Moving to Adams County, CO? Here Are 11 Great Communities to Consider
From suburban life to rural living, you have plenty of outstanding choices here.
Located in the Denver metro area, scenic Adams County has more than 500,000 residents and offers the best of suburban and rural life. If you are thinking about moving to Adams County, CO, take a brief tour of 11 great communities and explore what they have to offer.
In This Article
Westminster
With a central location between Denver and Boulder, Westminster (population: 113,191) is a growing community whose population is expected to surpass 120,000 over the next five years. The city is in Adams and Jefferson counties. Westminster officials are advocates for smart growth, maintaining more than one-third of land throughout the city for open space, parks and recreation.
Thornton
Thornton still has more than 1,400 acres of greenfield sites ready for commercial and residential development. Thornton (population: 141,867) is located in Adams and Weld counties. The city is adjacent to Interstate 25 and is part of the corridor that has experienced unprecedented growth since 2018, thanks to more than $350 million in quality development. Major employers in Thornton include Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Amazon, AMI Mechanical, Avaya, Dish Network Customer Call Center and Google Thornton.
Aurora
Aurora now ranks as Colorado’s third-largest city (population: 377,761), and projections are for the population to approach 400,000 by 2026. Aurora is in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties. Major employers include Amazon, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Cooper Lighting Solutions, Karcher North America, MycoTechnology and Raytheon Aurora. The city houses Buckley Space Force Base and its 12,000 employees. Residents also enjoy access to Community College of Aurora and outdoor activities such as pladdleboarding.
Commerce City
The population of Commerce City (62,418) has more than doubled over the last decade, and projections have the number increasing to more than 65,000 by 2026. Major employers include FedEx, Platte Valley Medical Group, Transwest Truck Trailer and UPS. The Park 76 Distribution Center is a large industrial development off Interstate 76 that features 1.8 million square feet of available space in six buildings on 122 acres.
Arvada
Situated between Denver and Boulder, Arvada offers a small-town feel, even though its population is now 124,402. The city, which is in Adams and Jefferson counties, was founded in 1870 and incorporated in 1904, and the median annual income is a comfortable $66,300. Major employers include Barber-Nichols, LivaNova USA, Prescient, Sundyne and Wanco Inc. Olde Town is the city’s downtown district with shops, boutiques, galleries, events, restaurants, breweries and a winery.
Northglen
This city (population: 38,131) incorporated as a city in 1969 and is graced with lakes, open spaces and abundant outdoor recreation facilities. Northglenn is strategically situated adjacent to Interstate 25. Major employers include AutoZone Mega Hub, City of Northglenn, Lowe’s Home Improvement and O’Meara Ford.
Brighton
Brighton is the county seat of Adams County, and part of the city also stretches into Weld County. Brighton (population: 40,083) has a successful history of agriculture. Outdoor enthusiasts can run, bike and hike along 27 miles of open trails and children can enjoy 20 playgrounds. Top employers include Adams County Government as well as a Vestas Nacelle Brighton plant that produces nacelles and hubs for wind energy turbines.
Federal Heights
A family-friendly city of 14,194 residents, Federal Heights features the popular family waterpark Water World. The typical home value is $426,494 (Zillow, January 2023). Even though the city measures only two square miles, more than 250 businesses enjoy success here. Major employers include the City of Federal Heights, Comcast and Hyland Hills Parks & Recreation District.
Bennett
With a population of 3,295, the town is conveniently situated along the Interstate 70 corridor. Nearly 35 miles from Denver, the region is continuing to grow with newcomers who are opening up shops, restaurants and other business services. For industrial companies looking to locate near Denver, Bennett owns 700 acres of available land located within an Enterprise Zone and Foreign Trade Zone.
Firestone
With a population of 17,600, Firestone is a town along the Front Range Urban Corridor about 30 miles north of Denver. Residents enjoy great views of the Rocky Mountains, and recreational amenities include the Firestone/Legacy Trail, which stretches more than 12 miles. The town also has a disc golf course, sports complex and 14 parks. Plans are in place for a dog park, too.
Frederick
With a population of 16,835, Frederick — whose motto is “Built on What Matters” — made major news in January 2023 with the announcement that Agilent Technologies will undergo a $725 million, three-year expansion of its Frederick campus. Agilent Technologies is a pharmaceutical manufacturer, and the expansion will create 160 new jobs at an average salary exceeding $100,000 per year. The town was incorporated in 1907, and even though it is a relatively small town, Frederick has 30 distinct neighborhoods.
Get to Know Adams County
Want to learn more about living and working in Adams County, CO? Check out the new edition of Livability Adams County Region, Colorado.
