Community Profile
2011 Community Profile (pdf version)
Whether visiting or considering a move, we hope you will enjoy your stay.
It is hard to put down in writing what a vibrant, vital and unique place Grand Junction is. What you have before you is this city “by the numbers.” But numbers often don’t tell the whole story. Due to early geographic isolation and settlement by self-sufficient and resourceful individuals this community has a character that is at once independent, welcoming and entrepreneurial.
Grand Junction was carved out of Ute Indian Territory in 1882 and was one of the last cities established in Colorado. Averaging two to three percent growth from those early days to the end of the 20th century, the community grew into a prosperous regional hub for health care, education and a variety of retail and
service products. Recently Grand Junction has also become a hub for energy development in this area of the Rocky Mountains. Natural gas, along with coal, uranium and other minerals are being extracted on public and private lands throughout the Western Slope of Colorado.
With more than two thirds of the surrounding county owned by the federal government, outdoor recreation and enjoyment is a favorite pastime of local residents during the daytime. Evenings bring a variety of entertainment venues in several commercial regions of the city, including our award-winning downtown area.
We hope you find this preliminary information useful. Please feel free to contact the resources listed for more in-depth information. You can also contact the Chamber at 970-242-3214 or info@gjchamber.org.
In the early 1800s the area was part of the Northern Ute Reservation, although the Native Americans were later moved west into Utah. In September 1881, the area experienced a landrush settlement and a townsite was staked. This town, located in the Grand Valley, was first called Ute, then West Denver, and finally came to be known as Grand Junction because of its location at the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado rivers.
By 1883, Mesa County was created from neighboring counties and Grand Junction was named the county seat. Grand Junction began to thrive when the main line of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad came into the area in 1887. Soon after, major irrigation turned the Grand Valley into a fertile agricultural area.
Today Grand Junction is home to a number of light manufacturing and service industries. There are also four area hospitals, a regional airport and a number of recreational opportunities.
The Grand Junction GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) grew 80% during the last decade, ranking the local economy the 14th fastest growing in the U.S.
| Population | MSA=Metropolitan Statistical Area | Mesa County Projected by Age Goup |
|---|---|---|
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*Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2009 *Source: Colorado State Demography Office, July 2009 |
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| High | Low | Precipitation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
January |
36.5 |
15.9 |
0.60 |
|
April |
65.2 |
39.2 |
0.79 |
|
July |
92.9 |
64.1 |
0.60 |
|
October |
67.3 |
41.0 |
0.91 |
|
Avg. Precipitation 8.70 inches per year Avg. Snowfall 21.6 inches per year |
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- National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office - Grand Junction, CO
- Colorado Road Conditions (CDOT)
| RACE/ETHNICITY | MARITAL STATUS ( 15 yrs & older) | EDUCATION (25 yrs & older) | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| HOMEOWNERSHIP | CRIME STATISTICS | HOUSEHOLD INCOME | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Cost of Living |
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| Service | index # | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Misc. Goods & Services | 96.1 | ||
| Transportation | 99.5 | ||
| Housing | 109.9 | ||
| Health Care | 104.3 | ||
| Utilities | 94.5 | ||
| Grocery Items | 101.2 | ||
| TOTAL (AVG) | 101.4 | ||
Real Estate/Construction |
|||
| Mesa Co. Real Estate Averages | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010** | |
