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Home-rule city in Colorado, USA

Home rule city in Colorado, United States

Aurora

Aurora (Colorado)

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Aurora
Home rule city[1]
The Southlands shopping mall in Aurora
Flag Seal
Nicknames:  The Gateway to the Rockies The Sunrise of Colorado
Location of Aurora in Arapahoe (central), Adams (north), and Douglas (south) counties, Colorado
Aurora Location of the City of Aurora, Colorado. Show map of the United States

Coordinates: 39°43′46″N 104°49′55″W / 39.7294°N 104.8319°W / 39.7294; -104.8319 (City of Aurora, Colorado)^[3]CountryUnited StatesStateColoradoCountiesArapahoe, Adams, and Douglas^[2]Platted1891 as Fletcher, ColoradoIncorporated (town)May 5, 1903, as the Town of Fletcher^[4]Incorporated (city)March 9, 1928 as the City of Aurora^[5]Government

 • Typehome rule city^[1] • MayorMike Coffman (R) • City managerJason BatchelorArea

163.588 sq mi (423.691 km²) • Land163.009 sq mi (422.191 km²) • Water0.579 sq mi (1.500 km²) • Rank2nd in Colorado
54th in the United StatesElevation

5,558 ft (1,694 m)Population

404,219

403,130 • Rank3rd in Colorado
51st in the United States • Density2,412/sq mi (931/km²)DemonymsAuroranTime zoneUTC−07:00 (MST) • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)ZIP Codes

Area codes303/720/983GNIS place ID204737GNIS city ID2409757FIPS code0804000-2WebsiteCity of Aurora

Aurora (/əˈroÊŠrÉ™/, /əˈrɔːrÉ™/) is a home rule city located in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties, Colorado, United States.^[1] The city's population was 386,261 at the 2020 United States census with 336,035 living in Arapahoe County, 47,720 in Adams County, and 2,506 in Douglas County.^[7] Aurora is the third-most-populous city in the State of Colorado and the 51st-most-populous city in the United States. Aurora is a principal city of the Denver–Aurora–Centennial, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Denver-Aurora, CO Combined Statistical Area, and a major city of the Front Range Urban Corridor.

Before European settlement, the land that now makes up Aurora was the territory of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očeti ŠakówiÅ‹ (Sioux) tribes.^[10] These lands were claimed by France in 1682 and subsequently became part of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.^[11]

Aurora originated in the 1890 as the town of Fletcher, taking its name from Denver businessman Donald Fletcher who saw it as a real estate opportunity. He and his partners staked out four square miles (10 km²) east of Denver, but the town—and Colorado—struggled mightily after the Silver Crash of 1893. The Town of Fletcher was incorporated on May 5, 1903.^[4] Fletcher skipped town, leaving the community with a huge water debt. Voters decided to rename Fletcher the Town of Aurora in 1907 after one of the subdivisions composing the town. The Aurora post office opened on January 15, 1908.^[12]

By February 1928, the town of Aurora had reached a population of over 2,000 and it was reincorporated as a city on March 9.^[13][14][5] Aurora slowly began to grow in Denver's shadow becoming the fastest-growing city in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Aurora, composed of hundreds of subdivisions, thus carries the name of one of the original development plats from which it sprang.

Aurora's growing population in recent decades has led to efforts for co-equal recognition with its larger neighbor.^{[citation needed]} Former mayor Dennis Champine once expressed the somewhat whimsical notion that eventually the area would be called the "Aurora/Denver Metropolitan Area". Indeed, since the 2000 Census Aurora has surpassed Denver in land area, and much of Aurora is undeveloped, while Denver is more fully built-out. However, such efforts are somewhat hampered by the lack of a large, historically important central business district in the city. Aurora is largely suburban in character, as evidenced by the city's modest number of multi-story buildings.

A large military presence has existed in Aurora since the early 20th century. In 1918, Army General Hospital #21 (later renamed Fitzsimons Army Hospital) opened, with the U.S. government expanding and upgrading the hospital facilities in 1941 just in time to care for the wounded servicemen of World War II. Lowry Air Force Base was opened in 1938, straddling the border of Aurora and Denver. It eventually closed in 1994, and has been redeveloped into a master-planned community featuring residential, commercial, business and educational facilities. In 1942, the Army Air Corps built Buckley Field, which has been renamed Naval Air Station, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Buckley Air Force Base, and finally Buckley Space Force Base. The base, home of the Buckley Garrison and the 140th Wing Colorado Air National Guard, is Aurora's largest employer.

President Warren G. Harding visited Fitzsimons Army Hospital in 1923, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited in 1936.^[15] In 1943, the hospital was the birthplace of 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. President Dwight D. Eisenhower recovered from a heart attack at Fitzsimons for seven weeks during the fall of 1955. Decommissioned in 1999, the facility is part of the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado Denver, and the Fitzsimons Life Science District. The Anschutz Medical Campus also includes the University of Colorado Hospital, which moved to Aurora from Denver in 2007, and the Children's Hospital. The first carbon-ion radiotherapy research and treatment facility in the U.S. has been proposed at the site.^[16] These facilities will employ a workforce of 32,000 at build-out.

In 1965, mayor Norma O. Walker became the first woman to head a U.S. city with a population over 60,000.

In 1978, the cult coming-of-age film Over the Edge was filmed in Aurora; the crime drama has been named the "signature film" of Denver.^[17]

In 1979, it was announced that a science fiction theme park would be built in Aurora using the sets of a $50 million film based on the fantasy novel Lord of Light. However, due to legal problems the project was never completed. The script of the unmade film project, renamed Argo, was used as cover for the "Canadian Caper": the exfiltration of six U.S. diplomatic staff trapped by the Iranian hostage crisis.

In 1993, Cherry Creek State Park on the southwestern edge of Aurora was the location for the papal mass of the 8th World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II, attended by an estimated 500,000 people.^[18]

Aurora is split among three counties and lies distant from the respective county seats. A consolidated city and county government such as those found elsewhere in Colorado (Denver and Broomfield) was considered in the mid-1990s but failed to win approval by city voters; the issue was reconsidered in 2006.^[19]

Aurora Sports Park opened in 2003. In 2004, Aurora was honored as the Sports Illustrated magazine's 50th-anniversary "Sportstown" for Colorado because of its exemplary involvement in facilitating and enhancing sports. The city attracts more than 30 regional and national sports tournaments annually to Aurora's fields. Aurora's active populace is also reflected in the variety of professional athletes hailing from the city. Aurora's first semi-professional sports franchise, the Aurora Cavalry in the International Basketball League, began play in 2006 but folded by season's end due to budget mishaps.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, Aurora was designated an All-America City by the National Civic League.^[20]

Aurora pioneered the use of bank filtration in the United States, becoming one of the first U.S. cities to reap the benefits of siphoning water from beneath a riverbed upon completion of the Prairie Waters Project in 2010.^[21][22]

In 2017, the Republic of El Salvador opened a consulate in Aurora, serving Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming.^[23] In 2024, the Republic of Honduras opened the city's second diplomatic post.^[24]

On July 20, 2012, Aurora was the site of the deadliest shooting by a lone shooter in Colorado (and the state's overall second deadliest, after the 1999 Columbine High School massacre).^[25] The shooting occurred just after midnight, when James Holmes opened fire during the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in a Century movie theater, killing 12 people and injuring 70 others.^[26] Holmes was arrested and was eventually sentenced to 12 life sentences in prison with an additional required 3,318 years. The shooting drew an international response from world leaders. U.S. President Barack Obama visited victims, as well as local and state officials, and addressed the nation in a televised address from Aurora on July 22. Actor Christian Bale, who plays Batman in the film, also visited some victims in hospitals. The events marked a turning point in recognition and public perception of the city; rather than referring to the site as being in "Denver" or "suburban Denver", as would have been typical before the event, virtually all media accounts of the incident unequivocally named "Aurora" as its location.^[27]

