Arvada, CO

Arvada, Colorado

Introduction to Arvada, Colorado

Arvada is a Colorado city located in the counties of Jefferson and Adams, only 8 miles from the state capital of Denver. The city is accessible to three interstate highways (I-70, I-76 and I-25) and is also serviced by Colorado State Highway 58. Surrounding communities include Westminster (to the north), Golden (to the west), and Lakewood (to the south).

The origins of Arvada can be traced back to 1850, when traveling prospector Lewis Ralston made an unexpected gold discovery in a local mountain stream. The stream later became known as Ralston Creek and by 1859 other rich strikes in the same mountains led to the Colorado gold rush. An influx of gold miners led to a subsequent influx of farmers eager to irrigate the fertile soil and sell their crops to the prospectors. By 1870, a railroad appeared near the settlement and the new town of Arvada was formed, named by one of its early settlers (Mary Wadsworth) after her brother-in-law. Arvada was officially incorporated in 1904.

Arvada Attractions

Arvada has over 3,000 acres of parks and trails. In addition, the city offers a wide variety of artistic and cultural options for residents and visitors to enjoy. The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities provides numerous cultural events and performances along with classes and exhibitions. Included are award-winning plays and musicals, concerts, classical and contemporary dance performances, and hundreds of arts and humanities classes each year. The Arvada Festival Playhouse began in 1874 as a gathering place for local farmers known as the Clear Creek Grange. In 1962 the building was turned into a theatre. Today the Playhouse serves as the home of the Players Guild, a group of talented community actors and actresses dedicated to providing the public with live entertainment. Lovers of the outdoors can enjoy Arvada's Majestic View Nature Center and Community Park. The 3,000 square foot Nature Center features interactive displays, wildlife exhibits, and more. The park spans over 80 acres of lakes, wetlands, trails, and an assortment of wildlife. Annual events in Arvada include the yearly Harvest Festival, held every September in the city's Olde Town area. The Festival, a city institution since 1925, recalls the time when Arvada was primarily a farming community. Jefferson County and its surroundings have plenty of other attractions within short driving distance from Arvada. These include the following:

• Lakeside Amusement Park
• Coors Brewery
• Dinosaur Ridge
• Bandimere Speedway
• Astor House Museum
• Boettcher Mansion
• Buffalo Bill's Grave & Museum
• Golden DAR Pioneer Museum
• Hiwan Homestead Museum
• Morrison Natural History Museum
• Colorado Railroad Museum
• Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Arvada's close proximity to the City of Denver gives sports fans access to plenty of major league action. Some of Denver's professional sports teams include:

• Denver Broncos (National Football League)
• Denver Nuggets (National Basketball Association)
• Colorado Rockies (Major League Baseball)
• Colorado Avalanche (National Hockey League)
• Colorado Mammoth (National Lacrosse League)
• Colorado Rapids (Major League Soccer)

High Points

Arvada strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Colorado):

Category	Trophy
People in Middle Class or Better (vs. State)	Top 9%
Low Rate of Poverty (vs. State)	Top 12%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. State)	Top 12%
Median Family Income (vs. State)	Top 16%

Comparative Profile of Arvada, CO

Comparing Arvada to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Colorado (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Age of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men
Well-Paid Single Women
Male Share of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old
Senior Citizens
Female Share of the Population
Racial Diversity

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty
Median Family Income
College Educated Adults

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Working at Home
Public Transportation Use
Short Commute Times
Walking and Biking to Work

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Housing Recently Built
Affordability of Property Taxes
Affordability of Rents
People Living Alone
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Seasonal and Vacation Housing

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Violent Crime
Low Property Crime

Arvada Almanac

Arvada Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Arvada Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Arvada residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Arvada, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Starbucks in Arvada

Arvada High Schools (2004)

POMONA HIGH SCHOOL
8101 WEST POMONA DRIVE
303-982-0710
Serves 1,716 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 21.3

ARVADA WEST HIGH SCHOOL
11325 ALLENDALE DRIVE
303-982-1303
Serves 1,690 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 21

ARVADA HIGH SCHOOL
7951 WEST 65TH AVENUE
303-982-0162
Title I eligible, not participating.
Serves 1,652 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 19.7

RALSTON VALLEY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
13355 WEST 80TH AVENUE
303-982-5601
Serves 1,325 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 21.1

Arvada Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

Artistic Beauty Colleges - Arvada

(List of All Colorado Colleges)

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