Lakewood, Colorado

{{short description|City in Colorado, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Lakewood, Colorado

| settlement_type = Home rule municipality{{cite web |url=https://dola.colorado.gov/lgis/municipalities.jsf|title=Active Colorado Municipalities|publisher=State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Division of Local Government|access-date=January 27, 2021}}

| motto =

| image_skyline = Green Mountain (Lakewood, Colorado).jpg

| imagesize =

| image_caption = Green Mountain as seen from Mt. Zion

| image_flag = Flag of Lakewood, Colorado.svg

| image_seal =

| seal_size =

| image_shield =

| shield_size =

| image_map = Jefferson County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Lakewood Highlighted.svg

| mapsize =

| map_caption = Location of the City of Lakewood in {{nowrap|Jefferson County, Colorado}}

| image_map1 =

| mapsize1 =

| map_caption1 =

| image_dot_map =

| pushpin_map = USA Colorado#USA

| pushpin_relief = yes

| pushpin_label = Lakewood

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Lakewood in the {{nowrap|United States}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = United States

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = Colorado

| subdivision_type2 = County

| subdivision_name2 = Jefferson County{{cite web |url=https://dola.colorado.gov/lgis/counties.jsf|title=Colorado Counties|publisher=State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Division of Local Government|access-date=January 27, 2021}}

| subdivision_type3 = City

| subdivision_name3 = Lakewood

| government_footnotes =

| government_type = Home rule municipality

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Wendi Strom {{cn|date=July 2024}}{{cite web |title=City Council Members |url=https://www.lakewood.org/Government/City-Council/City-Council-Members |website=Lakewood, Colorado}}

| leader_title1 =

| leader_name1 =

| established_title = Platted

| established_date = July 1, 1889{{cite web |title=Historical Timeline: The 1880s |url=https://www.jeffco.us/2023/1880s |website=Jefferson County, Colorado}}

| established_title2 = Incorporated

| established_date2 = June 24, 1969{{cite news |last1=Aguilar |first1=John |title=Lakewood marks 50th birthday, half a century after telling Denver “no” to annexation |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2019/06/24/lakewood-colorado-50th-anniversary-incorporation/ |work=The Denver Post |date=June 24, 2019}}

| established_title3 =

| established_date3 =

| unit_pref = Imperial

| area_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo/summary-files.html|title=Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data|publisher=United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=September 4, 2021}}

| area_total_km2 = 115.635

| area_land_km2 = 112.595

| area_water_km2 = 3.040

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 155,984

| population_rank = 5th in Colorado
167th in the United States

| population_density_sq_mi = 3,588

| population_est = 156868

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| pop_est_footnotes = {{cite web | url= https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html#v2024| title=US Census Bureau City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024|website=census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 15, 2025}}

| population_metro = 2,963,821 (19th)

| population_blank1_title = CSA

| population_blank1 = 3,623,560 (17th)

| population_blank2_title = Front Range

| population_blank2 = 5,055,344

| timezone1 = MST

| utc_offset1 = −07:00

| timezone1_DST = MDT

| utc_offset1_DST = −06:00

| coordinates = {{coord|39|42|17|N|105|07|02|W|region:US-CO_type:city|display=inline,title}}

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_ft = 5656

| postal_code_type = ZIP codes

| postal_code = Denver 80214-80215, 80227, 80226-80228, 80232, 80235-80236
Golden 80401
Littleton 80123

| area_code = Both 303 and 720

| blank_name = FIPS code

| blank_info = 08-43000

| blank1_name = GNIS feature ID

| blank1_info = 2411614{{GNIS|2411614}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.lakewood.org/}}

}}

Lakewood is the home rule municipality that is the most populous municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 155,984 at the 2020 U.S. Census, making Lakewood the fifth most populous city in Colorado and the 167th most populous city in the United States. Lakewood is a suburb of Denver and is a principal city of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and a major city of the Front Range Urban Corridor.

The city has a notable student population, as it is home to three higher education institutions: Colorado Christian University, Red Rocks Community College and Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Lakewood is also home to the Denver Federal Center, which houses the largest concentration of federal agencies outside of Washington, D.C.{{cite web |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/gsa-regions/region-8-rocky-mountain/buildings-and-facilities/colorado/denver-federal-center |title=Denver Federal Center |publisher=U.S. General Services Administration |website=gsa.gov}}

History

The urban and suburban development of the community known as Lakewood was started in 1889 by Charles Welch and W.A.H. Loveland, who platted a 13-block area along Colfax Avenue west of Denver in eastern Jefferson County. Loveland, the former president of the Colorado Central Railroad, retired to the new community of Lakewood after many years of living in Golden.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}}

Until 1969, Lakewood had no municipal government, relying instead on several water districts, several fire districts, several volunteer-staffed fire districts, and the government of Jefferson County, including the Jefferson County Sheriff. Additionally, some neighborhoods lacked street lights and sidewalks.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}}

The City of Lakewood was incorporated in 1969 as Jefferson City. Soon after, an election was held and the city's name was changed to Lakewood, due to an overwhelming dislike of "Jefferson City" and the belief that it would be confused with existing communities in Colorado and Missouri.{{cite news |url=http://www.coloradocommunitymedia.com/stories/Lakewoods-come-a-long-way,11766 |title=Lakewood's come a long way |first=LeRoy |last=Standish |newspaper=Colorado Community Media}} At the time of incorporation, the city population was already over 90,000.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}}

Lakewood never had a traditional downtown area.Autobee, R. & Autobee, K. (2011). Early Lakewood. United States: Arcadia Publishing, p. 67. West Colfax Avenue served the metropolitan area as U.S. Route 40 and the main route joining Denver with the Rocky Mountains. {{citation needed|date=July 2015}} As such, Colfax from Harlan west to Kipling and beyond had mostly commercial establishments. In addition to the Jewish Consumptives' Relief Society (JCRS) for tuberculosis patients, the small, frame Methodist Church, and telephone exchange, by the 1950s grocery and drug stores, gas stations, restaurants and taverns, several motels, branch banks, a movie theater, a roller rink, a bowling alley, and used car lots emerged there. Several multiple-business "shopping centers" developed followed by much larger centers at JCRS and Westland. The Villa Italia Mall on West Alameda Avenue, 20 blocks south of Colfax, reflected the southward expansion of the Lakewood settlement and housed a larger concentration of retail space. As the mall went into decline, the Lakewood City Council developed a plan to demolish the Villa Italia Mall and replace it with a new development called Belmar.{{cite news |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2009/0522/after-the-mall-retrofitting-suburbia |title=After the mall: Retrofitting suburbia |author=The Christian Science Monitor |date=May 22, 2009 |newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor}}

In 2011, Lakewood was named an All-America City for the first time.

=December 2021 rampage=

{{main|2021 Denver and Lakewood shootings}}

On December 27, 2021, a Denver gunman killed three Denver residents and two Lakewood residents before being killed by seriously wounded Lakewood Police Agent Ashley Ferris.{{cite news|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/29/lakewood-police-ashley-ferris-shooting-spree/|title=Lakewood police agent shot on Monday in exchange with the suspected killer is identified|work=The Denver Post|last=Nicholson|first=Kieran|date=December 29, 2021|access-date=August 25, 2022}}

Geography

Lakewood is located at the junction of U.S. Route 6 and Colorado State Highway 121 in central Colorado, the city lies immediately west of Denver and {{convert|62|mi|km}} north-northwest of Colorado Springs.{{cite web | title = Lakewood, CO | publisher = Google Maps | url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lakewood,+CO/@39.7212143,-105.088998,13z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x876b816f5cdd72b7:0x9e905dfaf1d0ce97 | access-date = March 4, 2015}}{{cite web | title = Distance Calculator | publisher = Infoplease | url = http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/calculate-distance.html | access-date = March 4, 2015}}

Lakewood lies in the Colorado Piedmont on the western edge of the Great Plains just east of the Front Range of the southern Rocky Mountains.{{cite web | title = Physiographic Provinces of Colorado [Map] | publisher = Colorado Geological Survey | url = http://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/colorado-geology/topography/physiographic/ | access-date = March 4, 2015}}{{cite web | title = General Map of Colorado | work = Colorado Life Zones | url = http://shelledy.mesa.k12.co.us/staff/computerlab/ColoradoLifeZones_Maps.htm | access-date = March 4, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222110/http://shelledy.mesa.k12.co.us/staff/computerlab/ColoradoLifeZones_Maps.htm | archive-date = March 3, 2016 | url-status = dead }} Green Mountain, a {{convert|6854|ft|m|-tall|adj=mid}} mesa, is located in the far west-central part of the city.

