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63-625: Aurora ( / ə ˈ r oʊ r ə / , / ə ˈ r ɔː r ə / ) is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe , Adams , and Douglas counties, Colorado , United States. The city's population was 386,261 at the 2020 United States Census with 336,035 residing in Arapahoe County, 47,720 residing in Adams County, and 2,506 residing in Douglas County. Aurora is the third-most-populous city in

126-564: A violin concert held in his honor. On October 12, 2023, one of the officers involved in McClain's death was found guilty on charges of assault and negligent homicide , while another officer was acquitted on all charges against him, which included assault and reckless manslaughter. Aurora was thrust into national media coverage during the run-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election . In September 2024, mayor Mike Coffman and city council member Danielle Jurinsky, both Republicans, falsely claimed that

189-568: A city council with two members elected from each ward and one member elected at large. The mayor may be the city council member elected at large or the city council may appoint a mayor. Colorado has 157 statutory towns that operate under Title 31, Article 1, Section 203 and Article 4, Part 3 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. The statutory town of Creede uses the official title "City of Creede". Garden City , Lake City , Orchard City , and Sugar City are statutory towns but use city at

252-467: A city or a town), statutory city , statutory town , and territorial charter municipality . State law makes relatively few distinctions between a city and a town. The charter of a home rule municipality may designate either a city or town municipal title. In general, cities are more populous than towns, although long-term population changes may skew this considerably, as illustrated by the City of Black Hawk and

315-508: A full season of full orchestra concerts annually as well as smaller chamber ensemble performances. The Aurora Public Library serves its population, providing four main branches, four PC centers, and a variety of events throughout the year to its population. Town Center at Aurora is the city's main shopping mall . Other shopping centers in Aurora include The Gardens on Havana (formerly Buckingham Square) and Southlands . Stanley Marketplace,

378-486: A household in the city was $ 46,507, and the median income for a family was $ 52,551. Males had a median income of $ 35,963 versus $ 30,080 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 21,095. About 6.8% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over. According to the Aurora Economic Development Council,

441-663: A lone shooter in Colorado (and the state's overall second deadliest, after the 1999 Columbine High School massacre ). The shooting occurred just after midnight, when James Holmes opened fire during the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in a Century movie theater , killing 12 people and injuring 70 others. Holmes was arrested and was eventually sentenced to 12 life sentences in prison with an additional required 3,318 years. The shooting drew an international response from world leaders. U.S. President Barack Obama visited victims, as well as local and state officials, and addressed

504-504: A permanent exhibit on Aurora history and two changing exhibit galleries touching on topics related to history and decorative arts. Additionally, some of their collections can be accessed online here . Aurora is home to the Colorado Freedom Memorial and a memorial garden for the victims of the 2012 theater shooting is located adjacent to City Hall. The Aurora Symphony Orchestra , a community orchestra established in 1978, offers

567-453: A press conference held the same day at Aurora's Stanley Marketplace to denounce Trump's rally, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said, "We welcome the eyes of the nation on a true Colorado gem, the great city of Aurora." Aurora's official elevation, posted on signs at the city limits, is 5,471 feet (1,668 m). However, the city spans a difference in elevation of nearly 1,000 feet (300 m). The lowest elevation of 5,285 feet (1,611 m)

630-406: A shopping mall inside the former Stanley Aviation plant. The city of Aurora operates under a council-manager form of government , where the city manager runs the city's day-to-day operations with general guidance from the city council. The Aurora City Council is composed of a mayor and ten council members. Six members are elected from districts, while the other four are elected at large. The mayor

693-507: A touchdown does occur every couple of years, tornadoes are typically weak and short lived. Aurora residents typically hear the tornado sirens go off numerous times more than residents in Denver, to the West. All of Aurora is located east of I-25, where tornado alley begins. Hailstorms, at times one to two-plus feet deep happen on occasion, and typical hailstorms are very common throughout these months. July

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756-740: A variety of educational programs. Twenty-seven historic sites and landmarks are managed by the city of Aurora, including the Gully Homestead of 1870, the Victorian-style Centennial House of 1890, the privately owned American War Mothers National Memorial Home, the Art Deco-style KOA Building of 1934, the DeLaney Round Barn of 1902, Lowry Building 800, the interim headquarters for the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1955 to 1958, and Stanley Marketplace, which opened at

819-659: Is about 6 percent more extensive than neighboring Denver but 80 percent of the size of Colorado Springs , ranking as the 54th-largest U.S. city in land area . Aurora is composed of dozens of neighborhoods, districts and (current and former) military installations. Among them: Aurora experiences a semi-arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BSk ), with four distinct seasons and modest precipitation year-round. Summers range from mild to hot, with generally low humidity and frequent afternoon thunderstorms , and Aurora also averages about one dozen tornado warnings throughout tornado season , running from April to July. Although