On August 30, 2019, Elijah McClain died six days after an unprovoked detention by two Aurora police officers.^[28] On June 27, 2020, Aurora Police in riot gear dispersed thousands of protestors at a violin concert held in his honor.^[29] On October 12, 2023, one of the officers involved in McClain's death was found guilty on charges of assault and negligent homicide, while another officer was acquitted on all charges against him, which included assault and reckless manslaughter.^[30]

Aurora received national media attention during the run-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election. In September 2024, statements made by mayor Mike Coffman and city council member Danielle Jurinsky, both Republicans, claimed that the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang had taken control of an Aurora apartment complex and was extorting residents for their rent money. Jurinsky appeared on Fox News alleging "a huge cover-up" and that this "isn't just an Aurora issue." Presidential candidate Donald Trump repeated the claims during his September 10 debate with Kamala Harris, and subsequently scheduled a campaign rally in Aurora.^{[31][32][33][34]} Mayor Coffman denied the city was overrun by Venezuelan gangs.^[35] At the October 11 rally at Aurora's Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Trump intensified his remarks regarding undocumented immigration and proposed an "Operation Aurora" to remove undocumented immigrants connected to gangs.^[36] At a press conference held the same day at Aurora's Stanley Marketplace to denounce Trump's rally, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said, "We welcome the eyes of the nation on a true Colorado gem, the great city of Aurora."^[37][38]

Following Trump's inauguration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted raids targeting suspected Tren de Aragua gang members in Aurora and Denver.^[39][40] During a speech to a joint session of Congress on March 4, 2025, Trump falsely claimed immigrants “destroyed” Aurora and that the city had “buckled under the weight of migrant occupation.”^[41][42][43] The apartment complex at the root of the controversy was eventually shut down by a court order describing it as a threat to public safety. Police placed blame for the danger on property mismanagement, rather than gang activity among tenants.^[44]

Aurora's official elevation, posted on signs at the city limits, is 5,471 feet (1,668 m). However, the city spans a difference in elevation of nearly 1,000 feet (300 m). The lowest elevation of 5,285 feet (1,611 m) is found at the point where Sand Creek crosses the city limit in the northwest corner of the city, while the highest elevation of 6,229 feet (1,899 m) is on the extreme southern border of the city in Douglas County, near the intersection of Inspiration and Gartrell roads.^[45]

According to 2023 data published by the United States census, the city has a total area of 104,696 acres (423.691 km²) including 371 acres (1.500 km²) of water.^[6] The city is about 6 percent more extensive than neighboring Denver but 80 percent of the size of Colorado Springs, ranking as the 54th-largest U.S. city in land area.

Aurora is composed of dozens of neighborhoods, districts and (current and former) military installations. Among them:^{[citation needed]}

Aurora experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with four distinct seasons and modest precipitation year-round. Summers range from mild to hot, with generally low humidity and frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and Aurora also averages about one dozen tornado warnings throughout tornado season, running from April to July. Although a touchdown does occur every couple of years, tornadoes are typically weak and short lived. Aurora residents typically hear the tornado sirens go off numerous times more than residents in Denver, to the West. All of Aurora is located east of I-25, where tornado alley begins. Hailstorms, at times one to two-plus feet deep happen on occasion, and typical hailstorms are very common throughout these months.^[48] July is the warmest month of the year, with an average high of 89 °F (32 °C) and an average low of 57 °F (14 °C). Winters range from mild to occasional bitter cold, with periods of sunshine alternating with periods of snow, high winds and very low temperatures. December is the coldest month of the year, with an average high of 43 °F (6 °C) and an average low of 17 °F (−8 °C). The average first snowfall in the Aurora area occurs in late October and the average final snowfall occurs in late April, although snow has fallen as early as September 4 and as late as June 5. Generally, deciduous trees in the area are bare from mid October to late April.

