Douglas County is the second-richest county in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday. The median income for the south metro county came in at a whopping $92,732, just shy of the $93,089 median income for Los Alamos County, N.M.
Colorado is the ninth-wealthiest state with a median income of $49,248, compared with the national median at $43,318.
“That’s fairly decent for Colorado considering we have lagged in job growth compared to other states that we typically compete with in incomes and job growth,” state demographer Elizabeth Garner said.
It’s nothing new for Douglas County and its population of more than 237,000. The county, which also is perennially one of the fastest-growing in the nation, was ranked the richest county in the U.S. in the late 1990s.
“I think it’s because we have a high percentage of people who own their own businesses throughout the county,” said Al Block, a developer and chairman of the Castle Rock Economic Development Council. “I think it’s just a natural evolution that has happened partly because it’s a great area to live in, and Castle Rock, Parker and Lone Tree are all great communities that provide terrific police, fire protection, road, sewer and water services.”
With high incomes comes a high cost of living, and affordable housing has become an issue.
“In Parker, they have been able to insert affordable housing within the communities,” Block said. “Castle Rock is certainly looking at doing that. We do have some affordable housing as a result of housing built 30 to 40 years ago, but we’re trying to add to that.
“It’s not an impossible task despite that we have a higher than average income.”
According to other census figures released Tuesday, the average number of school-age children (ages 5 to 17) living in poverty continues to rise steadily in Colorado.
In 2003, the year of the latest data, 11.6 percent of school-age children were living in poverty in the state, compared with the national average of 16.1 percent.
Colorado’s increase is approaching the peak of 13.9 percent of school-age children living in poverty that was measured in 1993, when the Census Bureau began tracking the data. The lowest measured average of 10 percent was in 2001.
The states with the wealthiest wage earners line the East Coast. Connecticut had the country’s highest wage with a median household income of $56,409. New Jersey was second, at $56,356, followed by Maryland, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Staff writer Manny Gonzales can be reached at 303-820-1537 or mgonzales@denverpost.com.
