Gypsum, Colorado

History

The town was named for nearby gypsum deposits, and was incorporated in 1911.

Geography

Gypsum is located in western Eagle County in the valley of the Eagle River, a west-flowing tributary of the Colorado River. U.S. Route 6 passes through the center of town, leading east (upriver) 7 mi to Eagle, the county seat. Interstate 70 runs along the northern edge of Gypsum, with access from Exit 140. I-70 leads east 133 mi to Denver and west 110 mi to Grand Junction.

At the 2020 United States census, the town had a total area of 23.222 km2 including 0.298 km2 of water.

Climate

This climate type is dominated by the winter season, a long, bitterly cold period with short, clear days, relatively little precipitation mostly in the form of snow, and low humidity. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Gypsum has a subarctic climate, abbreviated "Dfc" on climate maps. Retrieved on October 2, 2013.

Moon simulation

The variable terrain around Gypsum was certified in August 2025 as suitable for training astronauts for moon landing missions. Astronauts visiting the local High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site land helicopters to refine their landing skills on disorienting slopes with variable surfaces and dynamic lighting and shadow conditions.{{cite web

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,654 people, 1,150 households, and 917 families residing in the town. The population density was 992.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,210 housing units at an average density of 328.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 81.28% White, 0.16% Black, 1.31% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 15.00% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.31% of the population.

There were 1,150 households, out of which 51.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.8% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 12.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 3.47.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 38.7% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 2.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $59,671, and the median income for a family was $62,384. Males had a median income of $40,139 versus $29,764 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,790. About 4.4% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Gypsum is the location of the Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), a popular regional airport used in the winter to transport skiers to nearby Vail, 35 mi to the east.

Gypsum is also the location of several CORE TRANSIT stops, there are stops at Jules Dr, Eagle Valley High School, Eagle County Regional Airport, Cooley Mesa Rd, and Navajo Rd. $1 fee for youth and $3 fee for adults, and for the elderly, a $1 fee.

Education

• Eagle Valley High School
• Gypsum Creek Middle School
• Red Hill Elementary School
• Gypsum Elementary School

American Gypsum

The largest industry in the town is American Gypsum's (formerly Centex and before that, Eagle Gypsum Limited) drywall plant. The facility produces a variety of wallboard products, which is shipped by both rail and truck. The company also operates an open pit gypsum mine in the hills north of town. The mine currently in operation is the second to have been located in the area. Its grade is quickly dropping, and the company intends to close and reclaim it soon. A new mine, roughly a mile away, has been permitted, and is currently in the development stage. Unlike most surface mines, which utilize drill and blast methods to recover material, the Eagle mine uses machines similar to pavement mills (Wirtgen 2200 SM Surface Miners) to cut 6 in swaths through the relatively soft rock. Front-end loaders then sort the material by color (white is gypsum, brown is waste) and load it into trucks to be hauled either to the plant or to waste piles.

References

References

1. "Active Colorado Municipalities". [[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]].
2. (December 1, 2004). "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". [[Colorado.
3. "QuickFacts for Colorado". [[United States Census Bureau]].
4. "ZIP Code Lookup". [[United States Postal Service]].
5. {{GNIS. 2412716
6. Dawson, John Frank. "Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin". The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co..
7. "Gypsum, Colorado". City-Data.com.
8. [http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=744211&cityname=Gypsum%2C+Colorado%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Gypsum, Colorado]
9. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
10. "ECO Transit Schedule".
11. "ECO Transit Fares".
12. "Gypsum Creek Middle School {{!}} Eagle County Schools".
13. "Red Hill Elementary {{!}} Eagle County Schools".
14. "Gypsum Elementary {{!}} Eagle County Schools".