Summit County, Colorado

County in Colorado, United States

County in Colorado

Summit County

County

Summit County court house in Breckenridge

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Colorado

Colorado's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 39°38′08″N 106°06′08″W﻿ / ﻿39.6356°N 106.10235°W﻿ / 39.6356; -106.10235
Country|  United States
State|  Colorado
Founded| November 1, 1861
Named after| Continental Divide
Seat| Breckenridge
Largest town| Breckenridge
Area

• Total

| 619 sq mi (1,600 km2)
• Land| 608 sq mi (1,570 km2)
• Water| 11 sq mi (30 km2)  1.8%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 31,055

• Estimate

(2024)

| 30,882
• Density| 50/sq mi (19/km2)
Time zone| UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district| 2nd
Website| www.summitcountyco.gov

Summit County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,055.[1] The county seat and largest town is Breckenridge.[2] Summit County comprises the Breckenridge, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.[3][4]

## History

[edit]

Summit County was organized as one of the seventeen original Colorado counties by the First Territorial Legislature on November 1, 1861. It was named for the many mountain summits in the county. Until February 2, 1874, its boundaries included the area now comprising Summit County, Grand County, Routt County, Moffat County, Garfield County, Eagle County, and Rio Blanco County.

In 1874, the northern half of the original Summit County was split off to form Grand County; with the creation of Garfield and Eagle counties in 1883, Summit County arrived at its present boundaries. In addition, Summit County has seen two major boom eras.

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 619 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 608 square miles (1,570 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.8%) is water.[5]

The terrain of the county is mountainous with elevations ranging from 7,957 feet (2,425 m) at Green Mountain Reservoir to 14,270 feet (4,350 m) at Grays Peak. The elevation of the county seat of Breckenridge is 9,602 feet (2,927 m), making it one of the highest cities in the state of Colorado and the United States.[6] Much of the county has an alpine climate (ET in the Köppen Classification) characterized by tundra vegetation. Breckenridge and other similar elevations in the county have a subarctic climate (Dfc) characterized by cool summers and abundant snowfall in winter.

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Grand County – north
* Clear Creek County – east
* Park County – southeast
* Lake County – southwest
* Eagle County – west

### Major highways

[edit]

* Interstate 70
* I-70 BL
* U.S. Highway 6
* State Highway 9
* State Highway 91

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1870| 258| | —
1880| 5,459| | 2,015.9%
1890| 1,906| | −65.1%
1900| 2,744| | 44.0%
1910| 2,003| | −27.0%
1920| 1,724| | −13.9%
1930| 987| | −42.7%
1940| 1,754| | 77.7%
1950| 1,135| | −35.3%
1960| 2,073| | 82.6%
1970| 2,665| | 28.6%
1980| 8,848| | 232.0%
1990| 12,281| | 38.8%
2000| 23,548| | 91.7%
2010| 27,994| | 18.9%
2020| 31,055| | 10.9%
2024 (est.)| 30,882| [7]| −0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10]
1990–2000[11] 2010–2020[1]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 23,548 people, 9,120 households, and 4,769 families residing in the county. The population density was 39 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 24,201 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile (15/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.84% White, 0.68% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.96% from other races, and 2.10% from two or more races. 9.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,120 households, out of which 24.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.00% were married couples living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.70% were non-families. 21.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 17.40% under the age of 18, 15.70% from 18 to 24, 44.30% from 25 to 44, 19.40% from 45 to 64, and 3.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. As of 2014, the life expectancy in Summit County was 86.83 years, the longest average life expectancy of any county in the United States.[13] For every 100 females there were 139.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 144.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $56,587, and the median income for a family was $66,914 (these figures had risen to $65,281 and $80,441 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $33,741 versus $27,017 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,676. About 3.10% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.30% of those under age 18 and 3.40% of those age 65 or over.

