Clear Creek County, Colorado

Clear Creek County, Colorado
County
Alpine Hose, historic firehouse in Georgetown.
Alpine Hose, historic firehouse in Georgetown.
Motto: 
Where The Old West Meets New Adventures
Map of Colorado highlighting Clear Creek County
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Coordinates: 39°41′N 105°38′W / 39.69°N 105.64°W / 39.69; -105.64
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedNovember 1, 1861
Named afterClear Creek
SeatGeorgetown
Largest cityIdaho Springs
Area
 • Total
396 sq mi (1,030 km2)
 • Land395 sq mi (1,020 km2)
 • Water1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
9,397
 • Estimate 
(2024)
9,076 Decrease
 • Density23.8/sq mi (9.19/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.clearcreekcounty.us

Clear Creek County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,397.[1] The county seat is Georgetown.[2]

History

Clear Creek, ca. 1870
Crystalline gold specimen from the Dixie mine, Lamartine District, SW of Idaho Springs, Colorado. Size: 1.8 x 0.9 x 0.2 cm.[3]

Clear Creek County was one of the original 17 counties created by the Colorado legislature on November 1, 1861,[4] and is one of only two counties (along with Gilpin) to have persisted with its original boundaries unchanged. It was named after Clear Creek, which runs down from the continental divide through the county. Idaho Springs was originally designated the county seat, but the county government was moved to Georgetown in 1867.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 396 square miles (1,030 km2), of which 395 square miles (1,020 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) (0.3%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

National protected areas

Scenic trails and byways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18701,596—
18807,823390.2%
18907,184−8.2%
19007,082−1.4%
19105,001−29.4%
19202,891−42.2%
19302,155−25.5%
19403,78475.6%
19503,289−13.1%
19602,793−15.1%
19704,81972.5%
19807,30851.6%
19907,6194.3%
20009,32222.4%
20109,088−2.5%
20209,3973.4%
2024 (est.)9,076[6]−3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 9,397. Of the residents, 14.7% were under the age of 18 and 21.2% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 48.3 years. For every 100 females there were 113.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 113.0 males. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas and 100.0% lived in rural areas.[11][12][13]

Clear Creek 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[14] Pop 2010[15] Pop 2020[16] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 8,759 8,371 8,149 93.96% 92.11% 86.72%
Black or African American alone (NH) 26 50 49 0.28% 0.55% 0.52%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 46 56 41 0.49% 0.62% 0.44%
Asian alone (NH) 33 51 82 0.35% 0.56% 0.87%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 3 3 7 0.03% 0.03% 0.07%
Other race alone (NH) 11 11 38 0.12% 0.12% 0.40%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 83 117 383 0.89% 1.29% 4.08%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 361 429 648 3.87% 4.72% 6.90%
Total 9,322 9,088 9,397 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

The racial makeup of the county was 88.6% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.7% from some other race, and 7.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.9% of the population.[13]

There were 4,391 households in the county, of which 20.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 19.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]

There were 5,672 housing units, of which 22.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.2% were owner-occupied and 24.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.6%.[12]

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 9,322 people, 4,019 households, and 2,608 families living in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9.3 people/km2). There were 5,128 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.37% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.73% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 3.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[17] Of the 4,019 households 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.10% were non-families. 27.20% of households were one person and 4.30% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.81.

The age distribution was 22.60% under the age of 18, 5.60% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 32.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.10% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.20 males.

The median household income was $50,997 and the median family income was $61,400. Males had a median income of $41,667 versus $30,757 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,160. About 3.00% of families and 5.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.80% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated places

Ghost towns

Politics

Throughout its history, Clear Creek County tended to be somewhat divided between Republicans and Democrats, but has reliably voted Democratic in recent elections, with George W. Bush having been the most recent Republican to win the county, in 2000, while his father, George H. W. Bush, was the last Republican to win the narrow majority of the county's votes, in 1988. In 2008, Barack Obama won the county with the best performance by a Democrat since 1964. During the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton became the first Democrat since her husband in 1996 to not win the majority of the county's vote, while still winning the county by a plurality. Since then, the county has decisively swung further into the Democratic column, and in 2024 it saw a continued leftward shift, opposite of the national average.

United States presidential election results for Clear Creek County, Colorado[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1880 1,567 60.02% 961 36.81% 83 3.18%
1884 1,399 59.36% 915 38.82% 43 1.82%
1888 1,244 60.62% 696 33.92% 112 5.46%
1892 494 22.10% 0 0.00% 1,741 77.90%
1896 101 2.92% 3,345 96.84% 8 0.23%
1900 761 24.38% 2,309 73.96% 52 1.67%
1904 1,691 56.22% 1,252 41.62% 65 2.16%
1908 872 33.44% 1,702 65.26% 34 1.30%
1912 469 23.83% 1,166 59.25% 333 16.92%
1916 474 26.35% 1,289 71.65% 36 2.00%
1920 765 58.31% 518 39.48% 29 2.21%
1924 722 61.87% 284 24.34% 161 13.80%
1928 790 61.05% 481 37.17% 23 1.78%
1932 597 38.17% 939 60.04% 28 1.79%
1936 720 34.68% 1,340 64.55% 16 0.77%
1940 1,018 44.15% 1,281 55.55% 7 0.30%
1944 795 55.29% 636 44.23% 7 0.49%
1948 810 48.68% 836 50.24% 18 1.08%
1952 1,145 67.71% 540 31.93% 6 0.35%
1956 973 64.87% 520 34.67% 7 0.47%
1960 964 58.35% 688 41.65% 0 0.00%
1964 676 38.26% 1,086 61.46% 5 0.28%
1968 1,011 52.71% 719 37.49% 188 9.80%
1972 1,557 62.23% 815 32.57% 130 5.20%
1976 1,477 55.36% 1,069 40.07% 122 4.57%
1980 1,784 56.22% 837 26.38% 552 17.40%
1984 2,151 65.34% 1,089 33.08% 52 1.58%
1988 1,820 50.11% 1,698 46.75% 114 3.14%
1992 1,356 30.40% 1,744 39.10% 1,360 30.49%
1996 1,746 41.97% 1,863 44.78% 551 13.25%
2000 2,247 45.63% 2,188 44.44% 489 9.93%
2004 2,522 44.93% 2,989 53.25% 102 1.82%
2008 2,300 39.88% 3,332 57.78% 135 2.34%
2012 2,430 42.31% 3,119 54.31% 194 3.38%
2016 2,575 43.90% 2,729 46.52% 562 9.58%
2020 2,754 42.06% 3,604 55.04% 190 2.90%
2024 2,452 40.18% 3,464 56.77% 186 3.05%

Education

The county is served by Clear Creek School District RE-1.

Elementary Schools

  • Carlson Elementary School (Idaho Springs)
  • King-Murphy Mountain School (Evergreen)

Middle School

  • Clear Creek Middle School (Idaho Springs)

High School

  • Clear Creek High School (Evergreen)

Charter School

  • Georgetown Community School (Georgetown)

Historic areas

Ski areas

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "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. ^ Lamartine Mining District at Mindat.org
  4. ^ a b "Clear Creek County | Colorado Encyclopedia". coloradoencyclopedia.org. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  10. ^ "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 7, 2014.
  11. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  12. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  13. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  14. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Clear Creek County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  15. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Clear Creek County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  16. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Clear Creek County, Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  18. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_Creek_County,_Colorado