| Total Sold | 2,883 | 1,862 | 1,699 |
| Total Value (in millions) | $725 | $426 | $357 |
| All Residential* | $226,700 | $226,700 | $188,000 |
| 3-Bedroom* | $219,950 | $204,000 | $185,000 |
| Condo/Twnhm* | $172,000 | $167,250 | $149,900 |
| All Commercial* | $412,500 | $307,500 | $360,640 |
| Vacant Land* | $ 96,000 | $ 69,900 | $ 65,000 |
| *Median Price; **Annualized based on data through Nov. 2010 Source: Bob Reece, President of Advanced Title Company | |||
2010 Building Permits |
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| CITY | COUNTY | ||
| Residential | 228 | 224 | |
| Industrial/Commercial | 26 | 35 | |
| Total Permits | 1,391 | 1,446 | |
| Total Value | $134,728,153 | $56,041,491 | |
| Source: Mesa County Building Department | |||
Major Employers |
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| Mesa County Vally School District #51 | 3,200 | www.mesa.k12.co.us | (970) 254-5100 |
| St. Mary’s Hospital & Medical Center | 2,235 | www.stmarygj.com | (970) 244-2273 |
| Mesa State College | 1,259* | www.mesastate.edu | (970) 248-1020 |
| City of Grand Junction | 1,202* | www.gjcity.org | (970) 244-1501 |
| State of Colorado | 1,197 | www.colorado.gov | (303) 866-5000 |
| Mesa County - All Departments | 982 | www.mesacounty.us | (970) 244-1800 |
| Halliburton Energy Services | 977 | www.halliburton.com | (970) 523-3600 |
| Wal-Mart | 860 | www.walmart.com | (970) 241-6061 |
| City Markets, Inc. | 650 | www.citymarket.com | (970) 241-0750 |
| Community Hospital | 574 | www.yourcommunityhospital.com | (970) 242-0920 |
| Hilltop Community Resources, Inc. | 512 | www.htop.org | (970) 242-4400 |
| Colorado West Mental Health | 500 | www.cwrmhc.org | (970) 241-6023 |
| StarTek USA, Inc. | 481 | www.startek.com | (970) 263-7700 |
| Veterans Health Administration | 475 | www.va.gov | (970) 242-0731 |
| Rocky Mountain Health Plans | 349 | www.rmhp.org | (970) 244-7760 |
| West Star Aviation Inc. | 338 | www.weststaraviation.com | (970) 243-7500 |
| Family Health West | 330 | www.familyhealthwest.org | (970) 858-9871 |
| US Postal Service | 315 | www.usps.gov | (970) 244-3400 |
| Choice Hotels | 280 | www.choicehotels.com | (970) 245-3355 |
| Schlumberger Tech Corp | 280 | www.slb.com | (970) 683-4000 |
| Mesa Developmental Services | 275 | www.mesadev.org | (970) 243-3702 |
| United Companies of Mesa County | 250 | www.united-gj.com | (970) 243-4900 |
| Grand Junction Newspapers, Inc. | 240 | www.gjsentinel.com | (970) 242-5050 |
| * Includes seasonal workers | |||
Labor Force |
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| Total Labor Force | 77,935 | ||
| Employed Persons | 70,831 | ||
| Unemployed Persons | 7,104 | ||
| Unemployment Rate | 9.1% | ||
Source: CO Dept. of Labor & Employment, Oct. 2010 Monthly Report |
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| Area | Avg. Weekly Wage | Avg. Employment |
|
| Accommodation & Food Svc | $293 | 5,932 | |
| Admin & Waste Svcs | $567 | 3,066 | |
| Ag/For/Fish/Hunt | $448 | 428 | |
| Arts, Entertainment, Rec | $294 | 900 | |
| Construction | $814 | 3,833 | |
| Educational Svcs | $688 | 4,575 | |
| Finance & Insurance | $911 | 1,914 | |
| Health Care & Social Asst | $810 | 9,493 | |
| Information | $697 | 963 | |
| Mgt-Companies/Enterprises | $1,797 | 146 | |
| Manufacturing | $727 | 2,579 | |
| Mining | $1,349 | 2,691 | |
| Other Svcs (ex. Public Admin) | $553 | 1,706 | |
| Professional/Technical Svcs | $839 | 2,270 | |
| Public Administration | $794 | 3,585 | |
| Real Estate & Rental/Leasing | $590 | 1,030 | |
| Retail Trade | $475 | 7,783 | |
| Transportation/Warehousing | $898 | 2,452 | |
| Utilities | $1,120 | 375 | |
| Wholesale Trade | $840 | 2,257 | |
| TOTAL : | $775 | 57,978 | |
| *Source: CO Dept. of Labor & Employment, ES202, 2nd qtr 2010 *Grand Junction was named #24 on Forbes.com Best Small Places for Business-2009 |
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Taxes |
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| Area | Percent | ||
| Corporate Income Tax | 4.75% | ||
| Retail Sales Tax: | 7.65% (total) | ||
| State | 2.9% | ||
| County | 2.0% | ||
| City | 2.75% | ||
| Individual Income Tax | 4.63% | ||
| Property Tax | |||
| Residential | 7.96% | ||
| All Others | 29.0% | ||
| *Mill Levy 88 mills per $1,000 assessed value (avg) | |||
| School | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caprock Academy | (970) 243-1771 | www.caprockacademy.org | |
| Colorado Christian University | (970) 242-1811 | www.ccu.edu | adult degree-completion students |
| G.O.A.L Academy | (970) 812-0246 | www.goalac.org | guided online academic learning |
| Independence Academy | (970) 254-6850 | ||
| Intellitec College | (970) 245-8101 | www.intellitec.edu | |
| Mesa County Valley School Dist. #51 | (970) 254-5100 | www.d51schools.org | 2009-10 Fall Enrollment: 22,086 2009-10 Per Pupil Funding: $6,857 Schools: Elementary - 24; Middle - 8; Middle & High Comb - 1; High - 4; K-12 - 1; Charter - 1; K-12 Alternative Campus - 1; 9-12 Alternative - 1; Vocational - 2 |
| Mesa State College | (970) 248-1020 | www.mesastate.edu | 2010-2011 Fall Enrollment: 8,130 |
| Western Colorado Community College | (970) 255-2600 | www.mesastate.edu/wccc |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Hospital | (970) 242-0920 | www.yourcommunityhospital.com | 45 beds |
| St. Mary’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center | (970) 244-2273 | www.stmarygj.com | 346 beds |
| VA Medical Center | (970) 242-0731 | www.va.gov | 34 beds & 30 transitional care units |
| Family Health West | (970) 858-9871 | www.familyhealthwest.org | 16 beds |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Department | (970) 244-1400 | www.gjcity.org | 5 stations, 120 employees, 29 paramedics |
| Mesa County Sheriff | (970) 244-3500 | www.sheriff.mesacounty.us | 218 officers |
| Police Department | (970) 244-3560 | www.gjcity.org | 98 officers |
Churches 81 inter-faith congregations |
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| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Grand Junction | (970) 244-1579 | www.gjcity.org | |
| Clifton Water District | (970) 434-7328 | www.cliftonwaterdistrict.org | |
| Commercial Refuse Service | (970) 243-8555 | ||
| Rocky Mountain Sanitation | (970) 243-9812 | www.rockymountainsanitation.com | |
| Ute Water Conservancy District | (970) 242-7491 | www.utewater.org | |
| Waste Management | (970) 263-5650 | www.wm.com |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Control | (970) 242-4646 | ||
| City of Grand Junction | (970) 244-1501 | www.gjcity.org | |
| Downtown Partnership | (970) 245-9697 | www.downtowngj.org | |
| Driver’s License | (970) 248-7010 | 222 South 6th Street | |
| Grand Junction Economic Partnership | (970) 245-4332 | www.gjep.org | |
| Marriage License | (970) 244-1692 | (544 Rood Ave.) | |
| Mesa County Administration | (970) 244-1800 | www.mesacounty.us | |
| Mesa County Health Department | (970) 248-6900 | www.health.mesacounty.us | |
| Mesa County Public Library District | (970) 243-4783 | www.mcpld.org | |
| Road & Weather Conditions | (970) 243-0914 | www.cotrip.org | |
| Vehicle Registration | (970) 244-1664 | (Mesa Mall) | |
| Visitor & Convention Bureau | (970) 244-1480 | www.visitgrandjunction.com |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Beacon | (970) 243-8829 | www.beaconseniornews.com | |
| The Business Times | (970) 424-5133 | www.businesstimes.com | |
| Colorado West Magazine | (970) 254-1154 | ||
| The Daily Sentinel | (970) 242-5050 (800) 332-5832 |
www.gjsentinel.com | |
| The Fence Post | (970) 523-8288 | www.thefencepost.com | |
| GJ Free Press | (970) 243-2200 | www.gjfreepress.com | |
| Grand Valley Magazine | (970) 241-3310 | www.grandvalleymagazine.com | |
| Mesa State Criterion | (970) 248-1255 | www.criterion.mesastate.edu | |
| The Nickel Want Ads | (970) 242-5555 | www.nickads.com | |
| Palisade Tribune | (970) 464-5614 | www.palisadetribune.com | |
| Things To Do Magazine | (970) 434-6969 | www.thingstodo-gj.com | |
| Travelhost of GJ | (435) 260-8618 | www.travelhost.com | |
| Western Slope Wheels & Deals | (970) 523-5392 | www.wheelsdeals.net |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Public Radio | (970) 241-5776 | www.cpr.org | (KPRN-89.5FM-NPR; KPRU-103.3FM-Classical) |
| Colorado Radio | (970) 249-4546 | www.coloradoradio.com | (KKXK-94.1FM-Country; KUBC-580AM-Trad. Country; KBNG-103.7FM-Alternative) |
