The Town of Walden is the
Statutory Town that is the
county seat, the most populous community, and the only
incorporated municipality
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally owned ...
in
Jackson County,
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...
, United States.
It is situated in the center of a large open valley called North Park. People from Walden and the surrounding area refer to themselves as "North Parkers". The town population was 608 at the 2010 census. The town sits at an elevation of 8099 feet (2469 meters). It was established in 1889 and was incorporated 2 December 1890.[ Mark A. Walden, an early ]postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...
, gave the community his name.
Geography
Walden is located at (40.730606, -106.281811).
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , all of it land.
Climate
Due to its elevation, Walden has a semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(BSk), closely bordering on a subalpine climate
The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...
( Köppen climate classification ''Dfc''). The hottest temperature recorded in Walden was on July 6, 1989, August 1, 2000 and July 15, 2002, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 12, 1963, February 2, 2011 and January 6, 2017.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 734 people, 330 households, and 207 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 397 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.32% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.14% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...
, 1.36% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.82% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties form ...
or Latino of any race were 6.95% of the population.
There were 330 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,313, and the median income for a family was $34,423. Males had a median income of $31,111 versus $18,611 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $16,964. About 14.2% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 35.3% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
The 2010 census shows that the population decreased to 608 individuals, 377 households, and 291 families residing in the town. There were 318 males, 290 females, 116 individuals under the age of 18, and 492 individuals over the age of 18, with a distribution as follows: 20-24=29, 25-34=63, 35-49=121, 50-64=151, and 65 and over=113. Ethnically, 82 individuals are Hispanic or Latino and 526 individuals are Non-Hispanic or Latino. The race distribution is as follows: 554 White, 0 African American, 0 Asian, 8 American Indian and Alaska Native, 0 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 34 Other, and 12 who identified by two or more races.
Transportation
* State Highway 14
* State Highway 125
See also
* List of municipalities in Colorado
The U.S. State of Colorado has 272 active incorporated municipalities, comprising 197 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments. At the 2020 United States Census, 4,299,942 of the 5,773,714 Colorado residents (74.47%) l ...
References
External links
*
Walden/North Park Chamber of Commerce
CDOT map of the Town of Walden
{{authority control
Towns in Jackson County, Colorado
Towns in Colorado
County seats in Colorado