Grand Junction, Colorado Community Profile 2014 Grand Junction at a Glance
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PUBLISHED BY THE GRAND JUNCTION AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • 2014 EDITION • GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO Community Profile 2014 Grand Junction At a Glance DENVER GRAND JUNCTION Grand Junction, Colorado POPULATION Grand Junction (city): 60,317 Grand Junction MSA: 146,562 Mesa County: 148,013 Welcome to Grand Junction! including our award-winning downtown area. Whether visiting or considering a move, we We hope you find this preliminary GRAND JUNCTION TOWN COMPANY hope you will enjoy your stay. information useful. Please feel free to contact the Incorporated: October 10, 1881 It is hard to put down on paper what a resources listed in this profile for more in-depth GRAND JUNCTION CITY CHARTER vibrant, vital and unique place Grand Junction information. You can also contact the Chamber, located at the corner of 4th & Grand Established: April 6, 1909 is. What you have before you is this city “by the numbers.” But numbers often don’t tell (phone 970-242-3214 or [email protected]). GOVERNMENT the whole story. Due to early geographic Manager/Council Home Rule Charter isolation and settlement by self-sufficient and resourceful individuals this community has a COUNTY Mesa character that is at once independent, welcoming and entrepreneurial. CITY AREA 32.7 square miles Grand Junction was carved out of Ute TOPOGRAPHY Indian Territory in 1882 and was one of the last River valley surrounded by mesa and cities established in Colorado. Averaging two mountains (to the north, east and west) to three percent growth per year from those early days to the end of the 20th century, the ELEVATION 4,586 feet community grew into a prosperous regional hub for health care, education and a variety of retail and service products. Recently, Grand Junction has also become a hub for energy development in Grand Junction Area this area of the Rocky Mountains. Natural gas, along with coal, uranium and other minerals Chamber of Commerce are being extracted on public and private lands 360 Grand Avenue throughout the Western Slope of Colorado. Grand Junction, CO 81501 With more than two thirds of the Phone: 970-242-3214 or 800-352-5286 surrounding county owned by the federal Fax: 970-242-3694 government, outdoor recreation and enjoyment Website: www.gjchamber.org is a favorite pastime of local residents during the Email: [email protected] daytime. Evenings bring a variety of entertainment Hours: 8:30 AM - 5 PM, Mon-Fri venues in several commercial regions of the city, Community Profile A Brief History Demographics of RACE/ETHNICITY Caucasian/White (any race) ....................................................... 90.2% Grand Junction Hispanic or Latino (any race) .................................................... 13.3% In the early 1800s the area American Indian...............................................................................1.1% was part of the Northern African American/Black ..................................................................0.7% Ute Reservation, although Asian...................................................................................................0.7% Other .................................................................................................5.2% the Native Americans were The sum of the six individual race categories may add to more than the total population because later moved west into Utah. individuals who reported more than one race are tallied in each category,. In September 1881, the area MARITAL STATUS (population: 15 yrs & older) experienced a landrush Population MALES ....FEMALES settlement and a townsite Single (never married) ........................................... 33.3% ..........22.2% was staked. This town, Collbran* ......................................................................................705 Married ..................................................................... 53.4% ..........51.9% located in the Grand Valley, DeBeque*.....................................................................................501 Separated ................................................................... 1.4% ............1.8% was first called Ute, then Grand Junction* .................................................................... 60,317 Divorced................................................................... 11.2% ..........14.6% West Denver, and finally Fruita* ..................................................................................... 12,838 Widowed ................................................................... 2.9% ............9.6% came to be known as Grand Palisade* ....................................................................................2,702 EDUCATION (population: 25 yrs & older) Junction because of its Unincorporated* .................................................................. 70,950 location at the confluence of Mesa County * ....................................................................148,013 College Graduate & Above ........................................................ 24.6% Some College/Technical School ................................................ 35.8% the Gunnison and Colorado Grand Junction MSA ..........................................................146,562 rivers. MSA=Metropolitan Statistical Area High School Graduate ................................................................. 29.9% Females .................................................................... 73,502 (50.2%) No Diploma......................................................................................7.1% By 1883, Mesa County was Males ........................................................................ 73,060 (49.8%) created from neighboring HOMEOWNERSHIP 0-19 yrs ................................................................... 28,475 (26.5%) counties and Grand Junction Own Home ................................................................................... 71.6% 20-34 yrs ................................................................. 29,447 (20.1%) was named the county Rent Home .................................................................................... 28.4% 35-54 yrs ................................................................. 37,380 (25.5%) seat. Grand Junction began 55-64 yrs ................................................................. 18,895 (12.9%) HOUSEHOLD INCOME to thrive when the main 65 yrs + ................................................................... 22,086 (15.0%) Less than $25,000 ........................................................................ 24.5% line of the Denver and Rio MEDIAN AGE .....................................................................37.9 yrs $25,000 - $34,999 ........................................................................ 11.3% Grande Railroad came into $35,000 - $49,999 ........................................................................ 16.2% the area in 1887. Soon after, Annual Growth Rate (2011 to 2012) ................................. .80% Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2012 $50,000 - $74,999 ........................................................................ 18.0% major irrigation turned the *Source: Colorado State Demography Office, 2012 $75,000 + ....................................................................................... 29.9% Grand Valley into a fertile Mean Household Income ....................................................... $64,280 agricultural area. MESA COUNTY PROJECTED POPULATION BY AGE Median Household Income (2012) ....................................... $47,531 Today, Grand Junction is Total Households (2012) ..........................................................58,652 home to a number of light Household Size (average) ............................................................. 2.45 manufacturing and service industries. There are also CRIME STATISTICS four area hospitals, a regional 2013 ............... 2012 ........ % Change airport and a number of Total Violent Crime ........................190 ................ 181 ..............4.97% recreational opportunities. Total Property Crime .................3,091 ............. 3,251 ............ -4.92% Total Other Crime ......................6,714 ............. 7,266 ...............-7.6% All photos courtesy of: Total Traffic Accidents.................4,329 ............. 7,940 ..........-45.48% Source: www.gjcity.org Christopher Tomlinson Source: Colorado State Demography Office Climate High Low Precip. January 36.6 15.9 0.59 April 65.2 39.2 0.79 July 92.9 64.1 0.62 October 67.3 41.0 0.91 Avg. Precipitation 8.67 inches per year Avg. Snowfall 21.4 inches per year Source: www.wrcc.dri.edu (Western Region Climate Center) Getting Started in Grand Junction Utilities Employment ELECTRIC & GAS Elwood Staffing ....................................................243-9950 Grand Valley Power .............................................242-0040 www.elwoodstaffing.com www.gvp.org Express Employment Professionals ................242-4500 Redlands Water & Power Co. ...........................243-2173 www.expresspros.com www.redlandswaterandpower.com Intermountain Staffing/Labor Etc.....................243-0811 Xcel Energy ..................................................800-895-4999 www.laboretc.com www.xcelenergy.com Mesa County Workforce Center ....................248-0871 WATER, SEWER & TRASH www.workforcecenter.mesacounty.us Central Grand Valley Sanitation .......................434-2276 Quick Temps ........................................................241-6007