Park County, Colorado

For the 19th-century county, see Park County, Jefferson Territory.

Park County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,390.^[2] The county seat and largest incorporated town is Fairplay, while the unincorporated community of Bailey is the largest settlement overall.^[3][4] The county was named after the large geographic region known as South Park, which was named by early fur traders and trappers in the area. Park County is included in the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. A majority of the county lies within the boundaries of the South Park National Heritage Area.

Park County
County
Old Park County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39.12°N 105.71°W / 39.12; -105.71
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Founded	November 1, 1861
Seat	Fairplay
Largest town	Fairplay
Area
• Total	2,211 sq mi (5,730 km2)
• Land	2,194 sq mi (5,680 km2)
• Water	17 sq mi (40 km2)  0.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	17,390
• Estimate  (2024)[1]	18,316
• Density	7.9/sq mi (3.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	7th
Website	www.parkco.us

Geography

At the 2020 United States census, the county had a total area of 2,211 square miles (5,730 km²), of which 2,194 square miles (5,680 km²) is land and 17 square miles (44 km²) (0.8%) is water.^[5]

The geographic center of the State of Colorado is located in Park County at coordinates 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (Geographic center of the State of Colorado). The headwaters of the South Platte River are located in Park County at coordinates 39.0111°N 105.7403°W / 39.0111; -105.7403 (Geographic center of Colorado).^[6]

Adjacent counties

• Clear Creek County - north
• Jefferson County - northeast
• Teller County - east
• Fremont County - southeast
• Chaffee County - southwest
• Lake County - west
• Summit County - northwest

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 24
• U.S. Highway 285
• State Highway 9

National protected areas

• Buffalo Peaks Wilderness
• Lost Creek Wilderness
• Pike National Forest
• San Isabel National Forest

State protected areas

• Eleven Mile State Park
• Spinney Mountain State Park
• Staunton State Park

Trails and byways

• American Discovery Trail
• Colorado Trail
• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
• Great Parks Bicycle Route
• Guanella Pass Scenic Byway
• TransAmerica Trail Bicycle Route

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	447		—
1880	3,970		788.1%
1890	3,548		−10.6%
1900	2,998		−15.5%
1910	2,492		−16.9%
1920	1,977		−20.7%
1930	2,052		3.8%
1940	3,272		59.5%
1950	1,870		−42.8%
1960	1,822		−2.6%
1970	2,185		19.9%
1980	5,333		144.1%
1990	7,174		34.5%
2000	14,523		102.4%
2010	16,206		11.6%
2020	17,390		7.3%
2024 (est.)	18,316	[7]	5.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[2]

As of the 2020 United States census,^[12] Park County was 87.8% White, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% Native American, 1.1% Black or African American, 1.0% Asian, and 2.8% two or more races.

There were 7,688 houses, and only 3.6% of the population is below the age of 5.

According to the census^[13] of 2000, there were 14,523 people, 5,894 households, and 4,220 families living in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (2.7 people/km²). There were 10,697 housing units at an average density of 5 units per square mile (1.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.07% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. 4.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,894 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.10% were married couples living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.50% under the age of 18, 5.10% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 30.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,899, and the median income for a family was $57,025. Males had a median income of $41,480 versus $27,807 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,019. About 3.40% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.60% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Park County, Colorado^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	6,828	56.67%	4,841	40.18%	380	3.15%
2020	6,991	56.88%	4,903	39.89%	397	3.23%
2016	6,135	58.89%	3,421	32.84%	861	8.27%
2012	5,236	55.90%	3,862	41.23%	268	2.86%
2008	4,896	52.18%	4,250	45.29%	237	2.53%
2004	4,781	57.21%	3,445	41.22%	131	1.57%
2000	3,677	55.17%	2,393	35.90%	595	8.93%
1996	2,661	50.77%	1,844	35.18%	736	14.04%
1992	1,530	35.78%	1,307	30.57%	1,439	33.65%
1988	1,909	56.87%	1,343	40.01%	105	3.13%
1984	2,041	70.33%	782	26.95%	79	2.72%
1980	1,623	59.34%	674	24.64%	438	16.01%
1976	1,034	55.24%	741	39.58%	97	5.18%
1972	1,001	70.29%	386	27.11%	37	2.60%
1968	601	58.58%	286	27.88%	139	13.55%
1964	493	48.86%	515	51.04%	1	0.10%
1960	642	59.33%	438	40.48%	2	0.18%
1956	715	70.58%	297	29.32%	1	0.10%
1952	775	68.89%	343	30.49%	7	0.62%
1948	637	55.30%	505	43.84%	10	0.87%
1944	670	60.80%	426	38.66%	6	0.54%
1940	986	52.98%	869	46.70%	6	0.32%
1936	746	35.36%	1,336	63.32%	28	1.33%
1932	577	33.26%	1,057	60.92%	101	5.82%
1928	740	62.82%	419	35.57%	19	1.61%
1924	660	56.12%	316	26.87%	200	17.01%
1920	511	58.20%	320	36.45%	47	5.35%
1916	372	34.48%	674	62.47%	33	3.06%
1912	293	29.87%	529	53.92%	159	16.21%
1908	465	35.58%	807	61.74%	35	2.68%
1904	685	49.25%	669	48.09%	37	2.66%
1900	579	37.89%	940	61.52%	9	0.59%
1896	151	8.78%	1,562	90.81%	7	0.41%
1892	384	36.92%	0	0.00%	656	63.08%
1888	764	56.30%	588	43.33%	5	0.37%
1884	777	54.45%	629	44.08%	21	1.47%
1880	698	52.60%	598	45.06%	31	2.34%

Park County is consistently Republican. It has not voted for the Democratic nominee for president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Communities

Towns

• Alma
• Fairplay

Census-designated place

• Guffey
• Hartsel

Other unincorporated communities

• Bailey
• Como
• Grant
• Jefferson
• Lake George
• Shawnee
• Tarryall

Ghost towns

• Antero Junction
• Buckskin Joe (Also known as Laurette or Lauret)
• Garo
• Tarryall
• Trump

In popular culture

In the long-running animated television series South Park, the eponymous fictional town is situated in an unspecified part of the county.^[15]

Notable people

• Gottlieb Fluhmann (Gottlieb Fluhmann disappeared in 1892 and his remains were found in a secluded cave in Park County in 1944. The cause of his death remains unknown).^[16]
• Samuel Hartsel
• John J. Hoover
• Sheldon Jackson

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
  • Park County, Jefferson Territory
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Park County, Colorado
• 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