discovery TrailAmerican Discovery TrailThe American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. It starts on the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and ends on the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean, and is signed on over of trail. This includes the doubled...
- Colorado TrailColorado TrailThe Colorado Trail is a long trail running from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States. Its highest point is above sea level, and most of the trail is above...
- Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
In popular culture
In the animated television series South ParkSouth Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, the fictional town of the same name is situated in Park County, Colorado. The police on the show are almost always referred to as "Park County Police" as opposed to "South Park Police".
See also
- Arapahoe County, Kansas TerritoryArapahoe County, Kansas TerritoryArapahoe County was a county of the United States Territory of Kansas that existed from 1855-08-25, to 1861-01-29.-History:On 1855-08-25, the Kansas Territorial Legislature created Arapahoe County to govern the western portion of the Territory of Kansas...
- Park County, Jefferson TerritoryPark County, Jefferson TerritoryPark County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.-History:...
- Colorado census statistical areas
- Colorado countiesColorado countiesThe U.S state of Colorado is divided into 64 counties. Counties are important units of government in Colorado since the state has no secondary civil subdivisions, such as townships...
- Colorado metropolitan areasColorado metropolitan areasThe metropolitan areas of the State of Colorado include the urban statistical areas defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget and regions of urban population defined by other organizations.-Census statistical areas:...
- Colorado municipalitiesColorado municipalitiesThe U.S. state of Colorado currently has 271 active incorporated municipalities, including 196 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments.-Municipal government:...
- Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaDenver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Areathumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the state of Colorado...
- Front Range Urban CorridorFront Range Urban CorridorThe Front Range Urban Corridor is an oblong region of urban population located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming. The corridor derives its name from the Front Range, the mountain range that defines the west central boundary of the...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Park County, ColoradoNational Register of Historic Places listings in Park County, ColoradoThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Park County, Colorado.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Park County, Colorado, United States...
- South Park (Colorado basin)South Park (Colorado basin)South Park is a high intermontane grassland basin, approximately 10,000 ft in elevation, in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. It encompasses approximately 1,000 square miles around the headwaters of the South Platte River in Park County approximately 60 mi southwest of Denver...