Colorado Counties - County Distinctions

County Distinctions

1. Costilla County was the first area within the present State of Colorado to be settled by Europeans in 1851.

2. Taos County, created by the Territory of New Mexico in 1852, was the first organized county to extend into the area of the present State of Colorado.

3. Arapahoe County, created by the Territory of Kansas in 1855, was the first county created exclusively within the area of the present State of Colorado.

4. On November 28, 1859, the extralegal Territory of Jefferson created 12 counties:

5. On November 1, 1861, the Territory of Colorado created the 17 original Colorado counties:

6. Of the 17 original Colorado counties created in 1861, only Gilpin County and Clear Creek County have retained their original boundaries with only minor survey changes.

7. Guadalupe County was the first Colorado county to be renamed in 1861.

8. Las Animas County was the first new Colorado county to be created (in 1866) after the original 17 counties.

9. Greenwood County was the longest lived former Colorado county, existing four years from 1870 to 1874.

10. In 1876, San Juan County became the last county created by the Territory of Colorado.

11. In 1877, Ouray County became the first county created by the new State of Colorado.

12. Carbonate County was the shortest lived former Colorado county, existing only two days in 1879 before being dissolved.

13. The City and County of Broomfield became the newest Colorado county in 2001.

14. Las Animas County is the most extensive Colorado county.

15. The City and County of Broomfield is the least extensive Colorado county.

16. El Paso County is the most populous Colorado county.

17. San Juan County is the least populous Colorado county.

18. El Paso County, the City and County of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Jefferson County each have a population in excess of 500,000.

19. San Juan County, Mineral County, and Hinsdale County each have a population of less than 1000.

20. The City and County of Denver is the most densely populated Colorado county.

21. Hinsdale County is the least densely populated Colorado county.

22. Hinsdale County, Kiowa County, Mineral County, and Jackson County have fewer than one resident per square mile (0.386 km−2).

23. Lake County has the highest point in Colorado at the summit of Mount Elbert at 14,440 feet (4,401 m) elevation (the highest point in the entire Rocky Mountains).

24. Yuma County has the lowest point in Colorado where the Arikaree River flows into Kansas at 3,317 feet (1,011 m) elevation (the highest low point of any U.S. state).

25. Jefferson County borders ten other counties, the most of any Colorado county.

26. Delta County and the City and County of Denver each border only three other counties, the fewest of Colorado counties.

27. The following twelve Colorado counties have a county seat with the same name as the county:

28. The name of each of the following two Colorado counties forms one part of the name of its county seat:

29. Weld County has the most incorporated municipalities of any Colorado county with 31.

30. The following nine Colorado counties have no incorporated municipalities other than their county seat:

31. Of all 64 Colorado counties, only Conejos County has a county seat that is not an incorporated municipality.

32. Only three Colorado county seats extend into other counties:

33. The City and County of Denver and the City and County of Broomfield are the only two Colorado counties with enclaves.

34. Arapahoe County, Boulder County, and Jefferson County are the only three dismembered Colorado counties with exclaves.

35. San Juan County has the highest mean elevation of any U.S. county at 11,240 feet (3,426 m). The 25 highest U.S. counties by mean elevation are: