Colorado City is on the northern border of Arizona and adjacent to Hildale, Utah. Colorado City was originally called Short Creek after a nearby stream that sank into the sand before it had run very far. The scenic Vermillion cliffs form a backdrop for the community and the area shows evidence of an early Anasazi population. One of the first modern settlers was William Maxwell in about 1908. Other early settlers were ranchers and cattlemen and, a few years later, homesteaders. In the 1930s, a religious movement came from Utah seeking refuge and played a major part in building the community into a thriving place. The community officially changed its name to Colorado City in 1963.
The traditional economic focus on agriculture and ranching has gradually changed with growth and urban expansion. The school district is the largest single employer, but manufacturing and regional construction provide most jobs. The neighboring community of Hildale, Utah, with an active industrial park and service industry, plays an important part in Colorado City’s economy. Many industrial activities are in Hildale, while most commercial retail occurs in Colorado City.
The Arizona Strip encompasses more than 5 million acres of land and is often called the "Gateway to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon." Points of interest include: House Rock Valley, Navajo Trail, Gooseberry Mesa, Toroweep Overlook, Canaan Mountain hiking trails, Pipe Springs and the Kaibab/Paiute Indian Reservation. Scenery near Colorado City includes Vermillion and Shinorump Cliffs, Steamboat Rock and numerous canyons and Native American ruins. The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is about 100-miles south of Colorado City. The 741,000-acre Kaibab National Forest with picnicking, rockhounding, camping and hunting is less than 40 miles southeast. The town is only hours from Zion and Bryce national parks, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Utah State Park, Lake Powell, Glen Canyon and Lake Mead recreation areas and Historic Pipe Springs National Monument.
The area has four neighborhood parks, a full-service municipal airport, two public school recreation centers and emergency services.
| Founded | 1908 | Incorporated | 1985 |
| Elevation | 5,200 ft. | Location | Mohave County |
| Phoenix | 354 miles | San Diego | 491 miles |
| Tucson | 467 miles | Los Angeles | 430 miles |
| Las Vegas | 166 miles |
| 2000 | 2010 | 2023 (est.) | |
| Colorado City | 3,334 | 4,821 | 2,507 |
| Mohave County | 155,032 | 200,099 | 216,527 |
| State of Arizona | 5,130,632 | 6,401,569 | 7,285,370 |
Office of Economic Opportunity
Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation
| Colorado City | 3.00% |
| Mohave County | 0.25% |
| State | 5.60% |
Arizona Dept. of Revenue & Arizona Tax Research Foundation
| 2000 | 2010 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civilian Labor Force | 982 | 1,237 | 1,481 |
| Unemployed | 28 | 192 | 172 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.9% | 15.5% | 11.6% |
Office of Economic Opportunity
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Less than high school | 803 | 40.2% |
| High school or equivalent, no college | 510 | 25.6% |
| Some college or Associate degree | 452 | 22.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree | 231 | 11.6% |
American Community Survey
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 395 | 33.5% |
| Education, health care & social assistance | 186 | 15.8% |
| Manufacturing | 111 | 9.4% |
| Retail trade | 105 | 8.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, food & recreation services | 100 | 8.5% |
| Professional, scientific, & administrative services | 80 | 6.8% |
| Public administration | 76 | 6.5% |
| Other services, except public administration | 74 | 6.3% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 42 | 3.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, & mining | 9 | 0.8% |
| Information | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, & utilities | 0 | 0.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 0 | 0.0% |
American Community Survey
This profile was prepared by the Arizona Commerce Authority in cooperation with local sources. For further information, please contact: