Before European settlement, the land that now makes up Aurora was the territory of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) tribes.[9] These lands wereclaimed by France in 1682 and subsequently became part of the 1803Louisiana Purchase.[10]
Aurora originated in the 1880s as the town of Fletcher, taking its name from Denver businessmanDonald Fletcher who saw it as a real estate opportunity. He and his partners staked out four square miles (10 km2) east ofDenver, but the town—and Colorado—struggled mightily after theSilver Crash of 1893. The Town of Fletcher was incorporated on May 5, 1903.[4] Fletcher skipped town, leaving the community with a huge water debt. Voters decided to rename Fletcher the Town of Aurora in 1907 after one of the subdivisions composing the town. The Aurora post office opened on January 15, 1908.[11]
By February 1928, the town of Aurora had reached a population of over 2,000 and it was reincorporated as a city on March 9.[12][13][5] Aurora slowly began to grow in Denver's shadow becoming the fastest-growing city in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Aurora, composed of hundreds of subdivisions, thus carries the name of one of the original development plats from which it sprang.
Aurora's growing population in recent decades has led to efforts for co-equal recognition with its larger neighbor.[citation needed] Former mayor Dennis Champine once expressed the somewhat whimsical notion that eventually the area would be called the "Aurora/Denver Metropolitan Area". Indeed, since the 2000 Census Aurora has surpassed Denver in land area, and much of Aurora is undeveloped, while Denver is more fully built-out. However, such efforts are somewhat hampered by the lack of a large, historically importantcentral business district in the city. Aurora is largely suburban in character, as evidenced by the city's modest number of multi-story buildings.
1973 aerial view of Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, before closure
A large military presence has existed in Aurora since the early 20th century. In 1918, Army General Hospital #21 (later renamedFitzsimons Army Hospital) opened, with the U.S. government expanding and upgrading the hospital facilities in 1941 just in time to care for the wounded servicemen of World War II.Lowry Air Force Base was opened in 1938, straddling the border of Aurora and Denver. It eventually closed in 1994, and has been redeveloped into a master-planned community featuring residential, commercial, business and educational facilities. In 1942, the Army Air Corps built Buckley Field, which has been renamed Naval Air Station, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Buckley Air Force Base, and finallyBuckley Space Force Base. The base, home of theBuckley Garrison and the140th Wing Colorado Air National Guard, is Aurora's largest employer.
In 1978, the cult coming-of-age filmOver the Edge was filmed in Aurora; the crime drama has been named the "signature film" of Denver.[16]
In 1979, it was announced that a science fiction theme park would be built in Aurora using the sets of a $50 million film based on the fantasy novelLord of Light. However, due to legal problems the project was never completed. The script of the unmade film project, renamedArgo, was used as cover for the "Canadian Caper": the exfiltration of six U.S. diplomatic staff trapped by theIranian hostage crisis.
