Douglas County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 357,978. The county seat is Castle Rock. Douglas County is part of the

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

Aurora An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...

Lakewood, Colorado The City of Lakewood is the home rule municipality that is the most populous municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 155,984 at the 2020 U.S. Census making Lakewood the fifth most populous city in Col ...

metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

. It is located midway between Colorado's two largest cities, Denver and

Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...

, and contains a portion of Aurora, the state's third-largest city. Douglas County has the highest median household income of any Colorado county or statistical equivalent. It is ranked seventh nationally in that category.

Overview

Douglas County is lightly wooded, mostly with

ponderosa pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is the ...

, with broken terrain characterized by mesas,

foothills Foothills or piedmont are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range, higher hill range or an upland area. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills and the adjacent topogr ...

, and small streams. Cherry Creek and Plum Creek rise in Douglas County and flow north toward Denver and into the

South Platte River The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River. Flowing through the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska, it is itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West. It ...

. Both were subject to flash flooding in the past, Plum Creek being partially responsible for the Denver flood of 1965. Cherry Creek and Plum Creek are now dammed. Most residents commute to workplaces elsewhere in the metropolitan area outside of the county. Suburban development is supplementing the traditional

ranching A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most ofte ...

economy of the county.

History

Douglas County was one of the original 17 counties created in the Colorado Territory by the Colorado Territorial Legislature on November 1, 1861. The county was named in honor of

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and power ...

Stephen A. Douglas of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

, who died five months before the county was created. The county seat was originally Franktown, but was moved to California Ranch in 1863, and then to Castle Rock in 1874. Although the county's boundaries originally extended eastward to the

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

state border, in 1874, most of the eastern portion of the county became part of Elbert County.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (0.3%) are covered by water.

Adjacent counties

Jefferson County, Colorado Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 582,910, making it the fourth-most populous county in Colorado. The county seat is Golden, and the most populous city is Lakewood. ...

– west *

Arapahoe County, Colorado Arapahoe County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, its population was 655,070, making it the third-most populous county in Colorado. The county seat is Littleton, and the most populous city is Auror ...

– north * Elbert County, Colorado – east *

El Paso County, Colorado El Paso County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. The 2020 Census recorded its population as 730,395. The Census Bureau's 2020 result indicates it is the most populous county in Colorado, surpassing the City and County of D ...

– south * Teller County, Colorado – southwest

Major highways

Interstate 25 Interstate 25 (I-25) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 stretches from I-10 at Las Cruces, New Mexi ...

U.S. Highway 85 * US 87

U.S. Highway 87 * Colorado 67

State Highway 67 * Colorado 83

State Highway 83 * Colorado 86

State Highway 86 * Colorado 105

State Highway 105 * Colorado 121

State Highway 121 * Colorado 470

State Highway 470 * E470

E-470 tollway

Parks and recreational areas

Three state parks fall within Douglas County: Castlewood Canyon State Park,

Chatfield State Park Chatfield State Park is a state park located in Douglas and Jefferson counties of Colorado, United States. The park centers on Chatfield Reservoir, a 1,423 acre surface area lake fed by the South Platte River and two other creeks, including ...

and Roxborough State Park. Parts of the county lie within the Pike National Forest and were crossed by the historic

South Platte Trail South Platte Trail was a historic trail that followed the southern side of South Platte River from Fort Kearny in Nebraska to Denver, Colorado. Plains Indians, such as the Cheyenne and the Arapaho, hunted in the lands around the South Platte Riv ...

. Recreation trails in the county include: * American Discovery Trail *

Colorado Trail The Colorado Trail is a long-distance trail running for from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States. Its highest point is above sea level, and most of the trail is above . Despite its high elevat ...

Devils Head National Recreation Trail A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in many and various cultures and religious traditions. Devil or Devils may also refer to: * Satan * Devil in Christianity * Demon * Folk devil Art, entertainment, and media Film and ...

Highline Canal National Recreation Trail The High Line Canal (HLC) is a man-made waterway, used for irrigation and recreation, that serves the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. It begins at a diversion dam on the South Platte River, some above the mouth of Waterton Canyon. From its headg ...

Platte River Greenway National Recreation Trail Platte may refer to: Geography United States * Platte, Minnesota, an unincorporated community * Platte, South Dakota, a city * Platte Canyon, Colorado * Platte City, Missouri * Platte Lake (disambiguation), also Lake Platte * Platte River (disa ...

* Ridgeline Open Space Trail *

Bluffs Regional Park Trail Bluff or The Bluff may refer to: Places Australia * Bluff, Queensland, Australia, a town * The Bluff, Queensland (Ipswich), a rural locality in the city of Ipswich * The Bluff, Queensland (Toowoomba Region), a rural locality * Bluff River (New ...