As of the 2010 census, there were 325,078 people, 121,191 households, and 73,036 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,939.6 inhabitants per square mile (748.9/km²). There were 131,040 housing units at an average density of 766.7 units per square mile (296.0 units/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.1% White, 15.7% African American, 4.9% Asian (1.1% Korean, 0.8% Vietnamese, 0.5% Filipino, 0.5% Chinese, 0.5% Indian, 0.2% Japanese, 0.1% Thai, 0.1% Cambodian, 0.1% Burmese, 0.1% Nepalese, 0.1% Pakistani, 0.1% Indonesian), 1.0% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 11.6% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.7% of the population; 21.9% of Aurora's population is of Mexican heritage, 1.0% Salvadoran, 0.7% Puerto Rican, 0.4% Guatemalan, 0.3% Honduran, 0.3% Peruvian, 0.2% Cuban, 0.2% Colombian and 0.1% Nicaraguan.^[53] Non-Hispanic Whites were 47.3% of the population in 2010,^[54] compared to 85.1% in 1980.^[55]

Aurora is a center of Colorado's refugee population. There are about 30,000 Ethiopians and Eritreans living in the Denver–Aurora area. There is also a sizable population of Nepalese refugees.^[56][57]

There were 121,191 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 37.6% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,507, and the median income for a family was $52,551. Males had a median income of $35,963 versus $30,080 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,095. About 6.8% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

According to the Aurora Economic Development Council,^[58] the largest public employers in the city are:

According to the Aurora Economic Development Council,^[59] the largest private employers in the city of Aurora are:

Other notable employers in the city include Lockheed Martin Corporation, Staples Inc., United Natural Foods, Aurora Mental Health Center, G45 Secure Solutions, Graebel Relocation, Core-Mark, and Nelnet, Inc.

The city of Aurora manages more than 100 parks,^[60] more than 6,000 acres (24 km²) of open space and natural areas,^[60] and six award-winning municipal golf courses (Aurora Hills, Meadow Hills, Murphy Creek, Saddle Rock, Springhill and Fitzsimons).^[61] Aurora also is home to several privately owned golf courses including CommonGround Golf Course, Heather Ridge Country Club, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club and Valley Country Club. Hogan Park at Highlands Creek in the Aurora Highlands features world-class public art installations,^[62] including Liberty,^[63] among the 20 tallest statues in the United States.

Star K Ranch, home to Aurora's Morrison Nature Center, provides important habitat for wildlife. It has several trails for nature exploration, including access to the Sand Creek Greenway Trail. Jewell Wetland, a 50-acre (200,000 m²) wooded wetland, features trails, boardwalk/deck access into the wetland and a butterfly garden. Aurora Reservoir and Quincy Reservoir offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor water pursuits.^[60]

DeLaney Farm, site of Aurora's famous historic round barn, has 130 acres (0.53 km²) of open space, trails with access to the High Line Canal, an organic garden managed by Denver Urban Gardens, and two structures on the National Register of Historic Places. The Plains Conservation Center, with 1,100 acres (4.5 km²) of native shortgrass prairie, hosts a variety of educational programs.^[60]

Twenty-seven historic sites and landmarks are managed by the city of Aurora, including the Gully Homestead of 1870, the Victorian-style Centennial House of 1890, the privately owned American War Mothers National Memorial Home, the Art Deco-style KOA Building of 1934, the DeLaney Round Barn of 1902, Lowry Building 800, the interim headquarters for the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1955 to 1958, and Stanley Marketplace, which opened at the former site of Stanley Aviation in 2016.^[64]

The Aurora Fox Theatre & Arts Center, another historic landmark, is a 245-seat performing arts facility in the Aurora Cultural Arts District, along East Colfax Avenue. In that same area, The People's Building is a performing arts venue with flexible space, including 191 retractable seats and a gallery.^[65]

The Aurora History Museum is a community-based cultural center featuring a permanent exhibit on Aurora history and two changing exhibit galleries touching on topics related to history and decorative arts.^[66] Additionally, some of their collections can be accessed online here. Aurora is home to the Colorado Freedom Memorial^[67] and a memorial garden for the victims of the 2012 theater shooting is located adjacent to City Hall.^[68]

The Aurora Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra established in 1978, offers a full season of full orchestra concerts annually as well as smaller chamber ensemble performances.^[69]

The Aurora Public Library provides four main branches and a variety of events throughout the year.^[70]

Town Center at Aurora is the city's centrally located indoor shopping mall. Other major retail centers in Aurora include the outdoor The Gardens on Havana (formerly Buckingham Square) and Southlands Town Center, which is the metro area's largest.^[71] Stanley Marketplace is a non-traditional retail and entertainment venue occupying the former Stanley Aviation plant.

The city of Aurora operates under a council-manager form of government, where the city manager runs the city's day-to-day operations with general guidance from the city council. The Aurora City Council is composed of a mayor and ten council members. Six members are elected from districts, while the other four are elected at large. The mayor is elected by the entire city. Aurora's mayor role is largely ceremonial, but the mayor does have direct impact on policy issues as the head of city council.^[72] The council is nonpartisan; however, parties of members have been listed below for reference.

This full-service city is protected by the Aurora Police Department,^[74] one of only 10 law enforcement agencies in Colorado to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies; the Aurora Fire Department,^[75] which is accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International; and a Public Safety Communications dispatch call center.^[76] The Aurora Municipal Courts handles a wide variety of offense violations, and the Aurora Detention Center is a 72-hour adult holding facility.^[77]

In national elections, Aurora leans to the left and the Democratic Party, though not as much as neighboring Denver but more than other suburbs in the Denver metro area. Northern and Central Aurora, due to an extremely racially and culturally diverse voter base and high density for a suburban city, are some of the most Democratic areas in Colorado and vote similarly to Denver and Boulder; southern Aurora, similar to neighboring Centennial, used to lean Republican but has swung Democratic entering the 2020s.^[78][79]

Aurora anchors Colorado's 6th congressional district and is represented in Congress by Jason Crow (D-Centennial). State representation is listed in the tables below (areas implied to be in Arapahoe County unless noted: not all districts are fully in Aurora).

Primary and secondary education school districts:^[83][84][85]

Charter schools:

• DSST Public Schools

Private schools:

• Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran School^[86]
• Merryhill Preschool^[87]

Post-secondary and career education:^[88]

Aurora straddles I-70, I-225 and the E-470 beltway. The Regional Transportation District's light rail transit system was extended to serve the southwestern edge of Aurora on November 17, 2006. The H Line stops at Aurora's Dayton and Nine Mile Stations; a comprehensive network of feeder buses in southern Aurora serve the latter. On February 24, 2017, the line was extended as the R Line to Peoria Station in the city's northwest, where riders may transfer to the A Line providing service between Union Station in Downtown Denver and Denver Airport. Much of Aurora is more convenient to Denver International Airport than Denver itself, and the city is planning an Aerotropolis along the airport's southern flank.^[89] This proximity is a factor in the expected growth of the E-470 corridor directly south of Denver International Airport, projected to eventually accommodate 250,000 additional Aurora residents.^{[citation needed]} The easternmost portions of Aurora adjoin the Colorado Air and Space Port.

In 2017, Aurora became the first city in Colorado to host a dockless bike sharing program, but operations have been suspended since August 2022.^[90]

In 2014 the U.S.A. Powerlifting Raw Nationals and the IPF Open Powerlifting World Championships were both held in Aurora. The WC was the 35th Women's and 44th Men's Open Powerlifting Championships, and it was held on the Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast.^[91]

Aurora's sister cities are:^[92]

• Adama, Ethiopia (1988–2004, since 2014)^[b]
• Chihuahua, Mexico (2023)
• Jacó, Costa Rica (2016)
• Seongnam, South Korea (1992)