The city is located in the watershed of the South Platte River, and several small tributaries of the river flow generally east through it. From north to south, these include Lakewood Gulch, Weir Gulch, Sanderson Gulch, and Bear Creek. Two tributaries of Lakewood Gulch, Dry Gulch, and McIntyre Gulch flow east through the northern part of the city. Turkey Creek, a tributary of Bear Creek, flows northeast through the far southwestern part of the city. In addition, Lena Gulch, a tributary of Clear Creek to the north, flows east then north through the extreme northwestern part of the city.

Several small lakes and reservoirs are in Lakewood. The Soda Lakes lie in the extreme southwestern part of the city. East of them lies Bear Creek Lake, a reservoir fed by Bear Creek and Turkey Creek. Clustered near each other in central Lakewood are Main Reservoir, East Reservoir, Smith Reservoir, Kendrick Lake, and Cottonwood Lake. Northeast of them lies Kountze Lake. In the northwestern part of the city, Lena Gulch both feeds and drains Maple Grove Reservoir. In the extreme southern part of the city lies Bowles Reservoir No. 1 and, just outside the city limits to the reservoir's northeast, Marston Lake.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of {{convert|115.635|km2|acre|order=flip}}, including {{convert|3.040|km2|acre|order=flip}} of water.

As a suburb of Denver, Lakewood is part of both the greater Denver metropolitan area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.{{cite web|title=OMB Bulletin No. 13-01 |date=February 28, 2013 |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b-13-01.pdf |access-date=March 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207113057/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b-13-01.pdf |via=National Archives |work=Office of Management and Budget |archive-date=February 7, 2017 }} It borders other communities on all sides, including Wheat Ridge to the north, Edgewater to the northeast, Denver to the east and southeast, Dakota Ridge to the south, Morrison to the southwest, and Golden, West Pleasant View, East Pleasant View, and Applewood to the northwest.

=Climate=

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lakewood has a cold semi-arid climate, abbreviated Bsk on climate maps.

{{Weather box

|location = Lakewood, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1962–present