The

Rueter–Hess Reservoir The Rueter–Hess Reservoir, behind the Frank Jaeger Dam, is a major water management project for the Parker Water and Sanitation DistricPWSD PWSD provides services for most of Parker and parts of Lone Tree, Castle Pines, and unincorporated D ...

, when filled, may provide significant recreation, including fishing, hiking, and nonmotorized boating. If filled to capacity, surface size would be 1,140 acres, making this a fairly significant reservoir in Colorado and Douglas County's largest body of water. The Prairie Canyon Ranch, at 4620 CO-83, about south of Franktown, is a Douglas County Open Space. It is a working cattle ranch on , open to the public on special events.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, 175,766 people, 60,924 households, and 49,835 families were residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 209 people per square mile (81/km²). The 63,333 housing units averaged 75 per square mile (29/km²). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the county was 92.77% White, 2.51% Asian, 0.95% African American, 0.41% Native American, 1.49% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race made up 5.06% of the population. Of the 60,924 households, 47.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were not families. About 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.19. In the county, the population distribution was 31.6% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 37.9% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males. The median income for a household in the county was $82,929, and for a family was $88,482 (these figures had risen to $93,819 and $102,767, respectively, as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $60,729 versus $38,965 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $34,848. About 1.6% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over. Douglas County had the highest median household income of any Colorado county or statistical equivalent in 2000. In 2008, it ranked eighth in the United States in that category; it was one of two in the top 15 not in the vicinity of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

Health and longevity

In 2021, Douglas County was judged by the '' U.S. News & World Report'' to be the second healthiest of 3,143

counties and county-equivalents of the United States This article lists the 3,243 counties and county equivalents of the United States. The 50 states of the United States are divided into 3,007 '' counties'', political and geographic subdivisions of a state; 236 other local governments and geograp ...

based on 84 different factors. Residents of the county lived 84.0 years on the average compared to the U.S. average of 77.5 years.

Politics

As a primarily exurban county, Douglas County has long been known as a Republican stronghold. In the 2012 election, Mitt Romney won 62% of the vote. Douglas County has become more competitive in recent years, with Donald Trump winning 55% of the county's vote in 2016, and only 52% of the vote in 2020. However, Democratic strength is mostly limited to northern Douglas County, including

Highlands Ranch Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The p ...

, Lone Tree, and Meridian, while the rest of the county is still strongly Republican.

Education

Douglas County is served by

Douglas County School District RE-1 Douglas County School District Re. 1 is a school district that serves Douglas County, Colorado. The district was formed in 1958 by the consolidation of 17 smaller school districts, adding the "Re. 1" to its name to note the district's first reorg ...

, the third-largest school district in Colorado. In addition to traditional neighborhood schools, the district includes sixteen charter schools, four option schools, and a
online school
. Schools are rated generally high in the area.
The University Center at Chaparral
in Parker offers courses through Arapahoe Community College, University of Colorado Denver, University College of the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...

, and the Douglas County School District. The

University of Phoenix University of Phoenix (UoPX) is a private for-profit university headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1976, the university confers certificates and degrees at the certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree leve ...

has a campus in Lone Tree. The University of Colorado offers courses from both its Boulder campus and its Denver campus at the CU-South Extension in Lone Tree.

Libraries

The

Douglas County Libraries Douglas County Libraries is a public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who a ...

system has seven branches throughout the county. The library also houses the Douglas County History Research Center, which collects and preserves the history of Douglas County, the High Plains, the Divide area of the Front Range and the State of Colorado, to provide historical research resources to the public.

Economy

Top employers

According to the county's 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the county are:

Recognition

Douglas County has been recognized by a number of national periodicals: * ''Money'' magazine ranked Douglas County number five in the United States for “Job Growth over the Last Eight Years”, 18 August 2009 * ''American City Business Journals'' (ACBJ) ranked Douglas County fourth in the nation for “Quality of Life”, May 2004
''SchoolDigger.com''
ranked Douglas County School District at number one in the Denver metropolitan area and number 12 in Colorado based on 2009 test scores. (School district rankings were determined by averaging the rankings of individual schools within each of the 122 districts evaluated.)

Communities

Cities

(part) * Castle Pines (Castle Pines North) * Littleton (part) * Lone Tree

Towns

* Castle Rock * Larkspur * Parker

Census-designated places

* Acres Green * Carriage Club (former) * Castle Pines Village * Cottonwood (former) * Franktown * Grand View Estates * Heritage Hills (former) *

Louviers Louviers () is a commune in the Eure department in Normandy in north-western France. Louviers is from Paris and from Rouen. Population History Prehistory In the area around Louviers, cut stones from the Paleolithic era have been fou ...

* Meridian * Meridian Village * Perry Park * Roxborough Park * Sedalia * Sierra Ridge * Stepping Stone * Sterling Ranch * Stonegate * The Pinery * Westcreek

Other unincorporated communities

* Dakan * Deckers *

Greenland Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland ...