Gilpin County, Colorado

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.

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
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  (2023)	5,926
• Density	39/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	gilpincounty.colorado.gov

Geography

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

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

Major highways

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

National protected areas

• Arapaho National Forest
• James Peak Wilderness
• Roosevelt National Forest

State protected area

• Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Scenic trail and byway

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

Demographics

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%
2023 (est.)	5,926	[5]	2.0%
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

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

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

Cities

• Black Hawk
• Central City

Census-designated places

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

Other

• Nevadaville
• Russell Gulch

Historic district

• Central City/Black Hawk Historic District

See also

• 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