Gilpin County, Colorado

County in Colorado, United States

County in Colorado

Gilpin County

County

The Gilpin Combined Court, the county courthouse.

Flag

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Colorado

Colorado's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 39°52′N 105°31′W﻿ / ﻿39.86°N 105.52°W﻿ / 39.86; -105.52
Country|  United States
State|  Colorado
Founded| November 1, 1861
Named after| William Gilpin
Seat| Central City
Largest city| Central City
Area

• Total

| 150 sq mi (400 km2)
• Land| 150 sq mi (400 km2)
• Water| 0.4 sq mi (1 km2)  0.2%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 5,808

• Estimate

(2024)

| 5,963
• Density| 39/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zone| UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district| 2nd
Website| gilpincounty.colorado.gov

Gilpin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado, smallest in land area behind only the City and County of Broomfield. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,808.[1] The county seat is Central City.[2] The county was formed in 1861, while Colorado was still a territory, and was named after Colonel William Gilpin,[3] the first territorial governor. Gilpin County is part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

## Geography

[edit]

1904 broadside bird's eye view or map of Gilpin County, Colorado, issued by the Gilpin County Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado map publisher George Samuel Clason

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 150 square miles (390 km2), of which 150 square miles (390 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (0.2%) is water.[4] It is the second-smallest county by area in Colorado.

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Boulder – north
* Jefferson – east
* Clear Creek – south
* Grand – west

### Major highways

[edit]

* State Highway 46
* State Highway 72
* State Highway 119
* Central City Parkway

### National protected areas

[edit]

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

### State protected area

[edit]

* Golden Gate Canyon State Park

### Scenic trail and byway

[edit]

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

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1870| 5,490| | —
1880| 6,489| | 18.2%
1890| 5,867| | −9.6%
1900| 6,690| | 14.0%
1910| 4,131| | −38.3%
1920| 1,364| | −67.0%
1930| 1,212| | −11.1%
1940| 1,625| | 34.1%
1950| 850| | −47.7%
1960| 685| | −19.4%
1970| 1,272| | 85.7%
1980| 2,441| | 91.9%
1990| 3,070| | 25.8%
2000| 4,757| | 55.0%
2010| 5,441| | 14.4%
2020| 5,808| | 6.7%
2024 (est.)| 5,963| [5]| 2.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2020[1]

At the 2000 census there were 4,757 people, 2,043 households, and 1,264 families in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 2,929 housing units at an average density of 20 units per square mile (7.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.37% White, 0.53% Black or African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 1.53% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. 4.25% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[10] Of the 2,043 households 26.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.10% were non-families. 26.80% of households were one person and 3.70% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.81.

The age distribution was 21.10% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 37.40% from 25 to 44, 30.00% from 45 to 64, and 5.70% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 112.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.10 males.

