Adams County, Colorado

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Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 519,572.[1] The county seat is Brighton, and the largest city is Thornton.[2] The county is named for Alva Adams, an early Governor of the State of Colorado in 1887–1889.[3] Adams County is part of the Denver metropolitan area.

History

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On May 30, 1854, the Kansas–Nebraska Act created the Territory of Nebraska and Territory of Kansas, divided by the Parallel 40° North (168th Avenue in present-day Adams County). The future Adams County, Colorado, occupied a strip of northern Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory, immediately south of the Nebraska Territory.

In 1859, John D. "Colonel Jack" Henderson built a ranch, trading post, and hotel on Henderson Island in the South Platte River in Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory. Jack Henderson was the former editor and proprietor of the Leavenworth (Kansas Territory) Journal and an outspoken pro-slavery politician who had been accused of vote fraud in eastern Kansas. Henderson sold meat and provisions to gold seekers on their way up the South Platte River Trail to the gold fields during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Henderson Island was the first permanent settlement in the South Platte River Valley between Fort Saint Vrain in the Nebraska Territory and the Cherry Creek Diggings in the Kansas Territory. Jack Henderson eventually returned to eastern Kansas and fought for the Union in the American Civil War. Henderson Island is today the site of the Riverdale Regional Park, formerly known as the Adams County Regional Park and Fairgrounds.

The eastern portion of the Kansas Territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Kansas on January 29, 1861, and on February 28, 1861, the remaining western portion of the territory was made part of the new Colorado Territory.[4] The Colorado Territory created Arapahoe County, on November 1, 1861, and Colorado was admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876.[4]

In 1901, the Colorado General Assembly voted to split Arapahoe County into three parts: a new Adams County, a new consolidated City and County of Denver, and the remainder of the Arapahoe County to be renamed South Arapahoe County. A ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court, subsequent legislation, and a referendum delayed the creation of Adams County until November 15, 1902. Governor James Bradley Orman designated Brighton as the temporary Adams County Seat. Adams County originally stretched 160 miles (260 kilometers) from present-day Sheridan Boulevard to the Kansas state border. On May 12, 1903, the eastern 88 miles (142 kilometers)-wide section of Adams County was transferred to the new Washington County and the new Yuma County, reducing the length of Adams County to the present 72 miles (116 kilometers) and its area to the present 1,184 square miles (3,070 km2). On November 8, 1904, Adams County voters chose Brighton as the permanent county seat.

A 1989 vote transferred 53 square miles (140 square kilometers) of Adams County to the City and County of Denver for the proposed Denver International Airport, leaving the densely populated western portion of the county as two oddly-shaped peninsulas. Adams County lost the tip of its northwest corner when the consolidated City and County of Broomfield was created on November 15, 2001.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,184 square miles (3,070 km2), of which 1,168 square miles (3,030 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (1.4%) is water.[5]

Adams County surrounds (and surrendered the land for) most of Denver International Airport which are in the City and County of Denver.

Adjacent counties

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Major highways

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National protected area

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State park

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Historic trail

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Recreational trails

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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 519,572. Of the residents, 25.7% were under the age of 18 and 11.1% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.9 males. 96.0% of residents lived in urban areas and 4.0% lived in rural areas.[6][7][8]

Adams County, Colorado – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[9] Pop 2010[10] Pop 2020[11] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 230,500 234,970 239,295 63.35% 53.21% 46.06%
Black or African American alone (NH) 10,206 12,207 16,054 2.80% 2.76% 3.09%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 2,352 2,478 2,869 0.65% 0.56% 0.55%
Asian alone (NH) 11,415 15,431 22,583 3.14% 3.49% 4.35%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 331 476 753 0.09% 0.11% 0.14%
Other race alone (NH) 328 677 2,369 0.09% 0.15% 0.46%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 6,140 7,486 19,000 1.69% 1.70% 3.66%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 102,585 167,878 216,649 28.19% 38.02% 41.70%
Total 363,857 441,603 519,572 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

The racial makeup of the county was 55.8% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.5% Asian, 0.2% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 16.8% from some other race, and 17.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 41.7% of the population.[8]

There were 178,525 households in the county, of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[7]

There were 186,544 housing units, of which 4.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.5% were owner-occupied and 33.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.9%.[7]

2000 census

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As of the 2000 census, there were 363,857 people, 128,156 households, and 92,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 305 people per square mile (118 people/km2). There were 132,594 housing units at an average density of 111 per square mile (43/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.29% White, 2.97% Black or African American, 1.19% Native American, 3.21% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 11.73% from other races, and 3.49% from two or more races. 28.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 128,156 households, out of which 37.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.80% were married couples living together, 12.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 21.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.50% had someone who was 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.60% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 34.00% from 25 to 44, 19.40% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,323, and the median income for a family was $52,517. Males had a median income of $36,499 versus $28,053 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,944. About 6.50% of families and 8.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.90% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

In 2000, the largest denominational groups were Catholics (with 60,429 members) and Evangelical Protestants (with 25,552 members).[12] The largest religious bodies were the Catholic Church (with 60,429 adherents) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (with 6,808 adherents).[13]

Government

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Adams County has a Board of Commissioners that operate as a collective governing board. There are five members that form the Board of Commissioners with each elected to represent a district or portion of the county.[14] There are other elected officials that oversee an aspect or department of county operations.