The 2019 average real estate prices in Summit County were $1,262,929 for a single family home, $559,776 for a condo, townhome or duplex and $344,945 for a vacant piece of land (YTD through December 2019).[14]

Snowmelt runoff fills Lake Dillon in Summit County

## Life expectancy

[edit]

According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, residents of Summit County had a 2014 life expectancy from birth of 86.83 years in 2014, the longest in the United States.[15] Both men and women live longer in Summit County than in any other county in the United States: 85.5 years for men and 88.0 years for women is the life expectancy at birth.[16] Two contiguous counties, Pitkin and Eagle counties, rank numbers two and three in the nation in life expectancy. Factors contributing to the high life expectancy in Summit County are "high education, high income, high access to medical care, the people are physically active, obesity is lower than anywhere else — so you’re doing it right,” said Dr. Ali Mokdad, one of the study's co-authors.[17]

## Education

[edit]

### K–12 schools

[edit]

#### Elementary schools

[edit]

* Breckenridge Elementary School
* Dillon Valley Elementary School (Dillon)
* Frisco Elementary School
* Silverthorne Elementary School
* Summit Cove Elementary School (Dillon)
* Upper Blue Elementary School (Breckenridge)

#### Middle school

[edit]

* Summit Middle School (Frisco)

#### High schools

[edit]

* Snowy Peaks Junior/Senior High School (Frisco)
* Summit High School (Breckenridge)

### Higher education

[edit]

Colorado Mountain College operates campuses in Breckenridge and Dillon.

## Politics

[edit]

Summit County is liberal in most elections. Since 1988 the county has trended strongly toward the Democratic Party, like many other counties in Colorado dominated by ski towns. In 2020, Joe Biden's performance was the best by a Democrat since 1916, and Kamala Harris' performance was only slightly worse in 2024.

United States presidential election results for Summit County, Colorado[18] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 5,244  | 29.89%  | 11,762  | 67.04% | 539  | 3.07%
2020 | 5,322  | 28.80%  | 12,631  | 68.35% | 526  | 2.85%
2016 | 5,100  | 31.53%  | 9,557  | 59.09% | 1,517  | 9.38%
2012 | 5,571  | 36.38%  | 9,347  | 61.04% | 394  | 2.57%
2008 | 4,883  | 32.77%  | 9,802  | 65.79% | 214  | 1.44%
2004 | 5,370  | 39.10%  | 8,144  | 59.29% | 221  | 1.61%
2000 | 4,497  | 40.63%  | 5,304  | 47.92% | 1,267  | 11.45%
1996 | 3,261  | 38.73%  | 3,970  | 47.16% | 1,188  | 14.11%
1992 | 2,256  | 26.95%  | 3,344  | 39.95% | 2,770  | 33.09%
1988 | 2,893  | 51.44% | 2,595  | 46.14%  | 136  | 2.42%
1984 | 3,253  | 66.14% | 1,588  | 32.29%  | 77  | 1.57%
1980 | 2,027  | 46.54% | 1,285  | 29.51%  | 1,043  | 23.95%
1976 | 1,826  | 58.15% | 1,087  | 34.62%  | 227  | 7.23%
1972 | 1,082  | 59.03% | 707  | 38.57%  | 44  | 2.40%
1968 | 536  | 57.39% | 301  | 32.23%  | 97  | 10.39%
1964 | 344  | 41.55%  | 483  | 58.33% | 1  | 0.12%
1960 | 424  | 51.27% | 400  | 48.37%  | 3  | 0.36%
1956 | 429  | 64.61% | 235  | 35.39%  | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 442  | 61.90% | 271  | 37.96%  | 1  | 0.14%
1948 | 292  | 43.26%  | 378  | 56.00% | 5  | 0.74%
1944 | 326  | 57.60% | 237  | 41.87%  | 3  | 0.53%
1940 | 479  | 46.78%  | 540  | 52.73% | 5  | 0.49%
1936 | 268  | 34.85%  | 496  | 64.50% | 5  | 0.65%
1932 | 224  | 34.78%  | 397  | 61.65% | 23  | 3.57%
1928 | 362  | 53.16% | 306  | 44.93%  | 13  | 1.91%
1924 | 354  | 47.52% | 241  | 32.35%  | 150  | 20.13%
1920 | 418  | 50.36% | 388  | 46.75%  | 24  | 2.89%
1916 | 268  | 26.27%  | 717  | 70.29% | 35  | 3.43%
1912 | 179  | 18.55%  | 600  | 62.18% | 186  | 19.27%
1908 | 366  | 31.99%  | 743  | 64.95% | 35  | 3.06%
1904 | 561  | 48.15%  | 569  | 48.84% | 35  | 3.00%
1900 | 394  | 28.59%  | 967  | 70.17% | 17  | 1.23%
1896 | 28  | 2.20%  | 1,243  | 97.64% | 2  | 0.16%
1892 | 279  | 25.60%  | 0  | 0.00%  | 811  | 74.40%
1888 | 701  | 55.63% | 557  | 44.21%  | 2  | 0.16%
1884 | 609  | 51.92% | 556  | 47.40%  | 8  | 0.68%
1880 | 1,289  | 48.81%  | 1,328  | 50.28% | 24  | 0.91%

