Denver-aurora Metropolitan Area

The area is colloquially referred to by the terms ''Denver Metro'' or ''Metro Area'', and includes the City and County of Denver; Jefferson and Broomfield counties to the north and west; Arapahoe and Douglas counties to the south and east; and Adams County to the north and east. The most prosperous portions lie to the south, in Douglas County ; while the most industrialized areas are to the north, in Denver and extending north to areas such as Commerce City .

Although each county and its cities and towns are self-governing, there is some cooperation in the metropolitan area. Many of the counties and cities belong to the Denver Regional Council of Governments, an association which fosters cooperative planning in the region. The Scientific and Cultural Facilities District provides funding for scientific and cultural facilities including the Denver Art Museum , the Denver Zoo , the Denver Museum Of Nature And Science , and the Denver Botanic Gardens . In addition, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) provides Mass Transit , including a Light Rail system. The RTD has developed a twelve-year comprehensive plan, called "FasTracks" , to build and operate Rail Transit lines and expand and improve bus service throughout the region.

The entire metropolitan area sits in a valley, the the new ozone standard was frequently exceeded in the area and was occasionally exceeded as far away as Rocky Mountain National Park . The RAQC hopes to implement plans enabling the area to comply with the new standards by 2007 .

''See: Colorado Front Range ''

COUNTIES

United States Metropolitan Areas as defined by the Census Bureau are based on counties. The Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area includes the following 10 counties:

Adams
- Arapahoe
- Broomfield
- Clear Creek
- Denver
- Douglas
- Elbert
- Gilpin
- Jefferson
- Park

Because of the relatively large county size in Colorado, much of this area is not popularly considered to be part of the metro area. For example, little to none of Clear Creek, Elbert, Gilpin, or Park counties are metropolitan in nature, and only Denver and Broomfield counties are more than half Urban by area. On the other hand, Boulder is often considered to be a part of metropolitan Denver, and was included in previous Census definitions of it, but is now defined as a metropolitan area of its own, consisting solely of Boulder County .

CITIES AND TOWNS

:''Bold indicates a principal city.''

Arvada
- Aurora
- Bow Mar
- Brighton
- Broomfield
- Castle Rock
- Centennial
- Cherry Hills Village
- Columbine Valley
- Commerce City
- Denver
- Edgewater
- Englewood
- Federal Heights
- Foxfield
- Glendale
- Golden
- Greenwood Village
- Highlands Ranch CDP (unincorporated Douglas County)
- Lakeside
- Lakewood
- Littleton
- Lone Tree
- Morrison
- Mountain View
- Northglenn
- Parker <
- Sheridan
- Thornton
- Westminster
- Wheat Ridge

The following outlying communities may be popularly associated with the metro area, but according to Census definition are part of the separate Boulder Metropolitan Area:

Boulder
- Lafayette
- Louisville

EXTERNAL LINKS

Information About

Denver-aurora Metropolitan Area