|single line = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high F = 74

|Feb record high F = 77

|Mar record high F = 84

|Apr record high F = 86

|May record high F = 94

|Jun record high F = 104

|Jul record high F = 103

|Aug record high F = 101

|Sep record high F = 96

|Oct record high F = 89

|Nov record high F = 82

|Dec record high F = 75

|Jan avg record high F = 65.9

|Feb avg record high F = 65.6

|Mar avg record high F = 74.0

|Apr avg record high F = 78.4

|May avg record high F = 86.6

|Jun avg record high F = 94.9

|Jul avg record high F = 97.5

|Aug avg record high F = 95.0

|Sep avg record high F = 91.2

|Oct avg record high F = 82.4

|Nov avg record high F = 73.1

|Dec avg record high F = 65.2

|year avg record high F = 98.6

|Jan high F = 44.8

|Feb high F = 45.3

|Mar high F = 53.4

|Apr high F = 59.0

|May high F = 67.9

|Jun high F = 79.8

|Jul high F = 85.9

|Aug high F = 83.7

|Sep high F = 76.2

|Oct high F = 63.4

|Nov high F = 52.1

|Dec high F = 44.6

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 32.9

|Feb mean F = 33.5

|Mar mean F = 41.0

|Apr mean F = 47.2

|May mean F = 56.0

|Jun mean F = 66.7

|Jul mean F = 72.8

|Aug mean F = 70.6

|Sep mean F = 62.4

|Oct mean F = 50.0

|Nov mean F = 40.0

|Dec mean F = 32.3

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 21.1

|Feb low F = 21.6

|Mar low F = 28.6

|Apr low F = 35.3

|May low F = 44.1

|Jun low F = 53.5

|Jul low F = 59.6

|Aug low F = 57.5

|Sep low F = 48.6

|Oct low F = 36.6

|Nov low F = 27.8

|Dec low F = 20.0

|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 0.3

|Feb avg record low F = 1.1

|Mar avg record low F = 11.0

|Apr avg record low F = 19.7

|May avg record low F = 29.6

|Jun avg record low F = 41.5

|Jul avg record low F = 50.6

|Aug avg record low F = 47.8

|Sep avg record low F = 34.6

|Oct avg record low F = 19.3

|Nov avg record low F = 7.6

|Dec avg record low F = -0.3

|year avg record low F = -6.8

|Jan record low F = -26

|Feb record low F = -23

|Mar record low F = -11

|Apr record low F = -1

|May record low F = 19

|Jun record low F = 27

|Jul record low F = 37

|Aug record low F = 40

|Sep record low F = 16

|Oct record low F = 5

|Nov record low F = -7

|Dec record low F = -25

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.64

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.77

|Mar precipitation inch = 1.33

|Apr precipitation inch = 2.36

|May precipitation inch = 2.62

|Jun precipitation inch = 2.06

|Jul precipitation inch = 2.00

|Aug precipitation inch = 1.89

|Sep precipitation inch = 1.38

|Oct precipitation inch = 1.14

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.82

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.53

|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 8.0

|Feb snow inch = 8.6

|Mar snow inch = 9.2

|Apr snow inch = 9.1

|May snow inch = 1.7

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.3

|Oct snow inch = 5.2

|Nov snow inch = 9.2

|Dec snow inch = 6.7

|year snow inch = 58.0

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 4.5

|Feb precipitation days = 4.9

|Mar precipitation days = 5.6

|Apr precipitation days = 7.2

|May precipitation days = 10.3

|Jun precipitation days = 8.4

|Jul precipitation days = 9.4

|Aug precipitation days = 9.7

|Sep precipitation days = 7.2

|Oct precipitation days = 5.7

|Nov precipitation days = 4.4

|Dec precipitation days = 3.9

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 3.6

|Feb snow days = 4.2

|Mar snow days = 3.7

|Apr snow days = 2.4

|May snow days = 0.6

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.1

|Oct snow days = 1.3

|Nov snow days = 2.6

|Dec snow days = 3.2

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00054762&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access

|access-date = August 9, 2022

}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service

{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=bou

|publisher = National Weather Service

|title = NOAA Online Weather Data

|access-date = August 9, 2022

}}

}}

Demographics

{{US Census population

| align = left

| 1960 = 19338

| 1970 = 92743

| 1980 = 113808

| 1990 = 126481

| 2000 = 144126

| 2010 = 142980

| 2020 = 155984

| estyear = 2024

| estimate = 156868

| estref = {{cite web | url= https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html#v2024| title=US Census Bureau City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024|website=census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 15, 2025}}

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census

}}

=2020 census=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Lakewood, Colorado – Racial and ethnic composition
{{nobold|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.}}

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000{{Cite web|title=P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lakewood city, Colorado|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALSF12000.P004?g=160XX00US0843000|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lakewood city, Colorado|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0843000&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lakewood city, Colorado|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US0843000&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau}}

!% 2000

!% 2010

!{{partial|% 2020}}

White alone (NH)

|113,755

|101,504

|style='background: #ffffe6; |103,355

|78.93%

|70.99%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |66.26%

Black or African American alone (NH)

|1,910

|1,924

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,733

|1.33%

|1.35%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.75%

Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|1,085

|987

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,106

|0.75%

|0.69%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.71%

Asian alone (NH)

|3,854

|4,347

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,798

|2.67%

|3.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.72%

Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|112

|144

|style='background: #ffffe6; |212

|0.08%

|0.10%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.14%

Some Other Race alone (NH)

|175

|205

|style='background: #ffffe6; |799

|0.12%

|0.14%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.51%

Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)

|2,286

|2,402

|style='background: #ffffe6; |6,558

|1.59%

|1.68%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.20%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|20,949

|31,467

|style='background: #ffffe6; |35,423

|14.54%

|22.01%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |22.71%

Total

|144,126

|142,980

|style='background: #ffffe6; |155,984

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

=2010 census=

As of the 2010 census, 142,980 people, 61,986 households, and 35,882 families were residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|3,334.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. Its 65,758 housing units averaged 1,533.5 per square mile (591.9/km{{sup|2}}). The racial makeup of the city was 82.9% White, 3.1% Asian, 1.6% Black, 1.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.7% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 22.0% of the population.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 4, 2015|title=U.S. Census website}}

Of the 61,986 households, 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were not families. About 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27, and the average family size was 2.92.

The distribution of the population by age was 20.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.2 years. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,960, and for a family was $66,947. Males had a median income of $46,907 versus $41,476 for females. The city's per capita income was $30,027. About 9.1% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

{{clear|left}}

Economy

Lakewood's economy is diverse, while the largest employers are the government. Companies based in Lakewood include Einstein Bros. Bagels, FirstBank, and The Integer Group.

As of 2013, 67.3% of the population over the age of 16 was in the labor force. 0.1% were in the armed forces, and 67.3% were in the civilian labor force with 61.1% employed and 6.2% unemployed. The occupational composition of the employed civilian labor force was 38.6% in management, business, science, and arts; 25.9% in sales and office occupations; 16.9% in service occupations; 9.9% in production, transportation, and material moving; and 8.7% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance. The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were educational services, health care, and social assistance (18.4%); professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (13.8%); and retail trade (11.9%).

The cost of living index in Lakewood, compared to a U.S. average of 100, is 107.4.{{cite web | title = Lakewood, Colorado | publisher = City-Data.com | url = http://www.city-data.com/city/Lakewood-Colorado.html | access-date = March 9, 2015}} As of 2013, the median home value in the city was $238,500, the median selected monthly owner cost was $1,546 for housing units with a mortgage and $442 for those without, and the median gross rent was $940.

=Top employers=

According to the city's 2023 annual report, the top employers in the city are:{{cite report |title=Comprehensive Annual Financial Report |year=2023 |publisher=City of Lakewood, Colorado |url=https://www.lakewood.org/files/assets/public/v/1/finance/pdfs/2023-acfr-secured.pdf}}

class="wikitable"

|+Top employers by employee count

scope="col"| Rank

!scope="col"| Employer

!scope="col"| Number of
employees

scope="row"| 1

| Denver Federal Center

|style="text-align:right;"| 8,000

scope="row"| 2

|Jefferson County School District R-1

|style="text-align:right;"| 3,700

scope="row"| 3

| State of Colorado

|style="text-align:right;"| 2,610

scope="row"| 4

| St. Anthony Hospital

|style="text-align:right;"| 1,774

scope="row"| 5

|Terumo BCT

|style="text-align:right;"| 1,709

scope="row"| 6

| FirstBank

|style="text-align:right;"| 1,569

scope="row"| 7

| City of Lakewood

|style="text-align:right;"| 1,438

scope="row"| 8

| Red Rocks Community College

|style="text-align:right;"| 961

scope="row"| 9

| Encore Electric

|style="text-align:right;"| 892

scope="row"| 10

| Colorado Christian University

|style="text-align:right;"| 725

Government

Image:LakewoodCivicCenter.JPG

Lakewood maintains a council-manager form of government. Citizens elect a city council consisting of the mayor, who is elected at-large, and 10 city council members, 2 from each of the city's five geographical wards. The mayor and the council members assert the policies for the operation of the city government. The current City Manager, Kathleen Hodgson, is the longest-tenured City Manager in the State of Colorado.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}

The current mayor is Wendi Strom. The council members representing Ward 1 are Jeslin Shahrezaei and Glenda Sinks; Sophia Mayott-Guerrero and Isabel Cruz represent Ward 2; Roger Low and Rebekah Stewart represent Ward 3; Rich Olver and David Rein represent Ward 4; and Ward 5 is represented by Jacob LaBure and Paula Nystrom.

The City of Lakewood falls into Colorado House District 26, parts of House District 24, and House District 23. Lakewood is represented in the state house by Reps. Chris Kennedy, Kerry Tipper, and Monica Duran.

{{cite report

|title=[Colorado] State House District 26

|website=COMaps

|url=http://comaps.org/district26h.html

|access-date=January 21, 2009 |url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212145553/http://comaps.org/district26h.html

