Brush, Colorado

Brush, Colorado
Brush, Colorado
Statutory City
	Brush, Colorado.
	Location within Morgan County, Colorado
	Brush Location within United States
	Coordinates: 40°14′54″N 103°37′23″W / 40.24833°N 103.62306°W
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Morgan County
Incorporated	November 24, 1884
Government
• Type	Statutory City
Area
• Total	2.834 sq mi (7.339 km2)
• Land	2.831 sq mi (7.331 km2)
• Water	0.003 sq mi (0.008 km2)
Elevation	4,239 ft (1,292 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	5,339
• Density	1,886/sq mi (728/km2)
• Metro	29,111
Time zone	UTC−07:00 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP code	80723
Area code	970
FIPS code	08-09555
GNIS feature ID	2409926
Website	City of Brush

Brush is a Statutory City located in Morgan County, Colorado, United States.^[1] The city population was 5,339 at the 2020 United States Census.^[4] Brush is a part of the Fort Morgan, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Brush, Colorado was named for Jared L. Brush, who was a Colorado cattle pioneer. Brush had never lived in Brush, Colorado, instead helping to settle what is now known as Greeley. Brush later served as Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, and liked to visit "his town" often.^[6]

The town was incorporated by election in 1884.^{[citation needed]}

Brush is on the Loewen database of possible sundown towns.^[7]

Geography

At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 1,814 acres (7.339 km²) including 2.0 acres (0.008 km²) of water.^[4]

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Brush has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Climate data for Brush, Colorado
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	4 (39)	6 (43)	10 (50)	16 (60)	21 (70)	27 (81)	32 (89)	31 (87)	26 (79)	19 (66)	10 (50)	6 (42)	17 (63)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−11 (12)	−9 (16)	−6 (22)	−1 (31)	6 (42)	11 (51)	14 (58)	13 (56)	8 (47)	2 (35)	−6 (22)	−9 (15)	1 (34)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	10 (0.4)	13 (0.5)	25 (1)	46 (1.8)	74 (2.9)	64 (2.5)	71 (2.8)	48 (1.9)	38 (1.5)	25 (1)	15 (0.6)	15 (0.6)	440 (17.5)
Source: Weatherbase^[8]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	112	—
1900	381	240.2%
1910	997	161.7%
1920	2,103	110.9%
1930	2,312	9.9%
1940	2,481	7.3%
1950	2,431	−2.0%
1960	3,621	49.0%
1970	3,377	−6.7%
1980	4,082	20.9%
1990	4,165	2.0%
2000	5,117	22.9%
2010	5,463	6.8%
2020	5,339	−2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census^[9] of 2000, there were 5,117 people, 1,836 households, and 1,233 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,120.0 inhabitants per square mile (818.5/km²). There were 1,923 housing units at an average density of 796.7 per square mile (307.6/km²). The racial makeup of the population in the city was 75.81% White, 0.39% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 20.19% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 50.00% of the population.

There were 1,836 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,333, and the median income for a family was $39,094. Males had a median income of $24,431 versus $20,371 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,672. About 5.4% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

Agriculture and ranching make up a large part of the local economy. The Brush Rodeo is held each July. The Morgan County Fair showcases the community's 4-H projects and livestock.

The Brush Industrial Park contains a 272-bed prison in a correctional complex that has been vacant since 2010. In 2017, plans were to use an outbuilding as a treatment center for autistic spectrum disorders.^[10]

The East Morgan County Library is located in Brush.

The city museum is housed in a former schoolhouse.

The Brush High School mascot is the Beetdigger,^[11] signifying the importance of the annual sugar beet crop. The football team, winner of multiple state championships, plays its games at Beetdigger Stadium.