Adams County, Colorado

Adams County is a place in the U.S. state of Colorado. It had a population of 519,572 people as of the 2020 United States census. The main city where important government work happens is called Brighton, and the biggest city is Thornton. The county is named after Alva Adams, who was an early Governor of the State of Colorado from 1887 to 1889. Adams County is part of the busy area around Denver, which is a big city nearby.

History

Adams County, Colorado, began its story in 1854 when new lands were divided by a line called Parallel 40° North. In 1859, a man named John D. Henderson built a ranch and a place for travelers on an island in the South Platte River. This was the first lasting settlement in that area.

Later, in 1861, the area became part of the new Colorado Territory. In 1901, leaders decided to split Arapahoe County into three parts, creating Adams County. However, it took until 1902 for this to officially happen, and Brighton was chosen as the county's main city, called the county seat. Over time, the size of Adams County changed a bit, and today it covers about 1,184 square miles (3,070 km²).

Geography

Adams County, Colorado, covers 1,184 square miles, with most of it being land and a small part being water. The county surrounds most of Denver International Airport, which is located in the City and County of Denver.

The county shares borders with several other counties: Weld County to the north, Morgan County to the northeast, Washington County to the east, Arapahoe County to the south, City & County of Denver to the southwest, Jefferson County to the west, and City & County of Broomfield to the northwest.

Important roads that go through the county include several Interstates and U.S. Highways, such as Interstate 25, Interstate 70, Interstate 76, and others. The county also includes protected areas like the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and Barr Lake State Park. There are also trails for recreation, including the South Platte Trail, American Discovery Trail, and Highline Canal National Recreation Trail.

Demographics

2020 census

According to the 2020 census, Adams County had a population of 519,572 people. About 25.7% of the residents were children under 18 years old, and 11.1% were adults aged 65 or older. The average age was 34.4 years. Most people lived in cities, with only 4% in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county included 55.8% White people, 3.4% Black or African American, 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.5% Asian, and smaller groups of other races. About 41.7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

There were 178,525 households, with 38.1% having children under 18. Many households were led by single parents, and some were made up of individuals living alone.

2000 census

The 2000 census recorded 363,857 people living in Adams County. The population density was 305 people per square mile. The racial makeup was 77.29% White, with smaller percentages of Black or African American, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. About 28.19% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

There were 128,156 households, and about 37.8% had children under 18. Many households were led by married couples, while others were single-parent or non-family households. The average household size was 2.81, and the average family size was 3.27.

The median income for a household was $47,323, and for a family, it was $52,517. About 6.5% of families and 8.9% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 10.9% of children under 18.

Government

Adams County is governed by a Board of Commissioners. This board has five members, each elected to represent a different part of the county. There are also other elected officials who manage specific areas or departments of the county’s work.

The county is part of the 17th Judicial District, where Brian Mason serves as the District Attorney.

Politics

Adams County usually votes for Democratic leaders and hasn't chosen a Republican leader since 1984. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the county without getting the most votes, which was the first time a Democrat had done that since her husband, Bill Clinton, in 1992. In 2020, Joe Biden won the county with most of the votes.

Even though most people in Adams County support Democratic leaders, the county is less Democratic than other areas around Denver. In 2024, the vote shifted more towards Trump, making the Democratic win smaller than in 2020.

Education

Main article: List of schools in Adams County, Colorado

Adams County has many school districts that help children learn and grow. Some of these districts include Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Adams-Arapahoe School District 28J, and Adams County School District 14. There are also smaller districts like Bennett, Byers, Deer Trail, Mapleton, Strasburg, Westminster, and Wiggins.

The county also has a big college called the Westminster campus of Front Range Community College, which is the largest college in Colorado for students who want to continue their studies after high school.

Communities

Adams County has many places where people live. Some of the bigger cities include Brighton, Commerce City, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton, and Westminster. There are also smaller towns like Bennett and Lochbuie, along with many other areas where people make their homes.

The county includes places such as Berkley, Derby, North Washington, Shaw Heights, Sherrelwood, Strasburg, Todd Creek, Twin Lakes, Watkins, and Welby, as well as other communities like Adams City, Barr Lake, and Dupont.

License plate code

Before 1999, Adams County had special codes on car license plates. The codes used for cars from Adams County were TE-UF, GA-GG, SAA-SEW, and SEY-TZZ. Colorado stopped using these county codes for license plates that year.

In popular culture

Adams County appeared in an episode of South Park called "Stanley's Cup." In the story, the county's team was the rival of South Park's peewee hockey team.