Craig, Colorado | |
|---|---|
 Entering Craig from the south on South Ranney Street | |
 Location of Craig inMoffat County, Colorado | |
  Craig Location of Craig, Colorado. Show map of the United States Craig Craig (Colorado) Show map of Colorado | |
| Coordinates:40°30′55″N107°32′47″W / 40.5152°N 107.5465°W /40.5152; -107.5465 (Craig, Colorado)[3] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Moffat County seat[2] |
| Incorporated | July 15, 1908[4] |
| Government | |
| • Type | home rule city[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.073 sq mi (13.138 km2) |
| • Land | 5.073 sq mi (13.138 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.000 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,198 ft (1,889 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 9,060 |
| • Density | 1,786/sq mi (690/km2) |
| • Metro | 13,292 |
| • CSA | 38,121 |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| ZIP code[6] | 81625 & 81626 (PO Box) |
| Area codes | 970/748 |
| GNIS place ID | 171304 |
| GNIS city ID | 2410255 |
| FIPS code | 08-17760 |
| Website | www |
Craig is ahome rule city that is thecounty seat of and themost populous municipality inMoffat County, Colorado, United States.[1] The city population was 9,060 at the2020 United States census.[5]
Craig was founded by William H. Tucker. The Craig, Colorado, post office opened on August 28, 1889.[7] Craig was incorporated as a city on July 15, 1908.[1] The town was named for one of the town's financial backers, Reverend William Bayard Craig (1848-1916).[8][9]
Craig became the county seat whenMoffat County was created out of the western portion ofRoutt County on February 27, 1911. In the same area as Craig, at the confluence of theYampa River (then known as the Bear River) and Fortification Creek, were previous towns known as Yampa (as early as 1885) and Windsor (as early as 1878). In 1878, the area consisted of a number of ranches and at least two businesses: Himley's Ferry (which allowed crossing of the Yampa River) and Peck's Store (a one-room trading post).
In the 1970s and early 1980s, the largest power generation plant in Colorado[10] and several coal mines were constructed near Craig.
Craig is, according to the local chamber of commerce, "Elk Hunting Capital of the World".[11]
At the2020 United States census, the city had a total area of 3,246 acres (13.138 km2), all of which was land.[5]
Under theKöppen climate classification, Craig has ahumid continental climate (Dfb). Summer days are hot with cool nights and very highdiurnal temperature variation, while winters are cold and snowy with lows near zero.
The record high temperature is 101 °F (38 °C), which occurred first on July 9, 2021, July 10, 2021, and most recently July 17, 2023, while the record low is −51 °F (−46 °C), which occurred on February 6, 1989.
| Climate data for Craig, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 52 (11) | 61 (16) | 77 (25) | 81 (27) | 91 (33) | 99 (37) | 101 (38) | 98 (37) | 96 (36) | 86 (30) | 72 (22) | 59 (15) | 101 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 43.4 (6.3) | 47.6 (8.7) | 63.1 (17.3) | 74.0 (23.3) | 81.9 (27.7) | 90.9 (32.7) | 95.0 (35.0) | 92.7 (33.7) | 87.7 (30.9) | 76.6 (24.8) | 63.6 (17.6) | 47.9 (8.8) | 95.4 (35.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 30.6 (−0.8) | 35.7 (2.1) | 48.2 (9.0) | 58.5 (14.7) | 69.1 (20.6) | 81.2 (27.3) | 89.2 (31.8) | 86.5 (30.3) | 77.2 (25.1) | 62.3 (16.8) | 46.6 (8.1) | 32.2 (0.1) | 59.8 (15.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 16.8 (−8.4) | 22.2 (−5.4) | 34.0 (1.1) | 42.9 (6.1) | 51.8 (11.0) | 60.9 (16.1) | 68.3 (20.2) | 66.3 (19.1) | 57.1 (13.9) | 44.4 (6.9) | 31.8 (−0.1) | 18.7 (−7.4) | 42.9 (6.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 3.0 (−16.1) | 8.6 (−13.0) | 19.8 (−6.8) | 27.3 (−2.6) | 34.5 (1.4) | 40.6 (4.8) | 47.3 (8.5) | 46.0 (7.8) | 36.9 (2.7) | 26.4 (−3.1) | 17.1 (−8.3) | 5.3 (−14.8) | 26.1 (−3.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −21.3 (−29.6) | −18.0 (−27.8) | −1.0 (−18.3) | 12.8 (−10.7) | 22.6 (−5.2) | 30.3 (−0.9) | 37.4 (3.0) | 36.1 (2.3) | 24.2 (−4.3) | 11.6 (−11.3) | −3.0 (−19.4) | −18.0 (−27.8) | −27.6 (−33.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −44 (−42) | −51 (−46) | −24 (−31) | −2 (−19) | 12 (−11) | 23 (−5) | 30 (−1) | 25 (−4) | 10 (−12) | −14 (−26) | −21 (−29) | −39 (−39) | −51 (−46) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.91 (23) | 0.89 (23) | 0.99 (25) | 1.67 (42) | 1.63 (41) | 0.99 (25) | 0.93 (24) | 0.97 (25) | 1.75 (44) | 1.48 (38) | 0.99 (25) | 0.90 (23) | 14.10 (358) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 15.5 (39) | 13.4 (34) | 12.2 (31) | 5.8 (15) | 0.8 (2.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 2.9 (7.4) | 10.6 (27) | 14.6 (37) | 76.2 (193.41) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 11.2 (28) | 9.8 (25) | 6.6 (17) | 2.9 (7.4) | 1.0 (2.5) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 2.3 (5.8) | 5.0 (13) | 9.2 (23) | 12.9 (33) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.0 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 11.2 | 10.1 | 6.7 | 7.5 | 8.9 | 7.4 | 9.2 | 8.2 | 9.9 | 108.6 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 8.3 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 5.3 | 6.9 | 37.0 |
| Source 1: NOAA (snow/snow days 1981–2010)[12][13] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[14] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 392 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,297 | 230.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,418 | 9.3% | |
| 1940 | 2,123 | 49.7% | |
| 1950 | 3,080 | 45.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,984 | 29.4% | |
| 1970 | 4,205 | 5.5% | |
| 1980 | 8,133 | 93.4% | |
| 1990 | 8,091 | −0.5% | |
| 2000 | 9,189 | 13.6% | |
| 2010 | 9,464 | 3.0% | |
| 2020 | 9,060 | −4.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Craig is included in theSteamboat Springsmicropolitan statistical area as one of its principal cities.
As of thecensus[15] of 2000, there were 9,189 people, 3,525 households, and 2,432 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,886.6 inhabitants per square mile (728.4/km2). There were 3,851 housing units at an average density of 790.6 units per square mile (305.3 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.56%White, 0.30%African American, 0.96%Native American, 0.42%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 3.84% fromother races, and 1.89% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 10.80% of the population.
There were 3,525 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% weremarried couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,091, and the median income for a family was $45,504. Males had a median income of $38,038 versus $21,806 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $18,140. About 6.9% of families and 8.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Craig is served by the Moffat County School District, which operates five schools in the city:
The city is also home to a campus ofColorado Northwestern Community College.
Craig is the terminus of aUnion Pacific Railroad (UP)branch line that connects with the UP main line atBond. The line was originally built by theDenver and Salt Lake Railway to connect Denver with Salt Lake City but was only completed as far west as Craig.[16] As of August 2024[update], the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is studying state-run passenger train service between Denver and Craig via Winter Park andSteamboat Springs.[17]
U.S. 40 is the primary east–west highway serving Craig, whileColorado State Highway 13 runs south toInterstate 70 and north to theWyoming border, where it becomesWyoming State Highway 789 and eventually connects withInterstate 80.
Craig-Moffat Airport is the local airfield. Scheduled passenger jet airline service is available at theYampa Valley Airport, located near the town ofHayden, 15 miles (24 km) east of Craig.
Steamboat Springs Transit's regional bus service has multiple daily roundtrips between Craig and Steamboat Springs via Hayden, Milner, and Steamboat II,[18] while CDOT'sBustang Outrider intercity bus service has one daily Craig–Denver roundtrip.[19]
Municipalities and communities ofMoffat County, Colorado,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Town | ||
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
