Erie
About Erie, CO
Located just 25 miles north of Denver, Erie is the new Colorado Front Range – vibrant, diverse, and one of the most buzzed about exurbs in the western United States. Outdoor buffs, young professionals, growing families and active seniors are drawn to our expansive mountain views, scenic trails, and 340 days of sunshine per year. And with the Erie Community Center and Erie Community Library now open, Erie's quality of life keeps getting even better.
The small but quickly growing town of Erie straddles Boulder and Weld counties. The Weld County side of town, generally more agricultural, has seen slower growth and a lower median household income than the Boulder County side. In 1990, 14 people lived on the Boulder County side of Erie. By 2000, the number had surged to 4,000. Now Erie's population is close to 9,000 — split almost evenly between the two counties. Erie's 1999 Revised Comprehensive Plan says the town could eventually reach a population of 38,000.
In the late 1990s, Erie's population quadrupled, making it one of the fastest-growing Colorado towns during that time. The building frenzy has slowed in the past few years: In 2000, Erie issued almost 500 residential building permits, compared to fewer than 300 in 2001. Instead of focusing on building more homes, town officials say they are trying to work with commercial developers to build the town's tax base. Town leaders are looking at an annexation plan near Interstate 25 that would secure the land for development and bring in badly needed sales-tax revenue. In addition, the town continues to promote development in its downtown area.
Erie was established in 1871 by the Boulder Valley Coal Co., following the opening of the Briggs Mine and completion of a spur of the Union Pacific Railroad from Brighton through Erie to the northern Colorado coal fields to the west. The town was settled around 1867 by the Rev. Richard Van Valkenburg, a Methodist pastor who named the town after his hometown in Erie, Pa.
Erie is governed by the mayor and a board of six trustees, who serve staggered four-year terms, with one member serving a two-year term.
Name derived from: The Rev. Richard Van Valkenburg, a Methodist pastor, named the town after his hometown, Erie, Pa.
Population: About 9,000
Year incorporated: 1874
Elevation: 6,020 feet
Size: about 7 square miles
Did you know … ? A dog named Jake ran for mayor in Erie in the early 1990s. He actually got some votes.
The longest paved runway at Erie's Tri-County Airport extends 4,700 feet.
Erie's town hall is a former school building.
- Downtown
- Erie Commons
- Hwy 7
Population: 6,291
Population density: 655.3/sq mi
Median Household Income: $77,114
Avg. household size: 2.89
Age distribution:
- 20.3% are under 10
- 12.1% between 10-19
- 11.7% in their 20s
- 26.1% in their 30s
- 17.7% in their 40s
- 8% in their 50s
- 2.3% in their 60s
- 1.8% are over 70
Median age: 30
Relationship status:
- 71.5% married
- 17.8% single
- 8.3% divorced
- 2.4% widowed
Percent single: 9.8% of population are single males, 8% of population are single females
Homes with children: 45.2% have kids
Home Type:
- 91.6% single-family
- 6.8% condo
- 1.6% other
Owners v. Renters: 89.9% own; 10.1% rent
Avg. single-family home value:
- 1 BD – $171,000
- 2 BD – $271,000
- 3 BD – $295,000
- 4BD – $367,000
Avg. condo value:
- 1 BD – N/A
- 2 BD – $192,000
- 3 BD – $289,000
- 4BD – $431,000
Home size in Sq. Ft.:
- 1,000 or less – 5.5%
- 1,000-1,400 – 12.2%
- 1,400-1,800 – 19.8%
- 2,300-2,800 – 28.8%
- 2,800-3,600 – 27.6%
- more than 3,600 – 6.1%
Median home size: 2,019 sq. ft.
Year built:
- 2000-present – 56.4%
- 1980-1999 – 32.3%
- 1960-1979 – 6.3%
- 1940-1959 – 1.1%
- 1920-1939 – 1.9%
- 1900-1919 – 0.7%
- before 1900 – 1.3%
Avg. year built: 2000
Commute time:
- 4% – 10 min. or less
- 23.6% – 10-20 min.
- 37.2% – 20-30 min.
- 19% – 30-45 min.
- 12.6% – 45-60 min.
- 3.6% – more than 60 min.
Avg. Commute time: 27.88 min.
- July is on average the warmest month, with an average high temperature of 89 degrees.
- January is on average the coldest month, with an average high temperature of 42 degrees, and an average low of 14 degrees.
- May is on average the wettest month, with an average of about 2.4 inches of precipitation.
- The highest temperature on record was 106°F in 1973 .
- The lowest temperature on record was -36°F in 1951.
