Teller County is a county in Colorado, United States, part of the Colorado Springs metropolitan area in the foothills west of Pikes Peak. It had a population of 24,710 at the 2020 census and covers 559 square miles (1,450 km2) centred near 38°53′N 105°9′W.
Cripple Creek is the county seat, and its postal code is 80813. The county has three incorporated cities, one town, four census-designated places, and a scatter of historic mining camps left from the Cripple Creek Gold Rush. Teller County observes Mountain time and carries FIPS code 08119.
Towns & Villages in Teller County
Teller County’s map runs from the commuter city of Woodland Park along U.S. 24 down into the Cripple Creek Mining District, where a cluster of former boomtowns and camps survives as unincorporated place names. The table below lists the county’s three cities, its one town, its four census-designated places, and its remaining historic mining camps (labelled Unincorp.).
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cripple Creek | City · seat | 1,155 | 80813 |
| Victor | City | 379 | 80860 |
| Woodland Park | City | 7,920 | 80863 |
| Green Mountain Falls | Town | 24 | 80819 |
| Divide | CDP | — | 80814 |
| Florissant | CDP | — | 80816 |
| Goldfield | CDP | — | — |
| Midland | CDP | — | — |
| Crystola | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beacon Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elkton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hollywood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marigold | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rosemont | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stratton | Unincorp. | — | — |
Green Mountain Falls straddles the Teller–El Paso county line: only 24 of its 646 residents at the 2020 census live on the Teller County side, with the rest counted in El Paso County. Crystola is likewise split between the two counties along Ute Pass.
ZIP Codes
- 80813 — Cripple Creek
- 80860 — Victor
- 80863 — Woodland Park
- 80814 — Divide (also serves outlying ranch and forest addresses west of town)
- 80816 — Florissant
- 80819 — Green Mountain Falls (PO Box addresses; most carrier routes are on the El Paso County side)
Goldfield, Midland, Crystola, and the county’s historic mining camps have no separate ZIP code of their own and are served by the nearest post office, usually Cripple Creek or Victor.
Geography
Teller County sits in the Rampart Range and Pikes Peak foothills, ranging from open, pine-parked terrain near Divide and Florissant to the eroded volcanic uplands of the Cripple Creek Mining District in the county’s south. Elevations run from roughly 7,800 feet at the lowest drainages to well over 10,000 feet along the county’s northern and western ridgelines. Fourmile Creek and its tributaries drain the Cripple Creek area south toward the Arkansas River, while streams in the county’s north and east feed toward the South Platte watershed. Public land is extensive: Pike National Forest covers much of the county’s western half, and Mueller State Park and Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument both lie within Teller County’s borders.
Teller County borders five other Colorado counties. Jefferson County lies to the north, Douglas County borders it to the northeast, El Paso County lies to the east, Fremont County lies to the south, and Park County lies to the west. Live neighboring county profiles: Jefferson County, Fremont County, and Park County.
Demographics
Teller County’s population was 24,710 at the 2020 census, giving a density of roughly 44 people per square mile. Woodland Park (7,920) and Cripple Creek (1,155) are the county’s two largest communities, followed by Victor (379). Reliable county-level median household income was not verified for this update; statewide, Colorado’s median household income is $92,911.
Economy & Local Life
Limited-stakes casino gaming, legalized in Cripple Creek and Victor in 1991, anchors the local economy alongside tourism drawn by Pikes Peak, Mueller State Park, and Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. The Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company still operates an open-pit mine in the historic district, continuing more than a century of gold production from the area. Woodland Park, closest to Colorado Springs along U.S. 24, functions largely as a commuter and retail hub, with many residents working outside the county. Woodland Park RE-2 is the county’s main school district.
History
Teller County was organized in 1899, carved out of El Paso County in the wake of the Cripple Creek Gold Rush, and named for Henry M. Teller, a U.S. senator from Colorado. Gold was discovered near Cripple Creek in 1890, and the district went on to produce hundreds of millions of dollars in gold over the following decades, drawing tens of thousands of miners to camps such as Victor, Goldfield, Elkton, and Midway. The district was also the site of major labor conflict, including the 1894 miners’ strike and the violent Colorado Labor Wars of 1903–04.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 24 crosses the county’s north through Woodland Park and Divide, and Colorado Highway 67 connects Divide south to Cripple Creek and Victor.
- Colorado Springs — 18 miles east of Woodland Park
- Denver — about 90 miles north
- Pueblo — about 45 miles south
- Colorado Springs Airport is the nearest commercial airport
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Teller County, Colorado?
It sits in the Front Range foothills west of Pikes Peak, part of the Colorado Springs metropolitan area, roughly 90 miles south of Denver.
What is the population of Teller County?
24,710 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Teller County?
559 square miles (1,450 km2).
What is the county seat of Teller County?
Cripple Creek is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Teller County?
Three incorporated cities (Cripple Creek, Victor, Woodland Park), one town (Green Mountain Falls, partly in El Paso County), and four census-designated places.
What ZIP codes are in Teller County?
80813 (Cripple Creek), 80814 (Divide), 80816 (Florissant), 80819 (Green Mountain Falls), 80860 (Victor), and 80863 (Woodland Park).
Why is Cripple Creek famous?
It was one of the richest gold camps in U.S. history after the 1890 gold discovery, and today it is a legalized casino-gaming town within the historic mining district.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Colorado.