Aurora is split among three counties and lies distant from the respective county seats. Aconsolidated city and county government such as those found elsewhere in Colorado (Denver andBroomfield) was considered in the mid-1990s but failed to win approval by city voters; the issue was reconsidered in 2006.[18]
Aurora Sports Park opened in 2003. In 2004, Aurora was honored as theSports Illustrated magazine's 50th-anniversary "Sportstown" for Colorado because of its exemplary involvement in facilitating and enhancing sports. The city attracts more than 30 regional and national sports tournaments annually to Aurora's fields. Aurora's active populace is also reflected in the variety of professional athleteshailing from the city. Aurora's first semi-professional sports franchise, theAurora Cavalry in theInternational Basketball League, began play in 2006 but folded by season's end due to budget mishaps.[citation needed]
In 2008, Aurora was designated anAll-America City by the National Civic League.[19]
Aurora pioneered the use ofbank filtration in the United States, becoming one of the first U.S. cities to reap the benefits of siphoning water from beneath a riverbed upon completion of the Prairie Waters Project in 2010.[20][21]
On July 20, 2012, Aurora was the site of the deadliest shooting by a lone shooter in Colorado (and the state's overall second deadliest, after the 1999Columbine High School massacre).[24] The shooting occurred just after midnight, whenJames Holmes opened fire during themidnight premiere ofThe Dark Knight Rises in aCenturymovie theater, killing 12 people and injuring 70 others.[25] Holmes was arrested and was eventually sentenced to 12 life sentences in prison with an additional required 3,318 years. The shooting drew an international response from world leaders. U.S. PresidentBarack Obama visited victims, as well as local and state officials, and addressed the nation in a televised address from Aurora on July 22. ActorChristian Bale, who playsBatman in the film, also visited some victims in hospitals. The events marked a turning point in recognition and public perception of the city; rather than referring to the site as being in "Denver" or "suburban Denver", as would have been typical before the event, virtually all media accounts of the incident unequivocally named "Aurora" as its location.[26]
On August 30, 2019,Elijah McClain died six days after an unprovoked detention by two Aurora police officers.[27] On June 27, 2020, Aurora Police in riot gear dispersed thousands of protestors at aviolin concert held in his honor.[28] On October 12, 2023, one of the officers involved in McClain's death was found guilty on charges of assault andnegligent homicide, while another officer was acquitted on all charges against him, which included assault and reckless manslaughter.[29]
Aurora was thrust into national media coverage during the run-up to the2024 U.S. presidential election. In September 2024, mayor Mike Coffman and city council member Danielle Jurinsky, both Republicans, falsely claimed that the VenezuelanTren de Aragua gang had taken control of an Aurora apartment complex and was extorting residents for their rent money. Jurinsky appeared onFox News to assert that others questioning her claims were engaged in "a huge cover-up" and this "isn't just an Aurora issue." The rumor spread across right-wing media before the two officials backpedaled from their original assertions. Presidential candidateDonald Trump became aware of the rumor and repeated it multiple times during his September 10 debate withKamala Harris, and subsequently scheduled a campaign rally in Aurora.[30][31][32][33] Mayor Coffman then pushed back against Trump's claims that the city was overrun by Venezuelan gangs.[34] At the October 11 rally at Aurora's Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric and proposed an "Operation Aurora" to remove undocumented immigrants connected to gangs.[35] At a press conference held the same day at Aurora'sStanley Marketplace to denounce Trump's rally, Colorado GovernorJared Polis said, "We welcome the eyes of the nation on a true Colorado gem, the great city of Aurora."[36][37]Following Trump's inauguration,U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted raids targeting suspected Tren de Aragua gang members in Aurora and Denver.[38][39] In an address to Congress on March 4, 2025, Trump picked up his narrative again, claiming that immigrants have “destroyed” Aurora and that the city has “buckled under the weight of migrant occupation.”[40][41][42] Coffman expressed disappointment and characterized the remarks as "undeserved".[43]
Aurora's official elevation, posted on signs at the city limits, is 5,471 feet (1,668 m). However, the city spans a difference in elevation of nearly 1,000 feet (300 m). The lowest elevation of 5,285 feet (1,611 m) is found at the point whereSand Creek crosses the city limit in the northwest corner of the city, while the highest elevation of 6,229 feet (1,899 m) is on the extreme southern border of the city in Douglas County, near the intersection of Inspiration and Gartrell roads.[44]
According to 2023 data published by theUnited States census, the city has a total area of 104,696 acres (423.691 km2) including 371 acres (1.500 km2) of water.[6] The city is about 6 percent more extensive than neighboringDenver but 80 percent of the size ofColorado Springs, ranking as the54th-largest U.S. city in land area.