The median household income was $51,942 and the median family income was $61,859. Males had a median income of $38,560 versus $30,820 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,148. About 1.00% of families and 4.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.40% of those under age 18 and 6.10% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Gilpin County, Colorado[11] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 1,729  | 41.86%  | 2,254  | 54.58% | 147  | 3.56%
2020 | 1,833  | 43.79%  | 2,223  | 53.11% | 130  | 3.11%
2016 | 1,566  | 43.79%  | 1,634  | 45.69% | 376  | 10.51%
2012 | 1,346  | 40.32%  | 1,892  | 56.68% | 100  | 3.00%
2008 | 1,283  | 38.08%  | 1,990  | 59.07% | 96  | 2.85%
2004 | 1,329  | 41.58%  | 1,807  | 56.54% | 60  | 1.88%
2000 | 1,006  | 40.81%  | 1,099  | 44.58% | 360  | 14.60%
1996 | 682  | 38.12%  | 799  | 44.66% | 308  | 17.22%
1992 | 462  | 26.26%  | 726  | 41.27% | 571  | 32.46%
1988 | 728  | 45.79%  | 804  | 50.57% | 58  | 3.65%
1984 | 896  | 57.03% | 634  | 40.36%  | 41  | 2.61%
1980 | 694  | 50.04% | 441  | 31.80%  | 252  | 18.17%
1976 | 451  | 41.19%  | 563  | 51.42% | 81  | 7.40%
1972 | 516  | 57.02% | 362  | 40.00%  | 27  | 2.98%
1968 | 358  | 52.57% | 218  | 32.01%  | 105  | 15.42%
1964 | 233  | 38.83%  | 363  | 60.50% | 4  | 0.67%
1960 | 315  | 58.55% | 223  | 41.45%  | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 394  | 61.66% | 244  | 38.18%  | 1  | 0.16%
1952 | 357  | 60.41% | 228  | 38.58%  | 6  | 1.02%
1948 | 302  | 49.43% | 296  | 48.45%  | 13  | 2.13%
1944 | 272  | 55.85% | 213  | 43.74%  | 2  | 0.41%
1940 | 413  | 48.65%  | 431  | 50.77% | 5  | 0.59%
1936 | 321  | 29.81%  | 736  | 68.34% | 20  | 1.86%
1932 | 271  | 32.46%  | 539  | 64.55% | 25  | 2.99%
1928 | 299  | 55.17% | 236  | 43.54%  | 7  | 1.29%
1924 | 361  | 54.78% | 161  | 24.43%  | 137  | 20.79%
1920 | 416  | 66.99% | 189  | 30.43%  | 16  | 2.58%
1916 | 407  | 34.17%  | 763  | 64.06% | 21  | 1.76%
1912 | 443  | 26.65%  | 931  | 56.02% | 288  | 17.33%
1908 | 843  | 39.52%  | 1,185  | 55.56% | 105  | 4.92%
1904 | 1,311  | 49.01% | 1,260  | 47.10%  | 104  | 3.89%
1900 | 1,371  | 45.72%  | 1,498  | 49.95% | 130  | 4.33%
1896 | 266  | 9.43%  | 2,532  | 89.76% | 23  | 0.82%
1892 | 431  | 32.53%  | 0  | 0.00%  | 894  | 67.47%
1888 | 953  | 53.09% | 688  | 38.33%  | 154  | 8.58%
1884 | 1,129  | 61.43% | 614  | 33.41%  | 95  | 5.17%
1880 | 1,236  | 59.74% | 805  | 38.91%  | 28  | 1.35%

## Communities

[edit]

The Old Courthouse in Central City houses much of the county government.

### Cities

[edit]

* Black Hawk
* Central City

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Coal Creek (also in Boulder and Jefferson counties)
* Rollinsville

### Other

[edit]

* Nevadaville
* Russell Gulch

## Historic district

[edit]

* Central City/Black Hawk Historic District

## See also

[edit]

* Government portal
* History portal
* Mountains portal
* United States portal
* Colorado portal

* Bibliography of Colorado
* Geography of Colorado
* History of Colorado
* Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory
* Mountain County, Jefferson Territory
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Gilpin County, Colorado
* Hidee Gold Mine
* Index of Colorado-related articles
* List of Colorado-related lists
* List of counties in Colorado
* List of statistical areas in Colorado
* Outline of Colorado
* Front Range Urban Corridor

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 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. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 138.
4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
5. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
6. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
8. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
9. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
11. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gilpin County, Colorado.

* Gilpin County Government website
* Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
* Colorado Historical Society

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Gilpin County, Colorado

|  | Boulder County |

|
|

|  |
Grand County |

Gilpin County, Colorado

| Jefferson County
|  |
| Clear Creek County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Gilpin County, Colorado, United States

County seat: Central City

Cities|

* Black Hawk
* Central City‡

Map of Colorado highlighting Gilpin County

CDPs|

* Coal Creek‡
* Rollinsville

Unincorporated
communities|

* Nevadaville
* Pinecliffe
* Russell Gulch
* Tolland

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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* v
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* e

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39°52′N 105°31′W﻿ / ﻿39.86°N 105.52°W﻿ / 39.86; -105.52
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