Aurora also has two friendship cities:^[92]

• Antiguo Cuscatlán, El Salvador (2016)
• New Taipei City, Taiwan (2023)

• Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area
• Denver-Aurora, CO Combined Statistical Area
• Front Range Urban Corridor
• List of municipalities in Colorado
• List of populated places in Colorado
• List of post offices in Colorado

• City of Aurora
  • Aurora Chamber of Commerce
  • Visit Aurora
• State of Colorado
  • History Colorado

Consolidated city and county in Colorado, United States

Consolidated city and county in Colorado, United States

Broomfield

Broomfield (Colorado)

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Broomfield
Consolidated city and county[1]
City and County of Broomfield
Flag Seal
Location of the City and County of Broomfield in Colorado
Broomfield Location of the City and County of Broomfield, Colorado. Show map of the United States

Coordinates: 39°55′14″N 105°05′12″W / 39.9205°N 105.0867°W / 39.9205; -105.0867 (Broomfield, Colorado)^[3]CountryUnited StatesStateColoradoCity and CountyBroomfield^[2]IncorporatedJune 6, 1961^[1]ConsolidatedNovember 15, 2001Named afterThe broomcorn once grown in the areaGovernment

 • TypeConsolidated city and county^[1] • MayorGuyleen Castriotta^[4]Area

33.548 sq mi (86.890 km²) • Land32.968 sq mi (85.387 km²) • Water0.580 sq mi (1.503 km²)Elevation

5,348 ft (1,630 m)Population

74,112

78,323  • Density2,248.0/sq mi (867.95/km²) • Metro

2,963,821 (19th) • CSA

3,623,560 (17th) • Front Range

5,055,344Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST) • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)ZIP code^[7]

Area codes303/720/983GNIS pop ID204704GNIS city ID2409919GNIS county ID1945881FIPS city code08-09280FIPS county code08-99014WebsiteCity and County of Broomfield

Broomfield is a consolidated city and county located in the U.S. state of Colorado.^[1] It has a consolidated government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10–13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. Broomfield's population was 74,112 at the 2020 United States census,^[6] making it the 15th most populous municipality and the 12th most populous county in Colorado. Broomfield is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range urban corridor.

The Broomfield post office opened on September 26, 1884.^[8] Historians speculate that the town was named for the sorghum grown in the area, also known as broomcorn, which had stalks that were sold to make brooms and whisk brooms.^[9]

Several railroads figure in the development of this area. The Colorado Central Railroad built a narrow-gauge line from Golden in 1873; the Denver, Utah and Pacific Railroad arrived in 1881; and the Denver, Marshall and Boulder Railway built a line through what is now Broomfield in 1886. The Denver, Utah and Pacific was widened to standard gauge in 1889. One of the early names for the area was Zang's Spur, after the railroad spur serving Adolph Zang's grain fields.^[10]

The Denver–Boulder Turnpike was constructed through the Broomfield area to speed automobile travel between the state capital of Denver and the university city of Boulder. Construction of the toll road began in 1950 and the turnpike was opened to traffic on January 19, 1952, with the sole toll plaza at Broomfield with access to U.S. Route 287 through the town.^[11] The toll to travel from Federal Boulevard in Adams County to Broomfield was 10 cents and the toll from Broomfield to Boulder was 15 cents, or 25 cents for the whole route.^[11]

The City of Broomfield was incorporated on June 6, 1961, in the southeastern corner of Boulder County.^[1] The Denver–Boulder Turnpike was a common commuting route and Broomfield became a popular residential area. On September 14, 1967, having paid off its construction and operating expenses, the turnpike was made free and became the official route of U.S. Route 36 between Denver, Boulder, and the Rocky Mountain National Park. The turnpike became the first public toll road in the United States to become free.^[11]

In the 1990s, after three decades of aggressive annexation, the City of Broomfield had expanded into Adams, Jefferson, and Weld counties in addition to Boulder.^[12] City leaders felt increasing chagrin with the need to deal with four different county governments, four separate county sales tax bases, and four separate court districts. They began pushing to make Broomfield a consolidated city-county similar to Denver, reasoning that they could provide services more responsively if Broomfield had its own county government.

