Akron, Colorado

Akron, Colorado
Statutory Town [1]
Entering Akron from the east (2013)
Location within County and State
Coordinates: 40°09′52″N103°13′14″W / 40.164382°N 103.220685°W / 40.164382; -103.220685 [2]
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Washington County seat [3]
Incorporated	September 22, 1887 [4]
Government
• Type	Statutory Town [1]
Area [5]
• Total	2.77 sq mi (7.18 km2)
• Land	2.77 sq mi (7.18 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [6]	4,659 ft (1,420 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,757
• Density	633.84/sq mi (244.70/km2)
Time zone	UTC−07:00 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP code	80720 [7]
Area code	970
FIPS code	08-00925
GNIS ID	182984
Highways	US 34, SH 63
Website	Town website

Akron is a statutory town that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Washington County, Colorado, United States. ^{[1] [3] [8]} The town population was 1,757 at the 2020 United States Census. ^[9]

History

Akron was platted in 1882. ^[10] Originally, Akron was a small camp on the railroad, being halfway between McCook and Denver. ^[11] The community was named after Akron, Ohio, the native home of the wife of a railroad employee. ^[12] The town was incorporated in 1887.

Hotel Akron, from a postcard sent in 1908

Geography

Akron is located at 40°9′42″N103°12′43″W / 40.16167°N 103.21194°W / 40.16167; -103.21194 (40.161530, -103.211850), ^[13] at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and State Highway 63.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 1,774 acres (7.180 km²), all of it land. ^[9]

Climate

Akron experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cold, dry winters and hot, dry summers. ^[14]

Climate data for Akron, Colorado (Colorado Plains Regional Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	74 (23)	78 (26)	85 (29)	91 (33)	97 (36)	107 (42)	107 (42)	109 (43)	100 (38)	91 (33)	82 (28)	80 (27)	109 (43)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	61.2 (16.2)	65.5 (18.6)	75.7 (24.3)	82.2 (27.9)	89.2 (31.8)	96.9 (36.1)	99.9 (37.7)	97.6 (36.4)	93.8 (34.3)	84.8 (29.3)	73.0 (22.8)	62.3 (16.8)	100.9 (38.3)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	41.1 (5.1)	43.5 (6.4)	54.1 (12.3)	60.9 (16.1)	70.5 (21.4)	82.5 (28.1)	88.7 (31.5)	86.5 (30.3)	78.3 (25.7)	63.8 (17.7)	50.9 (10.5)	41.1 (5.1)	63.5 (17.5)
Daily mean °F (°C)	29.1 (−1.6)	31.3 (−0.4)	40.5 (4.7)	47.2 (8.4)	56.9 (13.8)	68.2 (20.1)	74.5 (23.6)	72.5 (22.5)	64.1 (17.8)	50.2 (10.1)	38.3 (3.5)	29.3 (−1.5)	50.2 (10.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	17.2 (−8.2)	19.0 (−7.2)	26.8 (−2.9)	33.5 (0.8)	43.4 (6.3)	53.8 (12.1)	60.3 (15.7)	58.5 (14.7)	49.9 (9.9)	36.6 (2.6)	25.8 (−3.4)	17.5 (−8.1)	36.9 (2.7)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−3.8 (−19.9)	−0.5 (−18.1)	9.3 (−12.6)	17.9 (−7.8)	29.4 (−1.4)	43.2 (6.2)	51.7 (10.9)	48.9 (9.4)	35.9 (2.2)	18.9 (−7.3)	6.6 (−14.1)	−2.9 (−19.4)	−10.4 (−23.6)
Record low °F (°C)	−28 (−33)	−29 (−34)	−21 (−29)	−3 (−19)	19 (−7)	28 (−2)	38 (3)	39 (4)	17 (−8)	0 (−18)	−11 (−24)	−25 (−32)	−29 (−34)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.17 (4.3)	0.20 (5.1)	0.71 (18)	1.43 (36)	2.65 (67)	2.24 (57)	2.78 (71)	2.36 (60)	1.24 (31)	0.99 (25)	0.42 (11)	0.20 (5.1)	15.39 (390.5)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	5.6 (14)	5.1 (13)	8.6 (22)	5.4 (14)	0.4 (1.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.9 (2.3)	2.7 (6.9)	7.8 (20)	6.9 (18)	43.4 (111.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	3.2	3.4	5.4	8.6	10.7	9.6	10.4	9.2	6.2	6.0	4.1	2.8	79.6
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	3.9	4.1	4.9	2.7	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	1.7	4.4	4.1	26.6
Source 1: National Weather Service [15]
Source 2: NOAA(average snowfall/snowy days 1981–2010) [16] [17]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	559		—
1900	351		−37.2%
1910	647		84.3%
1920	1,401		116.5%
1930	1,135		−19.0%
1940	1,417		24.8%
1950	1,605		13.3%
1960	1,890		17.8%
1970	1,775		−6.1%
1980	1,716		−3.3%
1990	1,599		−6.8%
2000	1,711		7.0%
2010	1,702		−0.5%
2020	1,757		3.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

At the 2000 census there were 1,711 people in 734 households, including 457 families, in the town. The population density was 1,179.3 inhabitants per square mile (455.3/km²). There were 835 housing units at an average density of 575.5 per square mile (222.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.51% White, 0.12% African American, 1.23% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.32% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.75%. ^[18]

Of the 734 households 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 37.7% were non-families. 33.8% of households were one person and 16.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.94.

The age distribution was 26.2% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.1% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median household income was $29,420 and the median family income was $35,156. Males had a median income of $25,875 versus $21,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,772. About 8.1% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

See also

• Cities portal
• United States portal
• Colorado portal

• Bibliography of Colorado
• Geography of Colorado
• History of Colorado
• Index of Colorado-related articles
• List of Colorado-related lists
  • List of municipalities in Colorado
• Outline of Colorado

References

1. "Active Colorado Municipalities". Colorado Department of Local Affairs . Retrieved October 15, 2021.
2. "2014 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Places". United States Census Bureau. July 1, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
3. "Colorado County Seats". State of Colorado, Department of Public Health and Environment. Archived from the original on January 8, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2007.
4. "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2007.
5. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
6. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
7. "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. August 18, 2007. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on August 18, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2007.
8. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
9. "Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data". United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce. August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
10. "Place Names of Colorado" (PDF). Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies. 1999. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 27, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
11. "About us | Town of Akron". townofakron.colorado.gov. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
12. Dawson, John Frank (1954). Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin. Denver, CO: The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co. p. 5.
13. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
14. Climate Summary for Akron, Colorado
15. "NOAA Online Weather Data". National Weather Service. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
16. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access (1991–2020)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
17. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access (1981–2010)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
18. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.

External links

• Town of Akron website
• CDOT map of the Town of Akron