About Garfield County
Garfield County
Rugged alpine vistas and high desert mountains, the perfect place for recreation, wilderness, hot springs and skiing. Powered by natural resources, agriculture, tourism and retail, Garfield County is attracting people of all ages for work, retirement and play.
County demographics
Colorado State Demographer Elizabeth Garner shared state data on Garfield County with the commissioners and the community. The data reveals population and data trends for the county, and included economic driver forecasts.
State Demographer slides
A natural paradise
Garfield County, Colorado consists of rugged alpine vistas and high desert mountains in the Rocky Mountain region, which dwells along the Continental Divide. Garfield County is located in western Colorado, where outdoor recreation opportunities abound, including hunting, fishing, hiking, rafting and kayaking, biking, skiing and snowboarding. It is home to the second largest designated wilderness area in Colorado – the Flattops Wilderness; the world’s largest mineral hot springs pool; a popular family ski resort; and Hanging Lake, designated as a National Natural Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior in 2011. Garfield County was established February 10, 1883 in west central Colorado, and its county seat and largest municipality is only about an hour’s drive from the world-class resorts of Aspen and Vail, Colorado.
Garfield County consists of 6 municipalities; Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Carbondale, Silt, New Castle and Parachute, as well as Battlement Mesa, an unincorporated residential community. The county covers about 3,000 square miles, of which approximately 60 percent is federal public lands (Bureau of Land Management: 615,973 acres; U.S. Forest Service: 515,865 acres; Bureau of Reclamation: 2,335 acres), and only approximately 19 persons reside per square mile in the county. Its main industries are energy development, tourism, ranching, and farming.