The city sought an amendment to the state constitution to create a new county. The amendment was passed in 1998, after which a three-year transition period followed.

On November 15, 2001, Broomfield County became the 64th and least extensive county of Colorado. It is the newest county in Colorado (and in the entire United States, if county equivalents are not included).^[13]

Broomfield is located midway between Denver and Boulder along U.S. Routes 36 and 287 at coordinates

39°55′14″N 105°05′12″W / 39.9205°N 105.0867°W / 39.9205; -105.0867 (Broomfield, Colorado) at an elevation of 5,348 feet (1,630 m).^[3]

At the 2020 United States census, Broomfield had a total area of 21,471 acres (86.890 km²), including 371 acres (1.503 km²) of water.^[5] It is the smallest county by area in Colorado, and the 5th smallest in the United States.

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport is located in Broomfield.

• I-25 / US 87
• US 36
• US 85
• US 287
• SH 7
• SH 121
• SH 128

• Weld County — northeast
• Adams County — southeast
• Jefferson County — southwest
• Boulder County — northwest

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Broomfield has a cold semi-arid climate (BSk). According to the United States Department of Agriculture, it is in plant hardiness zone 6a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of −9.4 °F (−23.0 °C).^[14]

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Broomfield would have a Bouteloua/buffalograss (65, commonly known as grama grass) vegetation type and a shortgrass prairie (17) vegetation form.^[16]

Broomfield is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The 2020 census estimated there were 74,112 people living in Broomfield.^[6] The population density was 2,248 people per square mile (868 people/km²), making it the second most densely populated county in Colorado behind Denver.^[18] The racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 76.0% White, 6.9% Asian, 1.3% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 10.9% from two or more races;^[6] additionally, 13.4% were Hispanic or Latino^[19] and, by 2023, 8.8% were foreign-born.^[20]

In 2023, there were 33,563 households, of which 48.0% were married couples living together, 11.4% were cohabiting couple households, 18.7% had a male householder with no spouse/partner present, and 21.9% had a female householder with no spouse/partner present. 22.5% of households had one or more people under 18 years, and 25.6% of households had one or more people 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.28 people, and the average family size was 2.90 people.^[20]

In 2023, age distribution figures showed 20.2% of residents under the age of 18 and 16.5% age 65 years or older.^[21] The median age was 37.9 years and females made up 49.1% of the population.^[21]

In 2023, the median household income in Broomfield was $112,139 and the median family income was $130,920.^[22] The per capita income for the city was $59,679,^[23] with 5.3% of the population living below the poverty line^[24] and 2.7% without health care coverage.^[25] By 2018–2022 estimates, Broomfield had the 3rd highest median household income among Colorado counties and the 40th highest in the United States;^[26] for families, the median income was the 2nd highest among Colorado counties and the 18th highest in the United States.^[27]

In 2023, the educational attainment of residents over age 25 included 97.0% being high school graduates (or higher), 58.8% holding a bachelor's degree (or higher), and 25.6% holding a graduate or professional degree.^[28]

When the county was formed in 2001, it was a swing county, and it has voted for the winner of Colorado's electoral votes since then. In the 2012 election, incumbent president and Democrat Barack Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney by roughly five percentage points. In recent years, the county has trended towards the Democratic Party, in line with the rest of the Denver area. In 2016, it voted decisively for Hillary Clinton. Joe Biden won the county by a larger margin in 2020, and Kamala Harris won the county by an even larger margin in 2024.

As of August 1, 2025, among 56,705 active registered voters in Broomfield, 15,317 were Democrats, 10,412 were Republicans, and 29,857 were not affiliated with any party.^[29]

Broomfield voters approved ranked-choice voting for municipal elections in 2021. Due to a lack of candidates and delays in the Colorado Secretary of State auditing procedures, implementation of ranked-choice voting has been delayed until 2027.^[30]

In the 1990s, Broomfield and other area suburbs experienced tremendous economic growth, much of it focused in technology.

