Central City Opera House · National Register of Historic Places
Central’s story
167 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1859Central is settled
CentralCO
Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Hustvedt · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
807
2025 Census estimate · +2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$397K
−4.6% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
35.9
years
Jobs based here
486
Balanced
Is Central a good place to live?
Central’s average trip to work is 12 minutes, where Colorado’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 160 Colorado towns, just 5 have a lower July high than Central. Central’s trail density is 2.9 miles per square mile, against 1.3 in Colorado’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Central City-Black Hawk Historic District and Central City Opera House. Central has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Central stand out
Where Central beats most towns.
Small town
807 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Black HawkIdaho SpringsCentral
Nearby attractions
All 83 attractions →Red Rocks Amphitheatre and 67 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Central. Close and well known come first.
Big draw18 mi TheatreRed Rocks Amphitheatre
Big draw26 mi Stadium & arenaEmpower Field at Mile High
27 mi Stadium & arenaBall Arena
25 mi National ParkRocky Mountain National Park4.2M visitors a year
28 mi Stadium & arenaCoors Field
16 mi MountainMount Blue SkySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Red Rocks Amphitheatre: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Empower Field at Mile High: Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ball Arena: KM Newnham, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Rocky Mountain National Park: Charles M. Sauer -- Charlessauer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Coors Field: Matt Kozlowski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Blue Sky: Lookinhere, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Central: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Central, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Central City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Central’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereGilpin County Clerk and RecorderGilpin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8042780427 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Central.
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Central
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.
81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireHail
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Central’s typical home value is about $397K
The typical Central home is worth about $397,000, down 4.6% in a year, 25% below the Colorado typical home. 62% of households own their home in Central.
$397KZillow home value
| Central | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 62% | 71% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,451 a month | $1,808 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Central$397K
Colorado$529K
−4.6%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Central, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Central has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with very little rain. Central’s January low is 14°F.
195″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–36°
Spring27–50°
Summer45–73°
Fall29–55°
Sep 16
typical first frost
Jun 5
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
A job hub: Central has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 456 commuters
Most working residents leave Central for work: only 9% work in town. The median household income in Central is $62,000. Since 2013, Central has lost 376 jobs, to 486 in 2023.
9%work in town
| Central | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Central9%
Black Hawk19%
Denver11%
Boulder7%
Lakewood4%
21 mi
median commute distance
486
jobs based in Central
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Outdoors
Conserved land covers 7.7% of Central
8.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Arapaho National Forest, at 211 acres with 1.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
7.7%conserved
7.7%
conserved · 136 of 1,770 acres
8.1 mi
of trails · 2.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Arapaho National Forest | 1.7 mi | 211 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Central
16pages on Central
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Central; the nearest are
Colorado School of MinesUniversity or college · Public · Golden15.5 mi$21,914 in-state tuitionCommunity College of AuroraCommunity college · Public · Aurora37.9 mi$4,470 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Central residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
Landmarks
3 places in Central on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Central
Home-rule city in Gilpin and Clear Creek counties, Colorado, US
Central City is a home rule municipality located in Gilpin and Clear Creek counties, Colorado, United States. Central City is the county seat of and the most populous municipality in Gilpin County. The city population was 779, all in Gilpin County, at the 2020 United States census. The city is a historic mining settlement founded in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush and came to be known as the "Richest Square Mile on Earth". Central City and the adjacent city of Black Hawk form the federally designated Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. The city is now a part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1859
- Area
- 2.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 8,510 ft
- ZIP code
- 80427
Questions about Central
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Central, CO a good place to live?
Central has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.