Adams County Commissioners[15]
District Commissioner Party
District 1 Julie Duran Mullica Democratic
District 2 Kathy Henson Democratic
District 3 Emma Pinter Democratic
District 4 Steve O'Dorisio Democratic
District 5 Lynn Baca Democratic
Adams County Elected Officials[15]
Title Official Party
Assessor Ken Musso Democratic
Clerk and Recorder Josh Zygielbaum Democratic
Coroner Monica Broncucia-Jordan Democratic
Sheriff Gene Claps Democratic
Surveyor Bryan Douglass N/A
Treasurer and Public Trustee Alex Villagran Democratic

Adams County lies within the 17th Judicial District which is represented by District Attorney Brian Mason.[16]

Politics

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Adams County is predominately Democratic, not having voted Republican since Ronald Reagan in 1984. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the county without a majority, becoming the first Democrat to do so since her husband Bill Clinton in 1992. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden easily won the county with a majority of the vote, a percentage similar to Barack Obama in 2012 and 2008 but with a much larger vote count.

Despite its Democratic majority, Adams County is significantly less Democratic than most other counties in the Denver metro area, frequently swinging towards the national trend. Despite Biden's overwhelming victory in 2020, the county swung hard back towards Trump in 2024, reducing the Democratic margin of victory from nearly 20% to under 10%. This came even as Colorado failed to swing as hard as most other states.

United States presidential election results for Adams County, Colorado
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1904 1,115 50.89% 1,041 47.51% 35 1.60%
1908 1,301 49.06% 1,232 46.46% 119 4.49%
1912 398 14.10% 1,312 46.48% 1,113 39.43%
1916 1,165 33.93% 2,120 61.74% 149 4.34%
1920 2,510 57.57% 1,633 37.45% 217 4.98%
1924 2,931 56.33% 1,209 23.24% 1,063 20.43%
1928 4,031 63.10% 2,265 35.46% 92 1.44%
1932 2,812 36.69% 4,554 59.41% 299 3.90%
1936 3,124 38.33% 4,865 59.69% 162 1.99%
1940 4,767 50.16% 4,674 49.18% 62 0.65%
1944 4,933 54.43% 4,101 45.25% 29 0.32%
1948 6,240 57.83% 4,419 40.95% 132 1.22%
1952 8,995 54.89% 7,321 44.68% 71 0.43%
1956 12,778 52.23% 11,470 46.89% 215 0.88%
1960 18,452 46.36% 21,168 53.19% 178 0.45%
1964 15,652 30.42% 35,498 68.99% 304 0.59%
1968 24,343 43.87% 25,111 45.25% 6,039 10.88%
1972 40,372 60.79% 24,170 36.39% 1,870 2.82%
1976 35,392 45.30% 40,551 51.90% 2,184 2.80%
1980 42,916 50.50% 31,357 36.90% 10,702 12.59%
1984 55,092 60.20% 35,285 38.56% 1,134 1.24%
1988 43,163 45.87% 49,464 52.57% 1,467 1.56%
1992 30,856 29.93% 45,357 44.00% 26,864 26.06%
1996 36,666 38.92% 48,314 51.28% 9,234 9.80%
2000 47,561 44.10% 54,132 50.19% 6,159 5.71%
2004 65,912 48.22% 69,122 50.57% 1,643 1.20%
2008 63,976 39.86% 93,445 58.22% 3,080 1.92%
2012 70,972 40.12% 100,649 56.90% 5,272 2.98%
2016 80,082 41.35% 96,558 49.86% 17,037 8.80%
2020 95,657 40.41% 134,202 56.69% 6,881 2.91%
2024 103,024 44.12% 124,056 53.13% 6,411 2.75%
2016 1 33.33% 1 33.33% 1 33.33%


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Education

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Main article: List of schools in Adams County, Colorado

The school districts serving Adams County are:[17]

The county is also home to the Westminster campus of Front Range Community College, the largest community college by enrollment in Colorado.

Communities

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Cities

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Town

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

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License plate code

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Up until 1999 when Colorado ceased coding license plates by county, Adams County used the following codes on license plates issued to passenger vehicles: TE-UF, GA-GG, SAA-SEW, and SEY-TZZ.[18]

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Adams County was featured as the fictional rival of South Park's peewee hockey team in the South Park episode "Stanley's Cup".

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 23.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "State Government History". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. April 18, 2001. Archived from the original on November 30, 2006. Retrieved November 28, 2006.
  5. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  9. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Adams County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  10. ↑ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Adams County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  11. ↑ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Adams County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  12. ↑ "County Membership Reports". thearda.com. Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  13. ↑ "County Membership Reports". thearda.com. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Board of County Commissioners | Adams County Government". adcogov.org. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Elected Officials | Adams County Government". adcogov.org. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Meet Brian Mason". Colorado's 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  17. ↑ Geography Division (December 16, 2020). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Adams County, CO (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 19, 2022. - Text list
  18. ↑ "Colorado County Codes". www.15q.net. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
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