882-475: Is elected by the entire city. Aurora's mayor role is largely ceremonial, but the mayor does have direct impact on policy issues as the head of city council. The council is nonpartisan; however, parties of members have been listed below for reference. Republican This full-service city is protected by the Aurora Police Department , one of only 10 law enforcement agencies in Colorado to be accredited by

945-523: Is found at the point where Sand Creek crosses the city limit in the northwest corner of the city, while the highest elevation of 6,229 feet (1,899 m) is on the extreme southern border of the city in Douglas County, near the intersection of Inspiration and Gartrell roads. According to 2023 data published by the United States Census , the city has a total area of 104,696 acres (423.691 km) including 371 acres (1.500 km) of water. The city

1008-532: Is home to several privately owned golf courses including CommonGround Golf Course, Heather Ridge Country Club, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club and Valley Country Club. Star K Ranch, home to Aurora's Morrison Nature Center, provides important habitat for wildlife. It has several trails for nature exploration, including access to the Sand Creek Greenway Trail. Jewell Wetland, a 50-acre (200,000 m) wooded wetland, features trails, boardwalk/deck access into

1071-517: Is part of UCHealth (University of Colorado Health) and is a Level I trauma center and the principal teaching hospital for the University of Colorado School of Medicine , located in Aurora, Colorado . In the 2017–2018 U.S. News & World Report hospital rankings, UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital ranked in the top 50 for 11 medical specialties and was rated the #15 overall adult hospital in

1134-482: Is the least populous Colorado city, while the Town of Castle Rock with a 2020 population of 73,158 is the most populous Colorado town. At the 2020 United States Census , 4,299,942 of the 5,773,714 Colorado residents (74.47%) lived in one of the 271 municipalities active at the time. Another 714,417 residents (12.37%) lived in one of the 210 census-designated places , while the remaining 759,355 residents (13.15%) lived in

1197-445: Is the warmest month of the year, with an average high of 89 °F (32 °C) and an average low of 57 °F (14 °C). Winters range from mild to occasional bitter cold, with periods of sunshine alternating with periods of snow , high winds and very low temperatures. December is the coldest month of the year, with an average high of 43 °F (6 °C) and an average low of 17 °F (−8 °C). The average first snowfall in

1260-464: Is undeveloped, while Denver is more fully built-out. However, such efforts are somewhat hampered by the lack of a large, historically important central business district in the city. Aurora is largely suburban in character, as evidenced by the city's modest number of multi-story buildings. A large military presence has existed in Aurora since the early 20th century. In 1918, Army General Hospital #21 (later renamed Fitzsimons Army Hospital ) opened, with

1323-602: The A Line providing service between Union Station in Downtown Denver and Denver Airport . Much of Aurora is more convenient to Denver International Airport than Denver itself, and the city is planning an Aerotropolis along the airport's southern flank. This proximity is a factor in the expected growth of the E-470 corridor directly south of Denver International Airport, projected to eventually accommodate 250,000 additional Aurora residents. The easternmost portions of Aurora adjoin

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1386-488: The Buckley Garrison and the 140th Wing Colorado Air National Guard, is Aurora's largest employer. President Warren G. Harding visited Fitzsimons Army Hospital in 1923, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited in 1936. In 1943, the hospital was the birthplace of 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry . President Dwight D. Eisenhower recovered from a heart attack at Fitzsimons for seven weeks during

1449-579: The Colorado Air and Space Port . List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality Colorado municipalities range in population from the City and County of Denver with a 2020 population of 715,522, to the Town of Carbonate , which has had no year-round population since the 1890 Census due to its severe winter weather and difficult access. The City of Black Hawk with a 2020 population of 127

1512-489: The E-470 beltway . The Regional Transportation District's light rail transit system was extended to serve the southwestern edge of Aurora on November 17, 2006. The H Line stops at Aurora's Dayton and Nine Mile Stations; a comprehensive network of feeder buses in southern Aurora serve the latter. On February 24, 2017, the line was extended as the R Line to Peoria Station in the city's northwest, where riders may transfer to

1575-641: The OpenStreetMap link at the right to view the location of these 273 municipalities. Twenty-one active municipalities currently extend into more than one county . 38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W  /  38.9972°N 105.5478°W  / 38.9972; -105.5478  ( State of Colorado ) University of Colorado Hospital 39°44′32″N 104°50′29″W  /  39.7423°N 104.8414°W  / 39.7423; -104.8414 UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital or University Hospital (formerly named Colorado General Hospital )