## Communities

[edit]

### Towns

[edit]

* Blue River
* Breckenridge
* Dillon
* Frisco
* Keystone
* Montezuma
* Silverthorne

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Copper Mountain
* Heeney

### Ghost towns

[edit]

* Dyersville
* Kokomo
* Parkville
* Preston
* Saints John
* Tiger

## Recreation

[edit]

### National protected areas

[edit]

* White River National Forest
* Eagles Nest Wilderness

### Ski areas

[edit]

* Arapahoe Basin
* Breckenridge
* Copper Mountain
* Keystone

### Trails and byways

[edit]

* American Discovery Trail
* Colorado Trail
* Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
* Great Parks Bicycle Route
* Top of the Rockies National Scenic Byway
* TransAmerica Trail Bicycle Route
* Vail Pass National Recreation Trail
* Wheeler Ten Mile National Recreation Trail

### Lakes

[edit]

The county has three reservoirs, Lake Dillon, Green Mountain Reservoir, and Clinton Gulch Dam Reservoir that are also popular recreation sites.

### Islands

[edit]

* Silver Dollar Island

### Concert venues

[edit]

* Dillon Amphitheater

## See also

[edit]

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

* Bibliography of Colorado
* Geography of Colorado
* History of Colorado
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Summit County, Colorado
* Index of Colorado-related articles
* List of Colorado-related lists
* List of counties in Colorado
* List of statistical areas in Colorado
* Outline of Colorado

## References

[edit]

Gold specimen from the Breckenridge Mining District

1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "OMB Bulletin No. 10-02: Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget. December 1, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2012 – via National Archives.
4. ^ See the Colorado census statistical areas.
5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. ^ "Elevation distribution for all U.S. cities," http://www.city-data.com/top13.html, accessed August 2, 2017
7. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
11. ^ "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 11, 2014.
12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
13. ^ University of Washington. "US Health Map". Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
14. ^ Brewer, Brewer; Ben Brewer (March 6, 2020). "Summit County Real Estate". Breckenridge Real Estate Experts Blog. Ben Brewer. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
15. ^ Dwyer-Lindgren, Laura (May 8, 2017). "Inequalities in Life Expectancy Among US Counties, 1980 to 2014". JAMA Internal Medicine. 177 (7): 1003–1011\. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.0918. PMC 5543324. PMID 28492829.
16. ^ "County Profile: Summit County Colorado," http://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/county_profiles/US/2015/County_Report_Summit_County_Colorado.pdf, accessed 2 Aug 2017
17. ^ Achenbach, Joel, "U.S. life expectancy varies more than 20 years from county to county," Washington Post, May 8, 2017
18. ^ 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 Summit County, Colorado.

* Official website
* Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
* Colorado Historical Society
* Kokomo and Racen ghost towns

39°30′N 106°03′W﻿ / ﻿39.50°N 106.05°W﻿ / 39.50; -106.05

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Summit County, Colorado

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Municipalities and communities of Summit County, Colorado, United States

County seat: Breckenridge

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Map of Colorado highlighting Summit County

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