PUBLISHED BY THE GRAND JUNCTION AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • 2017/2018 EDITION • GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO Community Profile 2017 Grand Junction At a Glance DENVER GRAND JUNCTION POPULATION Grand Junction (city): 63,775 Grand Junction MSA: 148,513 GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO Mesa County: 149,249 We hope you find this preliminary GRAND JUNCTION TOWN COMPANY Welcome to information useful. Please feel free to contact the Incorporated: October 10, 1881 resources listed in this profile for more in-depth GRAND JUNCTION CITY CHARTER Grand Junction! information. You can also contact the Established: April 6, 1909 Whether visiting or considering a move, we hope Chamber, located at the corner of 4th & Grand you will enjoy your stay. (phone 970-242-3214 or [email protected]). GOVERNMENT It is hard to put down on paper what a Manager/Council Home Rule Charter vibrant, vital and unique place Grand Junction is. What you have before you is this city “by the COUNTY Mesa numbers.” But numbers often don’t tell CITY AREA 32.7 square miles the whole story. Due to early geographic isolation and settlement by self-sufficient and TOPOGRAPHY resourceful individuals, this community has a River valley surrounded by mesa and character that is at once independent, mountains (to the north, east and west) welcoming and entrepreneurial. Grand Junction was carved out of Ute ELEVATION 4,583 feet Indian Territory in 1882 and was one of the last cities established in Colorado. Averaging two to three percent growth per year from those early days to the end of the 20th century, the Grand Junction Area community grew into a prosperous regional hub for health care, education and a variety of retail and Chamber of Commerce service products. 360 Grand Avenue With more than two thirds of the Grand Junction, CO 81501 surrounding county owned by the federal Phone: 970-242-3214 or 800-352-5286 government, outdoor recreation and enjoyment Fax: 970-242-3694 is a favorite pastime of local residents during the Website: www.gjchamber.org daytime. Evenings bring a variety of entertainment Email: [email protected] venues in several commercial regions of the city, Hours: 8:30 AM - 5 PM, Mon-Fri including our award-winning downtown area. Community Profile A Brief History of Demographics Grand Junction RACE/ETHNICITY In the early 1800s Caucasian/White (any race) ........................................... 81.5% the area was part of Hispanic or Latino (any race) ........................................ 14.4% the Northern Ute American Indian................................................................ 0.1% Reservation, although African American/Black ................................................... 0.8% the Native Americans Asian ................................................................................... 0.5% were later moved Other ................................................................................... 2.7% west into Utah. In The sum of the six individual race categories may add to more September 1881, the than the total population because individuals who reported more area experienced a than one race are tallied in each category. landrush settlement and a townsite was staked. MARITAL STATUS (population: 15 yrs & older) This town, located in Population MALES . FEMALES the Grand Valley, was Collbran* .........................................................................696 Single (never married) .................................30.1% ........23.5% first called Ute, then DeBeque* ........................................................................491 Married .............................................................53% ........48.2% West Denver, and finally Grand Junction* .......................................................63,775 Separated .........................................................1.8% ..........1.5% came to be known Fruita* .........................................................................12,647 Divorced ........................................................12.8% ........17.2% as Grand Junction, Widowed .........................................................2.2% ..........9.7% because of its location Palisade* .......................................................................2,692 at the confluence of Unincorporated* .......................................................68,921 EDUCATION (population: 25 yrs & older) the Gunnison and Mesa County * ........................................................149,249 College Graduate & Above ............................................ 31.4% Colorado rivers. Grand Junction MSA .............................................148,513 Some College/Technical School ..................................... 38.4% By 1883, Mesa County MSA=Metropolitan Statistical Area High School Graduate .................................................... 22.9% was created from Females .........................................................72,777 (51.0%) No Diploma ....................................................................... 7.3% neighboring counties Males ............................................................75,736 (49.0%) HOMEOWNERSHIP and Grand Junction was 0-19 yrs ..........................................................37,880 (25.5%) Own Home ....................................................................... 67.0% named the county seat. 20-34 yrs ........................................................30,475 (20.5%) Rent Home ....................................................................... 33.0% Grand Junction began 35-54 yrs ........................................................34,326 (23.1%) to thrive when the main 55-64 yrs ........................................................19,686 (13.2%) HOUSEHOLD INCOME line of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad 65 yrs + ..........................................................23,166 (15.6%) Less than $25,000 ............................................................... 24.% came into the area in MEDIAN AGE ....................................................... 37.9 yrs $25,000 - $34,999 .............................................................. 11.3% 1887. Soon after, major Annual Growth Rate (2014 to 2015) ........................ -.5% $35,000 - $49,999 .............................................................. 15.3% irrigation turned the Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2015 $50,000 - $74,999 .............................................................. 19.3% Grand Valley into a *Source: Colorado State Demography Office, 2015 $75,000 +............................................................................ 30.1% fertile agricultural area. MESA COUNTY PROJECTED POPULATION BY AGE Mean Household Income .............................................$65,223 Today, Grand Junction Median Household Income .........................................$49,322 is home to a number of light manufacturing Total Households ..........................................................59,215 and service industries. Household Size (average) .................................................2.45 There are also four CRIME STATISTICS area hospitals, a 2016 ............2015 ... % Change regional airport and a Total Violent Crime ..................275 ..............196 ..............40% number of recreational Total Property Crime ............3,755 ...........3,258 ..............15% opportunities. Total Other Crime .................7,810 ...........7,405 ................5% All photos courtesy of: Total Traffic Accidents ..........2,597 ...........2,645 ...............-2% Grand Junction Visitor & Source: www.gjcity.org Convention Bureau Source: Colorado State Demography Office Climate High Low Precip. January 37 16 0.59 April 65 39 0.79 July 93 64 0.62 October 67 41 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 Crown Supply Company ..........................434-9888 Grand Valley Power ...................................242-0040 www.crownsupplyco.com www.gvp.org Elwood Staffing ..........................................243-9950 Redlands Water & Power Co. ...................243-2173 www.elwoodstaffing.com www.redlandswaterandpower.com Express Employment Professionals ........242-4500 Xcel Energy ..........................................800-895-4999 www.expresspros.com www.xcelenergy.com Landmark Staffing .....................................985-7000 WATER, SEWER & TRASH www.landmarkstaff.com City of GJ .................................................... 244-1180 Labor Etc ......................................................243-0811 www.gjcity.org www.laboretc.com Clifton Water District .................................434-7328 Mesa County Workforce Center ..............248-0871 www.workforcecenter.mesacounty.us www.cliftonwaterdistrict.org Clifton Sanitation District .........................434-7422 Quick Temps ...............................................241-6007 www.quicktempsllc.com Commercial Refuse ....................................243-8555 TPM Staffing ...............................................372-4141 Curbside Recyclying Indefinitely ............242-1036 www.tpmstaffing.com Grand Valley Waste LLC ...........................201-6597 Mesa Cty Solid Waste Mgmt & Recycling .....241-6846 CABLE www.mesacounty.us/swm Charter Spectrum ................................844-805-0502 Pacific Steel & Recycling ...........................241-2551 www.charter.net