Aurora experiences asemi-arid climate (Köppen climate classificationBSk), with four distinct seasons and modest precipitation year-round. Summers range from mild to hot, with generally low humidity and frequent afternoonthunderstorms, and Aurora also averages about one dozen tornado warnings throughouttornado season, running from April to July. Although a touchdown does occur every couple of years, tornadoes are typically weak and short lived. Aurora residents typically hear the tornado sirens go off numerous times more than residents in Denver, to the West. All of Aurora is located east of I-25, where tornado alley begins. Hailstorms, at times one to two-plus feet deep happen on occasion, and typical hailstorms are very common throughout these months.[47] July is the warmest month of the year, with an average high of 89 °F (32 °C) and an average low of 57 °F (14 °C). Winters range from mild to occasional bitter cold, with periods of sunshine alternating with periods ofsnow, high winds and very low temperatures. December is the coldest month of the year, with an average high of 43 °F (6 °C) and an average low of 17 °F (−8 °C). The average first snowfall in the Aurora area occurs in late October and the average final snowfall occurs in late April, although snow has fallen as early as September 4 and as late as June 5. Generally, deciduous trees in the area are bare from mid October to late April.
Aurora, Colorado – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the2010 census, there were 325,078 people, 121,191 households, and 73,036 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,939.6 inhabitants per square mile (748.9/km2). There were 131,040 housing units at an average density of 766.7 units per square mile (296.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 61.1%White, 15.7%African American, 4.9%Asian (1.1% Korean, 0.8% Vietnamese, 0.5% Filipino, 0.5% Chinese, 0.5% Indian, 0.2% Japanese, 0.1% Thai, 0.1% Cambodian, 0.1% Burmese, 0.1% Nepalese, 0.1% Pakistani, 0.1% Indonesian), 1.0%Native American, 0.3%Pacific Islander, 11.6% fromother races, and 5.2% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 28.7% of the population; 21.9% of Aurora's population is of Mexican heritage, 1.0% Salvadoran, 0.7% Puerto Rican, 0.4% Guatemalan, 0.3% Honduran, 0.3% Peruvian, 0.2% Cuban, 0.2% Colombian and 0.1% Nicaraguan.[53]Non-Hispanic Whites were 47.3% of the population in 2010,[54] compared to 85.1% in 1980.[55]
Aurora is a center of Colorado'srefugee population. There are about 30,000Ethiopians andEritreans living in the Denver–Aurora area. There is also a sizable population ofNepalese refugees.[56][57]
There were 121,191 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% weremarried couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 37.6% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $46,507, and the median income for a family was $52,551. Males had a median income of $35,963 versus $30,080 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $21,095. About 6.8% of families and 8.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
The city of Aurora manages more than 100 parks,[60] more than 6,000 acres (24 km2) of open space and natural areas,[60] and six award-winning municipal golf courses (Aurora Hills, Meadow Hills, Murphy Creek, Saddle Rock, Springhill and Fitzsimons).[61] Aurora also is home to several privately owned golf courses including CommonGround Golf Course, Heather Ridge Country Club, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club and Valley Country Club. Hogan Park at Highlands Creek in the Aurora Highlands features world-classpublic art installations,[62] includingLiberty,[63] among the 20tallest statues in the United States.
