List of counties in Colorado
Counties

List of counties in Colorado

Section Title: Counties
Table Section Text: None

County	FIPS code	County seat	Established	Formed from	Etymology	Population	Area	Map

Adams County	001	Brighton	1902-11-15	Split from Arapahoe County.	Named in honor of Alva Adams, the 5th, 10th, and 14th Governor of the State of Colorado.	441,603	1,182.29 sq mi (3,062 km2)	State map highlighting Adams County

Alamosa County	003	Alamosa	1913-03-08	Split from Costilla County and Conejos County.	Named for the cottonwood trees which grow along the Rio Grande and its tributaries. Alamosa is a Spanish word for a cottonwood grove.	15,445	723.21 sq mi (1,873 km2)	State map highlighting Alamosa County

Arapahoe County	005	Littleton	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado. Renamed South Arapahoe County for the five months from November 15, 1902 to April 11, 1903.	Named for predecessor Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory, which in turn was named for the Arapaho Nation of Native Americans.	572,003	804.41 sq mi (2,083 km2)	State map highlighting Arapahoe County

Archuleta County	007	Pagosa Springs	1885-04-14	Split from Conejos County.	Named in honor of Colorado State Senator Antonio D. Archuleta and his father, José Manuel Archuleta.	12,084	1,354.53 sq mi (3,508 km2)	State map highlighting Archuleta County

Baca County	009	Springfield	1889-04-16	Split from Las Animas County.	Named in honor of pioneer and Colorado territorial legislator Felipe Baca.	3,788	2,558.48 sq mi (6,626 km2)	State map highlighting Baca County

Bent County	011	Las Animas	1870-02-11	Split from Huerfano County and former Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal land.	Named in honor of frontier trader William Bent.	6,499	1,541.07 sq mi (3,991 km2)	State map highlighting Bent County

Boulder County	013	Boulder	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for the abundance of granite boulders along Boulder Creek.	294,567	740.48 sq mi (1,918 km2)	State map highlighting Boulder County

City and County of Broomfield	014	Broomfield	2001-11-15	Split from Boulder, Adams, Jefferson, and Weld counties and reorganized as a consolidated city and county.	Named for the broom corn that was formerly grown in the area.	55,889	33.57 sq mi (87 km2)	State map highlighting City and County of Broomfield

Chaffee County	015	Salida	1879-02-10	Split from Carbonate County.	Named in honor of Jerome Bunty Chaffee, one of Colorado's first two U.S. Senators from 1876 to 1879.	17,809	1,014.12 sq mi (2,627 km2)	State map highlighting Chaffee County

Cheyenne County	017	Cheyenne Wells	1889-03-25	Split from Elbert and Bent counties.	Named for the Cheyenne Nation of Native Americans.	1,836	1,781.90 sq mi (4,615 km2)	State map highlighting Cheyenne County

Clear Creek County	019	Georgetown	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for Clear Creek which originates in the county.	9,088	396.53 sq mi (1,027 km2)	State map highlighting Clear Creek County

Conejos County	021	Conejos	1861-11-01	Guadalupe County, one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado, was renamed Conejos County after six days on November 7, 1861.	Named for the cottontail rabbits in the area. Conejos is a Spanish word for rabbits.	8,256	1,290.22 sq mi (3,342 km2)	State map highlighting Conejos County

Costilla County	023	San Luis	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for the Costilla River. Costilla is a Spanish word meaning either little rib or furring timber.	3,524	1,229.38 sq mi (3,184 km2)	State map highlighting Costilla County

Crowley County	025	Ordway	1911-05-29	Split from Otero County.	Named in honor of Colorado State Senator John H. Crowley.	5,823	800.27 sq mi (2,073 km2)	State map highlighting Crowley County

Custer County	027	Westcliffe	1877-03-09	Split from Fremont County.	Named in memory of George Armstrong Custer, (1839 - 1876), the U.S. Army colonel defeated and killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.	4,255	739.24 sq mi (1,915 km2)	State map highlighting Custer County