The FlatIron Crossing mall is a large shopping and entertainment center, anchored by Dick's Sporting Goods, Macy's, and Forever 21.

Crocs, Vail Resorts, MWH Global, Flatiron Construction, Webroot, Noodles & Company, and Mrs. Fields are headquartered in Broomfield.

According to Broomfield's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[31] the top employers in the city are:

The Broomfield Enterprise is the local newspaper. KBDI-TV, the secondary PBS member station for the Denver area, is licensed to Broomfield.

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Broomfield's recreational opportunities include the Paul Derda Recreation Center and pool, athletic fields, courts and rinks and open space and trails.^[32][33]

Broomfield has an extensive trail system that connects the various lakes and parks. A scenic trail connects the Stearns Lake and the Josh's Pond memorial on the west side of town. Broomfield also has a 9/11 memorial containing a piece of a steel beam from one of the towers.

Broomfield also has a skate park with many different features such as bowls, a large half-pipe and several "street" obstacles.

The Broomfield Community Center (renovated in 2020) offers a wide variety of fitness classes, senior activities, and hosts swim meets and kids' camps for the whole city and county.

A few of the favorite outdoor activities of Broomfield residents are tennis and golf. There are a large number of golf courses and tennis courts open to the public. Broomfield Community Center also hosts other Denver metro cities in their center, mainly for pickleball games and tournaments.

Broomfield's leadership includes the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tem, the City and County Manager, Attorney, and City Council members.^[4]

Broomfield operates as a consolidated city-county. The city council acts simultaneously as the board of county commissioners, and the police chief is simultaneously the county sheriff. The Broomfield Police Department performs all of the duties that would normally be performed by a county sheriff's office, including operating the county jail (detention center), providing security and bailiff services for the Broomfield Municipal, County, and District Courts and the Combined Courts Building, and providing civil process in the county. The police chief can be hired or fired at will by the city council, which makes Broomfield's sheriff, along with Denver's, the only non-elected sheriffs in the state.

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Since Broomfield used to be divided among four counties, students living in the city were served by the separate school districts for their county.^{[citation needed]} While the city is now united within one county, it is still separated among 6 school districts:^[34]

• Boulder Valley School District
• 27J Schools
• Weld County School District RE-8
• Jefferson County Public Schools
• St. Vrain Valley School District
• Adams 12 Five Star Schools

Of Colorado's 10 largest school districts, 4 (Jefferson County, Adams 12 Five Star, St. Vrain Valley, and Boulder Valley)^[35] have sections in Broomfield.

Broomfield features two large public high schools (Broomfield High School and Legacy High School), two public middle schools, and eight public elementary schools. There are four private schools: Brightmont Academy, a 1-to-1 school for all grade levels; Broomfield Academy, with an academic preschool, an elementary school, and a middle school; Holy Family, a Catholic high school; and Nativity of Our Lord Parish, a Catholic elementary school. Broomfield also contains two K–12 charter schools — Prospect Ridge Academy and Front Range Academy, which has two Broomfield campuses.

Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Broomfield (or both) include:

• Mark Boslough, physicist^[36]
• Drew Brown, musician, guitarist for OneRepublic and Debate Team^[37]
• David Hale Hand, son of Disney and Gaumont-British animator David Hand^[38]
• Dianne Primavera, 50th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado and former member of the Colorado House of Representatives^[39]
• Anna Prins, basketball center^[40]
• Vince Russo, pro wrestling personality and podcaster^[41]
• Steve Schmuhl, swimmer^[42]
• Mike Wilpolt, football wide receiver, defensive back, coach^[43]
• Cat Zingano, bantamweight MMA fighter^[44]

Broomfield has a sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, Japan^[45][46]

• Bibliography of Colorado
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