Star K Ranch, home to Aurora's Morrison Nature Center, provides important habitat for wildlife. It has several trails for nature exploration, including access to the Sand Creek Greenway Trail. Jewell Wetland, a 50-acre (200,000 m2) wooded wetland, features trails, boardwalk/deck access into the wetland and a butterfly garden. Aurora Reservoir and Quincy Reservoir offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor water pursuits.[60]
DeLaney Farm, site of Aurora's famous historic round barn, has 130 acres (0.53 km2) of open space, trails with access to the High Line Canal, an organic garden managed byDenver Urban Gardens, and two structures on the National Register of Historic Places. ThePlains Conservation Center, with 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) of native shortgrass prairie, hosts a variety of educational programs.[60]
Twenty-seven historic sites and landmarks are managed by the city of Aurora, including theGully Homestead of 1870, the Victorian-styleCentennial House of 1890, the privately owned American War Mothers National Memorial Home, the Art Deco-style KOA Building of 1934, theDeLaney Round Barn of 1902, Lowry Building 800, the interim headquarters for the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1955 to 1958, and Stanley Marketplace, which opened at the former site of Stanley Aviation in 2016.[64]
The Aurora Fox Theatre & Arts Center, another historic landmark, is a 245-seat performing arts facility in the Aurora Cultural Arts District, along EastColfax Avenue. In that same area, The People's Building is a performing arts venue with flexible space, including 191 retractable seats and a gallery.[65]
The Aurora History Museum is a community-based cultural center featuring a permanent exhibit on Aurora history and two changing exhibit galleries touching on topics related to history and decorative arts.[66] Additionally, some of their collections can be accessed onlinehere. Aurora is home to the Colorado Freedom Memorial[67] and a memorial garden for the victims of the 2012 theater shooting is located adjacent to City Hall.[68]
TheAurora Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra established in 1978, offers a full season of full orchestra concerts annually as well as smaller chamber ensemble performances.[69]
TheAurora Public Library provides four main branches and a variety of events throughout the year.[70]
The city of Aurora operates under acouncil-manager form of government, where the city manager runs the city's day-to-day operations with general guidance from the city council. The Aurora City Council is composed of a mayor and ten council members. Six members are elected from districts, while the other four are elected at large. The mayor is elected by the entire city. Aurora's mayor role is largely ceremonial, but the mayor does have direct impact on policy issues as the head of city council.[72] The council is nonpartisan; however, parties of members have been listed below for reference.
Amsalu Kassaw (Stub-Term for Dustin Zvonek as of December 16, 2024)
Republican
Danielle Jurinsky
Republican
Alison Coombs
Democratic
Curtis Gardner
Republican
Ward I
Crystal Murillo
Democratic
Ward II
Steve Sundberg
Republican
Ward III
Ruben Medina
Democratic
Ward IV
Stephanie Hancock
Republican
Ward V
Angela Lawson
Nonpartisan
Ward VI
Francoise Bergan
Republican
This full-service city is protected by theAurora Police Department,[74] one of only 10 law enforcement agencies in Colorado to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies; the Aurora Fire Department,[75] which is accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International; and a Public Safety Communications dispatch call center.[76] The Aurora Municipal Courts handles a wide variety of offense violations, and the Aurora Detention Center is a 72-hour adult holding facility.[77]
In national elections, Aurora leans to the left and theDemocratic Party, though not as much as neighboringDenver but more than other suburbs in the Denver metro area. Northern and Central Aurora, due to an extremely racially and culturally diverse voter base and high density for a suburban city, are some of the most Democratic areas in Colorado and vote similarly to Denver and Boulder; southern Aurora, similar to neighboringCentennial, used to lean Republican but has swung Democratic entering the 2020s.[78][79]
Florida Station pedestrian bridge over Interstate 225
Aurora straddlesI-70,I-225 and theE-470beltway. The Regional Transportation District'slight rail transit system was extended to serve the southwestern edge of Aurora on November 17, 2006. TheH Line stops at Aurora'sDayton andNine Mile Stations; a comprehensive network of feeder buses in southern Aurora serve the latter. On February 24, 2017, the line was extended as theR Line toPeoria Station in the city's northwest, where riders may transfer to theA Line providing service betweenUnion Station inDowntown Denver andDenver Airport. Much of Aurora is more convenient to Denver International Airport than Denver itself, and the city is planning anAerotropolis along the airport's southern flank.[88] This proximity is a factor in the expected growth of the E-470 corridor directly south of Denver International Airport, projected to eventually accommodate 250,000 additional Aurora residents.[citation needed] The easternmost portions of Aurora adjoin theColorado Air and Space Port.
In 2017, Aurora became the first city in Colorado to host a docklessbike sharing program, but operations have been suspended since August 2022.[89]
^Aurora Symphony Orchestra (February 22, 1999)."About the ASO". Aurorasymphony.org. Archived fromthe original on July 25, 2011. RetrievedAugust 5, 2011.
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