Douglas County, Colorado
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image:Map of Colorado highlighting Douglas County.png
Douglas County is a suburban county located in the southern portion of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Colorado. As of 2000, the population is 175,766. Douglas County is one of the fastest growing areas in Colorado. The county seat is Castle Rock, named after a small mesa just north of the town. Castle Rock is on the Interstate 25 corridor just east of the frontrange of the Rocky Mountains.
Douglas County is lightly wooded, mostly with ponderosa pine, with broken terrain characterized by mesas and small steams. Cherry Creek and Plum Creek rise in Douglas County and flow north toward Denver and into the South Platte River. Both were subject to flash flooding in the past, Plum Creek being partially responsible for the Denver flood of 1965. Cherry Creek is now dammed.
Residents generally commute to workplaces elsewhere in the metropolitan area outside of the county. Urbanization is gradually displacing the ranching economy of the county.
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History
Douglas County was one of the original 17 counties created by the Colorado legislature on November 1, 1861. The county seat of Douglas County was originally set in Franktown, but moved to California Ranch in 1863 and then to Castle Rock in 1874. Although the county's boundaries originally extended eastward to the state border, in 1874, most of the eastern portion of the county became part of Elbert County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,183 km² (843 mi²). 2,176 km² (840 mi²) of it is land and 7 km² (3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.31% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 175,766 people, 60,924 households, and 49,835 families residing in the county. The population density is 81/km² (209/mi²). There are 63,333 housing units at an average density of 29/km² (75/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 92.77% White, 0.95% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 2.51% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races. 5.06% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 60,924 households out of which 47.20% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.80% are married couples living together, 5.70% have a female householder with no husband present, and 18.20% are non-families. 13.30% of all households are made up of individuals and 1.90% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.88 and the average family size is 3.19.
In the county the population is spread out with 31.60% under the age of 18, 4.80% from 18 to 24, 37.90% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 4.20% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $82,929, and the median income for a family is $88,482. Males have a median income of $60,729 versus $38,965 for females. The per capita income for the county is $34,848. 2.10% of the population and 1.60% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.90% of those under the age of 18 and 3.70% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and Towns
Census-Designated Places
- Acres Green
- Carriage Club
- Castle Pines
- Cottonwood
- Franktown
- Grand View Estates
- Heritage Hills
- Highlands Ranch
- Louviers
- Meridian
- Perry Park
- Roxborough Park
- Sedalia
- Stonegate
- The Pinery
- Westcreek
External links
- Douglas County Home Page (http://www.douglas.co.us/)
