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Denver, CO


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Denver, Colorado

Introduction to Denver, Colorado

Denver, located at the junction of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek, is the state capital and largest city in Colorado. Situated 5672 feet above sea level in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, Denver is known as the "Mile High City." It was named after James W. Denver, governor of the Kansas Territory that included parts of Colorado. Prospectors settled Denver in 1858 with the discovery of gold on the shores of Cherry Creek. The opening of gold and silver mines in the 1870s and 1880s brought prosperity to the growing city. Installation of military bases in the area after World War II triggered even more rapid growth.

Today, Denver has a fast-growing population of around 560,000 and is an important commercial, industrial and transportation hub. Its economy is buoyed by the telecommunications and biomedical technology industries, as well as mining, construction, real estate and tourism. Denver is home to a US Mint and numerous federal agencies, including the Environment al Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Denver International Airport, opened in 1995, is the largest airport in North America, spread over 53 square miles.

Denver Culture

The Black American Western Museum, dedicated to correcting black history, is housed in the home of Dr. Justina Ford, Denver's first black physician, in the neighborhood just north of the city. The Denver Art Museum, with one of the largest Native American art collections in the world, is located in the south of the city. Three miles east of downtown is the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, which has an IMAX Theatre, a planetarium and a reputation as one of the premier natural history museums in the country. Red Rocks Park, in the hills just west of Denver, hosts some of the most popular acts in music in a 9,000-seat natural amphitheater carved into red sandstone rock formations that are 70 million years old. About 20 miles west of Denver is Golden, offering scenic mountains and a guided tour of the Coors Brewery. A few miles further west is the Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum, located near the site of the famous gunslinger's burial in 1917.

Denver Sports and Leisure

Denver has sports teams in four major leagues. Just west of downtown is new, 76,000-seat Invesco Field at Mile High, home of the NFL's Denver Broncos and soccer's Colorado Rapids. The stadium also houses the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. In Denver's Lower Downtown (LoDo), 50,000-seat Coors Field hosts baseball's Colorado Rockies. Just outside LoDo is the 18,000-seat Pepsi Center, where the NBA's Nuggets and the NHL's Avalanche play their home games.

Denver Outdoors

For recreation, the Colorado area more than makes up for what it lacks in ocean with its majestic mountains and world-class skiing. The Rockies make Denver a hiker's paradise, with dozens of challenging trails within a 30-mile radius of the city. Denver rafting companies provide trips to Clear Creek for 15 miles of white water rafting between Idaho Springs and Golden. Nearby Eldora and Loveland offer some of the finest downhill and cross-country skiing you can find. Just 80 miles away, Vail is the most visited ski resort in the United States. For year-round skiing, a permanent snowfield at 11,000-foot-high St Mary's Glacier is just a few hours away. Also within that distance is Aspen, the popular and celebrated ski getaway for the wealthy, filled with 14,000 peaks and a heavy dose of culture. Colorado Springs, only an hour south of Denver, has the US Air Force Academy and the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, and offers plenty of skiing, rafting, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

Denver at Night

Denver's nightlife revolves around LoDo, the Lower Downtown area, with its high concentration of restaurants and bars in the neighborhood. Larimer Square, on the southwestern edge of the downtown grid, offers century-old buildings with shops, restaurants, brewpubs and nightclubs. Boulder, just 26 miles north of Denver and home of the University of Colorado, offers many nightlife options, and events such as the 7-week Shakespeare Festival.

High On Denver

Denver was ranked #3 among the healthiest cities in America by Men's Journal. This publication also ranked Denver #6 among big cities and Boulder #1 among small cities in their 2004 Best Places to Live issue. A booming job market, affordable living and a large student population also contribute to the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area being ranked #1 on Forbes Magazine's list of the Best Cities For Singles.

High Points

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

CategoryTrophy
Racial Diversity
(vs. State)
Top 1%trophyDenver Racial Diversity
Public Transportation Use
(vs. State)
Top 6%Denver Public Transportation Use
Well-Paid Single Men
(vs. Peers)
Top 10%Denver Well-Paid Single Men
Well-Paid Single Women
(vs. State)
Top 11%Denver Well-Paid Single Women
Walking and Biking to Work
(vs. Peers)
Top 14%Denver Walking and Biking to Work
College Educated Adults
(vs. Peers)
Top 18%Denver College Educated Adults

Comparative Profile of Denver, CO

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

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Well-Paid Single Men109
Male Share of the Population97
Well-Paid Single Women99
Racial Diversity810
Age of the Population64
Senior Citizens66
Children Under 5 Years Old45
Female Share of the Population24

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Portion of People Married21
Average Household Size23

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
College Educated Adults98
Median Family Income66
People Above Poverty63
People in Middle Class or Better65

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Walking and Biking to Work98
Working at Home95
Public Transportation Use910
Short Commute Times54

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
People Living Alone1010
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals910
Affordability of Property Taxes84
Seasonal and Vacation Housing85
Affordability of Rents55
Housing Recently Built32

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Low Property Crime63
Low Violent Crime51
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Historic Denver

photo

Sixteenth St. c1908.

Select a photo to view (Source):

Sixteenth St. c1908.

Denver (with Snowy Range) 1897

U.S. Mint c1906.

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