| Cumulus Broadcasting | (970) 242-7788 | www.cumulus.com | (KEKB-99.9FM-Country; KMXY-104.3FM-Contemp.; KBKL/KOOL-107.9FM-Oldies; KKNN-95.1FM-Classic Rock; KEXO-1230AM-Talk Radio) |
| KAFM Radio | (970) 241-8801 | www.kafmradio.org | (KAFM-88.1FM-Jazz, Blues, Folk, Local News) |
| KCIC Radio | (970) 434-4113 | (KCIC-88.5FM-Christian) | |
| KJOL/United Ministries | (970) 254-5565 | (KJOL-620AM-Christian) | |
| KMSA Radio | (970) 248-1442 | (KMSA-91.3FM-Alternative) | |
| MBC Broadcasting | (970) 254-2100 | www.gjradio.com | (The Vault-92.3FM-Adult Contemp.; KNZZ-1100AM-News; KMGJ/MAGIC-93.1FM-Top 40; KTMM-1340AM-Sports Talk; KMOZ-100.7FM-Country; KSTR-96.1FM-Classic Rock) |
| Western Slope Communications | (970) 241-6460 | www.westernslopecommunications.com | (KZKS/DRIVE-105.3FM-Adult Hits; KWGL-97.5FM-Classic Country; KRVG-95.5FM-Classic Rock; KRGS-690AM-ESPN Sports Talk) |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| KREX | (970) 242-5000 | www.krextv.com | (KGJT 27; MyNetwork; KFQX 4 FOX; KREX 5 CBS) |
| KJCT | (970) 245-8880 | www.kjct8.com | (KJCT 8-1 ABC; KJCT 8-2 Telemundo Spanish; KJCT 8-3 CW) |
| KKCO | (970) 243-1111 | www.nbc11news.com | (KKCO 11 NBC) |
| Rocky Mountain PBS | (970) 245-1818 | www.rmpbs.org | (KRMJ 18 PBS) |
| Bresnan Communications | 877-273-7626 | www.bresnan.com | Cable/Internet/Phone |
| Telephone | |||
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
| Bresnan Communications | 877-273-7626 | www.bresnan.com | |
| Qwest (Business) | 800-603-6000 | www.qwest.com | |
| Qwest (Residential) | 800-244-1111 | www.qwest.com | |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Star CDL Professional Training | (970) 241-1025 | www.5starcdltraining.com | |
| Colorado Christian University | (970) 242-1811 | www.ccu.edu | |
| Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation | (970) 248-7103 | www.cdhs.state.co.us/dvr | |
| G.O.A.L Academy | (970) 812-0246 | www.goalac.org | |
| Institute of Therapeutic Massage | (970) 255-8037 | www.itmwc.org | |
| IntelliTec Colleges | (970) 245-8101 | www.intelliteccollege.edu | |
| Mesa State College | (970) 248-1020 | www.mesastate.edu | |
| MJM Institute of Cosmetology | (970) 241-9060 | www.mjmcosmetology.com | |
| Salon Professional Academy | (970) 245-1110 | www.thesalonprofessionalacademy.com | |
| Sylvan Learning Center | (970) 241-7748 | www.grandjunction.localsylvan.com | |
| Western Colorado Community College | (970) 255-2600 | www.mesastate.edu/wccc |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFSCME #3375 | (970) 254-6570 | www.afscmelocal3375.org | (American Fed. of State, County, Municipal Employees) |
| AFL-CIO | (970) 523-1559 | (Western Colo. Trades and Labor Assembly) | |
| CWA #7743 | (970) 244-7743 | www.local7743.org | (Communication Workers of America) |
| IBEW #969 | (970) 242-3432 | www.ibew969.com | (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) |
| IBEW #111 | (970) 523-1874 | www.ibew111.com | (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) |
| IUOE #9 | (970) 243-1646 | www.iuoelocal9.com | (International Union of Operating Engineers) |
| UA #145 | (970) 245-2012 | www.local45.com | (Plumbers & Pipefitters) |
| UFCW #7 | (970) 245-3666 | www.ufcw7.com | (United Food & Commercial Workers) |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express Employment Professionals | (970) 242-4500 | www.expresspros.com | |
| Intermountain Staffing/Labor Etc. | (970) 243-0811 | www.laboretc.com | |
| Mesa County Workforce Center | (970) 248-0871 | www.workforcecenter.mesacounty.us | |
| Quick Temps | (970) 241-6007 | www.quicktempsinc.com | |
| RifleWorks | (970) 625-4440 | www.rifleworks.biz | |
| S.O.S. Staffing Services | (970) 243-9950 | www.sosstaffing.com | |
| School to Work Alliance | (970) 254-6008 | www.mesak12.us/departments/swap/index.html | |
| Select Staffing | (970) 243-6505 | www.selectstaffing.com |
| Name | Phone | Website | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Pro Moving | (970) 257-1652 | ||
| Bailey’s Moving & Storage | (970) 241-3636 | ||
| Mesa Systems | (970) 242-1565 | www.mesasystemsinc.com | |
| Total Move | (970) 242-7755 | ||
| U-Haul Moving Center | (970) 241-5933 | www.uhaul.com |