Delta County	029	Delta	1883-02-11	Split from Gunnison County.	Named for the town of Delta located at the delta of the Uncompahgre River.	30,952	1,149.44 sq mi (2,977 km2)	State map highlighting Delta County

City and County of Denver	031	Denver	1902-12-01	The original Arapahoe County Seat was split from Arapahoe and the newly-created Adams Counties, and reorganized as a consolidated city and county.	Named to curry favor with James W. Denver, Governor of the Territory of Kansas from 1857 to 1859.	600,158	155.66 sq mi (403 km2)	State map highlighting City and County of Denver

Dolores County	033	Dove Creek	1881-03-04	Split from Ouray County.	Named for the Dolores River, which was originally named el Rio de Nuestra Senora de los Dolores, which is Spanish for the River of our Lady of Sorrows.	2,064	1,076.93 sq mi (2,789 km2)	State map highlighting Dolores County

Douglas County	035	Castle Rock	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named in honor of Stephen Arnold Douglas, (1813 - 1861), U.S. Senator from Illinois from 1847 to 1861.	285,465	842.30 sq mi (2,182 km2)	State map highlighting Douglas County

Eagle County	037	Eagle	1883-02-11	Split from Summit County.	Named for the Eagle River which originates in the county.	52,197	1,700.76 sq mi (4,405 km2)	State map highlighting Eagle County

El Paso County	041	Colorado Springs	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for Ute Pass, which connects the Great Plains to South Park and was formerly located within the county. El Paso means the pass in Spanish.	622,263	2,128.60 sq mi (5,513 km2)	State map highlighting El Paso County

Elbert County	039	Kiowa	1874-02-02	Split from Douglas County.	Named in honor of Samuel Hitt Elbert, the sixth Governor of the Territory of Colorado.	23,086	1,849.08 sq mi (4,789 km2)	State map highlighting Elbert County

Fremont County	043	Cañon City	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named in honor of John Charles Frémont (1813 - 1890), the explorer, U.S. Army general, and U.S. Senator from California.	46,824	1,533.09 sq mi (3,971 km2)	State map highlighting Fremont County

Garfield County	045	Glenwood Springs	1883-02-10	Split from Summit County.	Named in honor of James Abram Garfield (1831 - 1881), the twentieth President of the United States.	56,389	2,958.23 sq mi (7,662 km2)	State map highlighting Garfield County

Gilpin County	047	Central City	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named in honor of William Gilpin, the first Governor of the Territory of Colorado.	5,441	150.15 sq mi (389 km2)	State map highlighting Gilpin County

Grand County	049	Hot Sulphur Springs	1874-02-02	Split from Summit County.	Named for the Grand River which originates in the county. The Grand River was renamed the Colorado River in 1921, but the county retains the original name.	14,843	1,868.53 sq mi (4,839 km2)	State map highlighting Grand County

Gunnison County	051	Gunnison	1877-03-09	Split from Lake County.	Named in honor of John Williams Gunnison, the U.S. Army captain who explored the region.	15,324	3,259.22 sq mi (8,441 km2)	State map highlighting Gunnison County

Hinsdale County	053	Lake City	1874-02-10	Split from Lake, Conejos, and Costilla counties.	Named in honor of George Aaron Hinsdale, a Lieutenant Governor of the Territory of Colorado.	843	1,123.35 sq mi (2,909 km2)	State map highlighting Hinsdale County

Huerfano County	055	Walsenburg	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for Huerfano Butte, a solitary volcanic plug. Huerfano is a Spanish word meaning orphan.	6,711	1,592.37 sq mi (4,124 km2)	State map highlighting Huerfano County

Jackson County	057	Walden	1909-05-05	Split from Larimer County.	Named in honor of Andrew Jackson (1767 - 1845), the seventh President of the United States.	1,394	1,619.75 sq mi (4,195 km2)	State map highlighting Jackson County

Jefferson County	059	Golden	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for its extralegal predecessor county, Jefferson County, Jefferson Territory, which in turn was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826), the author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States.	534,543	772.85 sq mi (2,002 km2)	State map highlighting Jefferson County

Kiowa County	061	Eads	1889-04-11	Split from Bent County.	Named for the Kiowa Nation of Native Americans.	1,398	1,785.90 sq mi (4,625 km2)	State map highlighting Kiowa County

Kit Carson County	063	Burlington	1889-04-11	Split from Elbert County.	Named in honor of Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson, the famous frontier scout and soldier.	8,270	2,162.43 sq mi (5,601 km2)	State map highlighting Kit Carson County

La Plata County	067	Durango	1874-02-10	Split from Lake and Conejos counties.	Named for the many silver deposits in the area. La plata is a Spanish expression for the silver.	51,334	1,700.44 sq mi (4,404 km2)	State map highlighting La Plata County

Lake County	065	Leadville	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado. Renamed Carbonate County for the two days from February 8–10, 1879.	Named for the Twin Lakes in the county.	7,310	383.55 sq mi (993 km2)	State map highlighting Lake County

Larimer County	069	Fort Collins	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named in honor of William Larimer, a pioneer entrepreneur.	299,630	2,631.75 sq mi (6,816 km2)	State map highlighting Larimer County

Las Animas County	071	Trinidad	1866-02-09	Split from Huerfano County.	Named for the Purgatoire River, which was originally named el Rio de las Animas Perdidas, which is Spanish for the River of the Souls in Purgatory.	15,507	4,773.27 sq mi (12,363 km2)	State map highlighting Las Animas County

Lincoln County	073	Hugo	1889-04-11	Split from Elbert and Bent counties.	Named in honor of Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865), the sixteenth President of the United States.	5,467	2,585.21 sq mi (6,696 km2)	State map highlighting Lincoln County

Logan County	075	Sterling	1887-02-25	Split from Weld County.	Named in honor of John Alexander Logan (1826 - 1886), a U.S. Army general and U.S. Senator from Illinois.	22,709	1,845.31 sq mi (4,779 km2)	State map highlighting Logan County

Mesa County	077	Grand Junction	1883-02-14	Split from Gunnison County.	Named for the mesa formations which are widespread through the area.	146,723	3,345.69 sq mi (8,665 km2)	State map highlighting Mesa County

Mineral County	079	Creede	1893-03-27	Split from Hinsdale, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties.	Named from the plentiful mineral deposits found in the area.	712	878.16 sq mi (2,274 km2)	State map highlighting Mineral County

Moffat County	081	Craig	1911-02-27	Split from Routt County.	Named in honor of railroad pioneer David H. Moffat.	13,795	4,755.86 sq mi (12,318 km2)	State map highlighting Moffat County

Montezuma County	083	Cortez	1889-04-16	Split from La Plata County.	Named in honor of Aztec leader Moctezuma II. Ruins in the area were once thought to be Aztec.	25,535	2,035.80 sq mi (5,273 km2)	State map highlighting Montezuma County

Montrose County	085	Montrose	1883-02-11	Split from Gunnison County.	Named for the town of Montrose, which in turn was probably named from the novel A Legend of Montrose, published in 1819 by Walter Scott.	41,276	2,246.43 sq mi (5,818 km2)	State map highlighting Montrose County

Morgan County	087	Fort Morgan	1889-02-19	Split from Weld County.	Named for old Fort Morgan, which in turn was named in honor of U.S. Army Colonel Christopher A. Morgan.	28,159	1,293.83 sq mi (3,351 km2)	State map highlighting Morgan County

Otero County	089	La Junta	1889-03-25	Split from Bent County.	Named in honor of Miguel A. Otero of the prominent Otero family of the Southwest.	18,831	1,267.66 sq mi (3,283 km2)	State map highlighting Otero County

Ouray County	091	Ouray	1877-01-18	Split from Hinsdale and Lake counties. Renamed Uncompaghre County for four days from 1883-02-27, to 1883-03-02.	Named in honor of Ouray, a Ute Native American leader.	4,436	542.30 sq mi (1,405 km2)	State map highlighting Ouray County

Park County	093	Fairplay	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for South Park which occupies most of the county.	16,206	2,209.36 sq mi (5,722 km2)	State map highlighting Park County

Phillips County	095	Holyoke	1889-03-27	Split from Logan County.	Named in honor of R.O. Phillips, secretary of the Lincoln Land Company, which sold farmsteads in the area.	4,442	688.30 sq mi (1,783 km2)	State map highlighting Phillips County

Pitkin County	097	Aspen	1881-02-23	Split from Gunnison County.	Named in honor of Frederick Walker Pitkin, the second Governor of the State of Colorado.	17,148	970.37 sq mi (2,513 km2)	State map highlighting Pitkin County

Prowers County	099	Lamar	1889-04-11	Split from Bent County.	Named in honor of John W. Prowers, a pioneer of the Arkansas River valley.	12,551	1,645.37 sq mi (4,261 km2)	State map highlighting Prowers County

Pueblo County	101	Pueblo	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for historic town of Pueblo. Pueblo is a Spanish word meaning village or people.	159,063	2,396.77 sq mi (6,208 km2)	State map highlighting Pueblo County

Rio Blanco County	103	Meeker	1889-03-25	Split from Garfield County.	Named for the White River, which was originally named Rio Blanco in Spanish.	6,666	3,226.24 sq mi (8,356 km2)	State map highlighting Rio Blanco County

Rio Grande County	105	Del Norte	1874-02-10	Split from Costilla County and Conejos County counties.	Named for the Rio Grande, which flows through the area.	11,982	913.10 sq mi (2,365 km2)	State map highlighting Rio Grande County

Routt County	107	Steamboat Springs	1877-01-29	Split from Grand County.	Named in honor of John Long Routt, the first Governor of the State of Colorado.	23,509	2,362.11 sq mi (6,118 km2)	State map highlighting Routt County

Saguache County	109	Saguache	1866-12-29	Split from Lake and Costilla counties.	Name comes from a Ute language noun meaning "sand dunes".	6,108	3,168.32 sq mi (8,206 km2)	State map highlighting Saguache County

San Juan County	111	Silverton	1876-01-31	Split from Lake County.	Named for the San Juan River and San Juan Mountains, which in turn were named for Saint John the Evangelist.	699	388.99 sq mi (1,007 km2)	State map highlighting San Juan County

San Miguel County	113	Telluride	1883-03-02	Split from San Juan County.	Named for the San Miguel River and San Miguel Mountains, which in turn were named for Saint Michael the Archangel.	7,359	1,290.76 sq mi (3,343 km2)	State map highlighting San Miguel County

Sedgwick County	115	Julesburg	1889-04-09	Split from Logan County.	Named for Fort Sedgwick, which, in turn, was named for U.S. Army General John Sedgwick (1813 - 1864).	2,379	548.83 sq mi (1,421 km2)	State map highlighting Sedgwick County

Summit County	117	Breckenridge	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named for the many high mountain summits in the area.	27,994	618.92 sq mi (1,603 km2)	State map highlighting Summit County

Teller County	119	Cripple Creek	1899-03-23	Split from El Paso and Fremont counties.	Named in honor of Henry Moore Teller, a U.S. Senator from Colorado and United States Secretary of the Interior.	23,350	558.58 sq mi (1,447 km2)	State map highlighting Teller County

Washington County	121	Akron	1887-02-09	Split from Weld County.	Named in honor of George Washington (1732 - 1799), the first President of the United States.	4,814	2,522.90 sq mi (6,534 km2)	State map highlighting Washington County

Weld County	123	Greeley	1861-11-01	Created as one of the 17 original counties of the Territory of Colorado.	Named in honor of Lewis Ledyard Weld, the first Secretary of the Territory of Colorado.	252,825	4,013.84 sq mi (10,396 km2)	State map highlighting Weld County

Yuma County	125	Wray	1889-03-15	Split from Washington County.	Named for the Quechan (Yuma) Nation of Native Americans.	10,043	2,369.61 sq mi (6,137 km2)	State map highlighting Yuma County

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