|archive-date=February 12, 2009

}}

=List of mayors=

  • James Richey, 1969-1977 {{citation |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2014/12/02/father-of-lakewood-jim-richey-dies-at-88/ |work=denverpost.com |title=“Father of Lakewood” Jim Richey dies at 88 |date=April 26, 2016 }}[https://dp.la/item/49d2b3739579b1c270ee05ff199814e0]
  • Charles E. Whitlock, 1977-1979 {{citation |url=https://archives.denverlibrary.org/repositories/3/archival_objects/1261587 |publisher=Denver Public Library, Special Collections and Archives Department Repository |title= Whitlock, Charles E. (Chuck) (Mayor of Lakewood CO), 1977-1979 |access-date= 2025-04-19 }}
  • Bill Reitler, 1979-1983 {{citation |url=https://coloradocommunitymedia.com/2009/12/03/former-mayor-dies-at-83/ |work=coloradocommunitymedia.com |title=Former mayor dies at 83 |date=December 3, 2009 }}
  • Linda Shaw, c.1988 [https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=LFW19880224-01.2.14]
  • Linda Morton, 1991-1999 {{citation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981203070649/http://ci.lakewood.co.us/govern/council.html |url= http://ci.lakewood.co.us/govern/council.html |archive-date=1998-12-03 |title=Contacting your elected officials |work=ci.lakewood.co.us |via=Wayback Machine }}[https://archive.org/details/colwco-Linda_Morton_Oral_History]
  • Steve Burkholder, 1999-c.2000, c.2003 {{citation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000615165815/http://www.ci.lakewood.co.us/govern/council.html |url= http://ci.lakewood.co.us/govern/council.html |archive-date=2000-06-15 |title=Contacting your elected officials |work=ci.lakewood.co.us |via=Wayback Machine }}[https://web.archive.org/web/20060923142603/http://www.ci.lakewood.co.us/index.cfm?&include=/citycouncil/councilcontact.cfm]
  • Bob Murphy, c.2011-2015 {{citation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913010611/http://www.lakewood.org/CityCouncil/ |url=http://www.lakewood.org/CityCouncil/ |archive-date=2015-09-13 |work=lakewood.org |title=City Council |via=Wayback Machine }}
  • Adam Paul, c.2015-2023 {{citation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604071032/http://www.lakewood.org/CityCouncil/ |url=http://www.lakewood.org/CityCouncil/ |archive-date=2019-06-04 |work=lakewood.org |title=City Council |via=Wayback Machine }}
  • Wendi Strom, c.2023-present {{citation |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2023/11/07/2023-election-mayor-ballot-measures-lakewood-brighton-arvada-suburbs/ |title= Suburban voters select new mayors in Lakewood and Arvada, decide on police and fire funding |work=denverpost.com |date=November 8, 2023 }}

Education

File:Red Rocks Community College Main Entrance, Lakewood, Colorado.jpg

Lakewood is within Jefferson County School District R-1.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st08_co/schooldistrict_maps/c08059_jefferson/DC20SD_C08059.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Jefferson County, CO|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=July 19, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st08_co/schooldistrict_maps/c08059_jefferson/DC20SD_C08059_SD2MS.txt Text list]

Lakewood also houses Lakewood High School, Green Mountain High School, Bear Creek High School, Brady Exploration High School, Alameda International High School, and International Baccalaureate schools in Jefferson County, as well as the private Colorado Academy.

Lakewood is home to several colleges and universities, including Colorado Christian University, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Red Rocks Community College, and the Colorado School of Trades.

The town is served by the Jefferson County Public Library.

Transportation

=Highways=

Nine highways run through the city of Lakewood:

=Mass transit=

Bus and light rail service within the city, and to other areas in the metropolitan area, is provided by the Regional Transportation District. Light rail service to Lakewood began on April 26, 2013, with the opening of the W Line. Seven light rail stations are located within the city, all of which are located along the W Line.

Intercity transportation is provided by Bustang. Federal Center station in Lakewood is along Bustang's West Line, which connects Denver to Grand Junction.{{cite web |title=Bustang Schedules |url=https://ridebustang.com/schedules/#west |website=RideBustang |publisher=CDOT}}

Points of interest

Landmarks and historical points of interest include:{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}}

  • Belmar is the town center with a mix of retail, residential, cultural, and public space.
  • The Laboratory of Art and Ideas at Belmar was located in Belmar until May 2009, and that location is now occupied by:
  • the Colorado Campus of the Ohio Center for Broadcasting, a private trade school for the radio and television industry.
  • Belmar has a designated Arts District that houses several artist studios and several gallery spaces, and
  • "Working with Artists", a nonprofit fine-art photography school.
  • Lakewood Cultural Center features a theater, gallery space, and art classrooms.
  • Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park is a 20th-century museum and festival grounds, with several historic buildings, and is located near Kountze Lake; the site formerly housed the Belmar family mansion.
  • At William Fredrick Hayden Park in the foothills of Green Mountain, the Colorado National Guard previously used the north side for artillery practice. Since 2012 the Department of Defense Military Munitions Response Program has financed investigations to identify unexploded ordnance there.

{{cite news

|author=Briggs, Austin

|date=July 29, 2015

|title=Old explosives still being found at Lakewood's Green Mountain park

|newspaper=The Denver Post

|publisher=Digital First Media

|url=http://www.denverpost.com/lakewood/ci_28550478/old-explosives-being-found-at-lakewoods-green-mountain

|access-date=July 31, 2015

}}

  • The 40 West Arts District includes a bike and "walking art experience" along the light rail line.

{{Cite web

|title=ArtLine

|website=www.40westartline.org

|type=org home page

|url=https://www.40westartline.org/

|access-date=February 5, 2020

}}

Notable people

{{main|List of people from Lakewood, Colorado}}

Sister cities

Lakewood has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

See also

Footnotes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}