1638-565: The Town of Castle Rock . Neither village nor civil township is a type of civil division in the State of Colorado. The cities of Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village and the towns of Log Lane Village , Mountain Village , and Snowmass Village have the word "village" at the end of their names. Nineteen Colorado municipalities extend into two counties, while two cities – Aurora and Littleton – extend into three counties. In

1701-460: The 1880s as the town of Fletcher, taking its name from Denver businessman Donald Fletcher who saw it as a real estate opportunity. He and his partners staked out four square miles (10 km) east of Denver , but the town—and Colorado—struggled mightily after the Silver Crash of 1893 . At that point, Fletcher skipped town, leaving the community with a huge water debt. Inhabitants decided to rename

1764-606: The 2020s. Aurora anchors Colorado's 6th congressional district and is represented in Congress by Jason Crow ( D - Centennial ). State representation is listed in the tables below (areas implied to be in Arapahoe County unless noted: not all districts are fully in Aurora). Primary and secondary education school districts: Charter schools: Private schools: Post-secondary and career education: Aurora straddles I-70 , I-225 and

1827-566: The Aurora area occurs in late October and the average final snowfall occurs in late April, although snow has fallen as early as September 4 and as late as June 5. Generally, deciduous trees in the area are bare from mid October to late April. As of the 2010 census , there were 325,078 people, 121,191 households, and 73,036 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,939.6 inhabitants per square mile (748.9/km). There were 131,040 housing units at an average density of 766.7 units per square mile (296.0 units/km). The racial makeup of

1890-737: The Colorado Supreme Court in 1990, was recreated in 1991 as the University of Colorado Hospital Authority as a government agency. University of Colorado Health was formed on 31 January 2012 ( doing business as UCHealth since 2014) as a joint operating company between the authority and Poudre Valley Health (of Poudre Valley Hospital ). In 2015, Adeptus Health announced a partnership with UCHealth to develop emergency care facilities in Denver , Colorado Springs , and northern Colorado , including 12 existing First Choice emergency rooms along with two new ones. This article relating to

1953-412: The Colorado Revised Statutes. A statutory city must have a population of at least 2,000 at the time of incorporation or reorganization, although three have lost population since. Statutory cities have an elected mayor and a city council composed of the mayor and two members elected from each ward. A statutory city may petition to reorganize as a Section 200 statutory city with an appointed city manager and

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2016-483: The Colorado Revised Statutes; and the home rule charter of each municipality. The state-authorized home rule charter determines the form of government. Home rule gives local municipalities the power to make legislation relevant to their areas, exercising control over issues of local concern while minimizing state intervention in municipal affairs. Colorado has 11 statutory cities that operate under Title 31, Article 1, Section 203 and Article 4, Section 100 or Section 200 of

2079-589: The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies; the Aurora Fire Department, which is accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International; and a Public Safety Communications dispatch call center. The Aurora Municipal Courts handles a wide variety of offense violations, and the Aurora Detention Center is a 72-hour adult holding facility. In national elections, Aurora leans to

2142-484: The Constitution of the State of Colorado. Broomfield has an appointed city and county manager , an elected mayor, and a city council of 11 members composed of the mayor and two members elected from each of five wards. As of 2024, Colorado has 102 cities and towns that are home rule municipalities, which are self-governing under Article 20 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado; Title 31, Article 1, Section 202 of

2205-463: The Denver–Aurora area. There is also a sizable population of Nepalese refugees. There were 121,191 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who

2268-682: The State of Colorado and the 52nd-most-populous city in the United States. Aurora is a principal city of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and a major city of the Front Range Urban Corridor . Before European settlement, the land that now makes up Aurora was the territory of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) tribes. Aurora originated in

2331-633: The State of Colorado, only Denver and Broomfield have consolidated city and county governments. The City and County of Denver operates under Article XX, Section 4 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado ; and Title 30, Article 11, Section 101 of the Colorado Revised Statutes . Denver has an elected mayor and a city council of 13 members with 11 members elected from council districts and two members elected at large. The City and County of Broomfield operates under Article XX, Sections 10–13 of

2394-587: The State of New York . The Town of Georgetown is the only municipality that still operates under a charter granted by the Territory of Colorado . The town operates under Article 14, Section 13 of the Charter & Constitution of the Colorado Territory enacted on January 28, 1868. The town mayor is called the police judge and the town council is called the board of selectmen . Download coordinates as: Select

2457-649: The U.S. government expanding and upgrading the hospital facilities in 1941 just in time to care for the wounded servicemen of World War II. Lowry Air Force Base was opened in 1938, straddling the border of Aurora and Denver. It eventually closed in 1994, and has been redeveloped into a master-planned community featuring residential, commercial, business and educational facilities. In 1942, the Army Air Corps built Buckley Field, which has been renamed Naval Air Station, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Buckley Air Force Base, and finally Buckley Space Force Base . The base, home of

2520-497: The U.S. has been proposed at the site. These facilities will employ a workforce of 32,000 at build-out. In 1965, mayor Norma O. Walker became the first woman to head a U.S. city with a population over 60,000. In 1978, the cult coming-of-age film Over the Edge was filmed in Aurora; the crime drama has been named the "signature film" of Denver. In 1979, it was announced that a science fiction theme park would be built in Aurora using

2583-477: The U.S. health system. For Spring 2024, UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital has received a 'C' grade, with 'A' being the highest possible grade and 'F' being the lowest. The University of Colorado University Hospital was originally created on October 1, 1989, as a nonprofit corporation pursuant to an act of the Colorado General Assembly , and after the act was declared unconstitutional by

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2646-513: The Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang had taken control of an Aurora apartment complex and was extorting residents for their rent money. Jurinsky appeared on Fox News to assert that others questioning her claims were engaged in "a huge cover-up" and this "isn't just an Aurora issue." The false rumor spread across right-wing media before the two officials backpedaled from their original assertions. Presidential candidate Donald Trump became aware of

2709-401: The city was 61.1% White , 15.7% African American , 4.9% Asian (1.1% Korean, 0.8% Vietnamese, 0.5% Filipino, 0.5% Chinese, 0.5% Indian, 0.2% Japanese, 0.1% Thai, 0.1% Cambodian, 0.1% Burmese, 0.1% Nepalese, 0.1% Pakistani, 0.1% Indonesian), 1.0% Native American , 0.3% Pacific Islander , 11.6% from other races , and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.7% of

2772-522: The country. In 2005, UCH was redesignated by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a magnet facility. In 2010, the hospital received its third redesignation of Magnet status. The hospital is currently pursuing its fourth Magnet designation. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is a public service provided by The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit organization committed to driving quality, safety, and transparency in

2835-401: The end of their names. Statutory towns have an elected mayor and a board of trustees composed of the mayor and four or six additional members elected at large. Colorado statutory cities and towns are limited to exercising powers that are granted by the state and are subject to provisions and limitations imposed by the state and are similar to villages in other states such as the villages of

2898-594: The fall of 1955. Decommissioned in 1999, the facility is part of the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado Denver , and the Fitzsimons Life Science District . The Anschutz Medical Campus also includes the University of Colorado Hospital , which moved to Aurora from Denver in 2007, and the Children's Hospital . The first carbon-ion radiotherapy research and treatment facility in

2961-528: The first U.S. cities to reap the benefits of siphoning water from beneath a riverbed upon completion of the Prairie Waters Project in 2010. In 2017, the Republic of El Salvador opened a consulate in Aurora, serving Colorado, Kansas , Nebraska , and Wyoming . In 2024, the Republic of Honduras opened the city's second diplomatic post. On July 20, 2012, Aurora was the site of the deadliest shooting by

3024-503: The former site of Stanley Aviation in 2016. The Aurora Fox Theatre & Arts Center, another historic landmark, is a 245-seat performing arts facility in the Aurora Cultural Arts District, along East Colfax Avenue . In that same area, The People's Building is a performing arts venue with flexible space, including 191 retractable seats and a gallery. The Aurora History Museum is a community-based cultural center featuring

3087-465: The issue was reconsidered in 2006. Aurora Sports Park opened in 2003. In 2004, Aurora was honored as the Sports Illustrated magazine's 50th-anniversary "Sportstown" for Colorado because of its exemplary involvement in facilitating and enhancing sports. The city attracts more than 30 regional and national sports tournaments annually to Aurora's fields. Aurora's active populace is also reflected in

3150-697: The largest public employers in the city are: According to the Aurora Economic Development Council, the largest private employers in the city of Aurora are: Other notable employers in the city include Lockheed Martin Corporation , Staples Inc. , United Natural Foods , Aurora Mental Health Center , G45 Secure Solutions , Graebel Relocation , Core-Mark , and Nelnet, Inc. The city of Aurora manages more than 100 parks, more than 6,000 acres (24 km) of open space and natural areas, and six award-winning municipal golf courses (Aurora Hills, Meadow Hills, Murphy Creek, Saddle Rock, Springhill and Fitzsimons). Aurora also

3213-525: The left and the Democratic Party , though not as much as neighboring Denver but more than other suburbs in the Denver metro area. Northern and Central Aurora, due to an extremely racially and culturally diverse voter base and high density for a suburban city, are some of the most Democratic areas in Colorado and vote similarly to Denver and Boulder; southern Aurora, similar to neighboring Centennial , used to lean Republican but has swung Democratic entering

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3276-419: The many rural and mountainous areas of the state. In 2020, only 1,968 square miles (5,097 km ) of Colorado's 103,642 square miles (268,431 km ) of land area (1.90%) were incorporated in the 271 active municipalities. The City of Colorado Springs with 195 square miles (506 km ) of land area was the most extensive municipality, while the Town of Sawpit with 19 acres (0.078 km ) of land area

3339-646: The nation in a televised address from Aurora on July 22. Actor Christian Bale , who plays Batman in the film, also visited some victims in hospitals. The events marked a turning point in recognition and public perception of the city; rather than referring to the site as being in "Denver" or "suburban Denver", as would have been typical before the event, virtually all media accounts of the incident unequivocally named "Aurora" as its location. On August 30, 2019, Elijah McClain died six days after an unprovoked detention by two Aurora police officers. On June 27, 2020, Aurora Police in riot gear dispersed thousands of protestors at

3402-415: The original development plats from which it sprang. Aurora's growing population in recent decades has led to efforts for co-equal recognition with its larger neighbor. Former mayor Dennis Champine once expressed the somewhat whimsical notion that eventually the area would be called the "Aurora/Denver Metropolitan Area". Indeed, since the 2000 Census Aurora has surpassed Denver in land area, and much of Aurora

3465-405: The population; 21.9% of Aurora's population is of Mexican heritage, 1.0% Salvadoran, 0.7% Puerto Rican, 0.4% Guatemalan, 0.3% Honduran, 0.3% Peruvian, 0.2% Cuban, 0.2% Colombian and 0.1% Nicaraguan. Non-Hispanic Whites were 47.3% of the population in 2010, compared to 85.1% in 1980. Aurora is a center of Colorado's refugee population. There are about 30,000 Ethiopians and Eritreans living in

3528-519: The rumor and repeated it multiple times during his September 10 debate with Kamala Harris , and subsequently scheduled a campaign rally in Aurora. Mayor Coffman then pushed back against Trump's claims that the city was overrun by Venezuelan gangs. At the October 11 rally at Aurora's Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric and proposed an "Operation Aurora" to remove undocumented immigrants connected to gangs. At

3591-449: The sets of a $ 50 million film based on the fantasy novel Lord of Light . However, due to legal problems the project was never completed. The script of the unmade film project, renamed Argo , was used as cover for the "Canadian Caper": the exfiltration of six U.S. diplomatic staff trapped by the Iranian hostage crisis . In 1993, Cherry Creek State Park on the southwestern edge of Aurora

3654-416: The town Aurora in 1907 after one of the subdivisions composing the town. By February 1928, the town of Aurora had reached a population of over 2,000 and it was reincorporated as a city on March 9. Aurora slowly began to grow in Denver's shadow becoming the fastest-growing city in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Aurora, composed of hundreds of subdivisions, thus carries the name of one of

3717-608: The variety of professional athletes hailing from the city . Aurora's first semi-professional sports franchise, the Aurora Cavalry in the International Basketball League , began play in 2006 but folded by season's end due to budget mishaps. In 2008, Aurora was designated an All-America City by the National Civic League. Aurora pioneered the use of bank filtration in the United States, becoming one of

3780-615: The wetland and a butterfly garden. Aurora Reservoir and Quincy Reservoir offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor water pursuits. DeLaney Farm, site of Aurora's famous historic round barn, has 130 acres (0.53 km) of open space, trails with access to the High Line Canal, an organic garden managed by Denver Urban Gardens , and two structures on the National Register of Historic Places. The Plains Conservation Center , with 1,100 acres (4.5 km) of native shortgrass prairie, hosts

3843-447: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 37.6% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males. The median income for

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3906-510: Was the least extensive. The City of Glendale with a 2020 population density of 8,117 residents per square mile (3,134/km ) was the most densely populated municipality, while the Town of Bonanza with a 2020 population density of 38 residents per square mile (15/km ) was the least densely populated municipality after Carbonate. Colorado municipalities operate under one of five types of municipal governing authority — consolidated city and county , home rule municipality (which may be either

3969-410: Was the location for the papal mass of the 8th World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II , attended by an estimated 500,000 people. Aurora is split among three counties and lies distant from the respective county seats. A consolidated city and county government such as those found elsewhere in Colorado ( Denver and Broomfield ) was considered in the mid-1990s but failed to win approval by city voters;

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