Garfield County is a county in Colorado, United States, in the west-central part of the state, straddling the Colorado River between the Roaring Fork Valley and the Grand Valley. It had a population of 61,685 at the 2020 census and covers 2,956 square miles (7,660 km2) centred near 39°36′N 107°54′W.
Glenwood Springs is the county seat, and its postal code is 81601. The county has 7 incorporated cities and towns, several census-designated places, and a scatter of unincorporated communities and former mining camps. It sits in the Mountain time zone.
Towns & Villages in Garfield County
Garfield County’s largest community, Rifle, is not the seat — that role belongs to Glenwood Springs. Five smaller towns dot the Colorado River corridor between them, alongside census-designated places and a handful of ghost towns left over from the county’s mining and railroad era. CDP = Census-Designated Place (unincorporated but tracked by the Census Bureau); Unincorp. = an unincorporated place with no formal town government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Springs | City · seat | — | 81601 |
| Rifle | City | — | 81650 |
| Carbondale | Town | — | 81623 |
| New Castle | Town | — | 81647 |
| Parachute | Town | — | 81635 |
| Silt | Town | — | 81652 |
| Carbonate | Town | — | — |
| Battlement Mesa | CDP | — | 81635 |
| Cattle Creek | CDP | — | — |
| Catherine | CDP | — | — |
| Chacra | CDP | — | — |
| Mulford | CDP | — | — |
| No Name | CDP | — | — |
| Antlers | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kiggin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rulison | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Satank | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Funston | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Una | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Anvil Points | Ghost town | — | — |
| Atchee | Ghost town | — | — |
| Carbonera | Ghost town | — | — |
Battlement Mesa and Parachute sit close together near the county’s western edge and share the 81635 ZIP — they are separate communities, not the same place. Precise 2020 census counts for individual towns and CDPs are not confirmed in this update and are shown as —; the county total of 61,685 is verified. Anvil Points, Atchee and Carbonera are abandoned oil-shale and coal camps with no current population; they are kept here as historical entries only.
ZIP Codes
- 81601 — Glenwood Springs (also serves No Name, Cattle Creek and Catherine)
- 81650 — Rifle
- 81623 — Carbondale
- 81647 — New Castle
- 81652 — Silt
- 81635 — Parachute and Battlement Mesa
Smaller unincorporated places such as Antlers, Rulison and Satank use the ZIP code of their nearest post-office town rather than one of their own.
Geography
Garfield County spans the transition from the White River Plateau in the north to the Roaring Fork and Colorado river valleys, with the Flat Tops Wilderness in its northern reaches and the Grand Hogback ridge cutting across its centre. The Colorado River runs the length of the county through Glenwood Canyon and the town of Rifle, joined by the Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs. It borders Rio Blanco County to the north, Routt County to the northeast, Eagle County to the east, Pitkin County to the southeast, Mesa County to the south, and Grand and Uintah counties in Utah to the west.
Live links: Rio Blanco County (north), Routt County (northeast), Eagle County (east), Pitkin County (southeast), Mesa County (south).
Demographics
Garfield County counted 61,685 residents at the 2020 census, making it the largest county on Colorado’s Western Slope by population. Rifle and Glenwood Springs are its two largest communities. Median household income runs below the Colorado median of $92,911, reflecting the county’s mix of tourism, service and resource-extraction wages. Population density is roughly 21 people per square mile, concentrated along the I-70 and Colorado River corridor rather than the mountainous northern half of the county.
Economy & Local Life
The county’s economy blends healthcare, education, tourism and energy. Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs and the Roaring Fork and Garfield County RE-2 school districts are among the largest employers, alongside Grand River Hospital in Rifle and grocery chain City Market. Natural gas production in the Piceance Basin has long supplemented ranching and recreation income in the western half of the county, while Glenwood Springs’ hot springs pools and river rafting draw year-round visitors tied to the Aspen and Vail resort corridors.
History
Garfield County was organized on February 10, 1883, and named in memory of President James A. Garfield, assassinated in September 1881. The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad reached the county in 1887, spurring the growth of Glenwood Springs and its hot-springs resort. The county’s mining era left ghost towns like Anvil Points and Carbonera behind; a 1969 underground nuclear test near Rulison, Project Rulison, aimed to stimulate natural-gas production. The South Canyon Fire of 1994 killed fourteen firefighters near Glenwood Springs, the deadliest wildfire disaster in Colorado history.
Getting There
Interstate 70 crosses the county east–west through Glenwood Canyon and Glenwood Springs, connecting to Colorado State Highways 82, 13, 133 and 139. Amtrak’s California Zephyr calls at Glenwood Springs daily.
- Aspen — 40 miles southeast of Glenwood Springs
- Grand Junction — 65 miles west of Glenwood Springs
- Vail — 65 miles east of Glenwood Springs
- Denver — 160 miles east of Glenwood Springs
Rifle Garfield County Airport offers regional flights; the nearest major hub is Denver International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Garfield County, Colorado?
It lies in west-central Colorado, along the Colorado River between the Roaring Fork Valley and the Grand Valley.
What is the population of Garfield County?
61,685 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Garfield County?
2,956 square miles (7,660 km2), including 8.3 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Garfield County?
Glenwood Springs is the county seat.
How many towns are in Garfield County?
Seven incorporated cities and towns — Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Carbondale, New Castle, Parachute, Silt and Carbonate — plus several census-designated places and unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Garfield County?
Main ZIPs include 81601 (Glenwood Springs), 81650 (Rifle), 81623 (Carbondale), 81647 (New Castle), 81652 (Silt) and 81635 (Parachute and Battlement Mesa).
Why is Garfield County named that?
It honors President James A. Garfield, who was assassinated in September 1881, two years before the county was organized.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Colorado.