Severance, Colorado

Town of Severance, Colorado
Town
Motto: 
Where the geese fly and the bulls cry[1]
Location of Severance in Weld County, Colorado.
Location of Severance in Weld County, Colorado.
Coordinates: 40°31′24″N 104°51′04″W / 40.52333°N 104.85111°W / 40.52333; -104.85111
Country United States
State Colorado
County[2]Weld County
Founded1906[4]
IncorporatedNovember 20, 1920[5]
Government
 • TypeHome rule municipality[3]
 • MayorMatthew Fries
 • Mayor Pro TemporeBrittany Vandermark
Area
[6]
 • Total
9.19 sq mi (23.79 km2)
 • Land9.07 sq mi (23.49 km2)
 • Water0.12 sq mi (0.31 km2)
Elevation
[8]
4,875 ft (1,486 m)
Population
 (2020)[7]
 • Total
7,683
 • Estimate 
(2023)[10]
11,554
 • Density847.1/sq mi (327.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP codes[9]
80524, 80546 (PO Box), 80550, 80610, 80615
Area code970
FIPS code08-69150
GNIS feature ID2413272[8]
Websitetownofseverance.org

Severance is a home rule municipality[3] in Weld County, Colorado, United States. Its population was 7,683 at the 2020 census.,[10] an increase of 142.75% from 2010, with a now estimated population of 11,554. The town is located on the Colorado Eastern Plains, northwest of Greeley. A post office in Severance has been in operation since 1894.[11]

Bruce's Bar, a restaurant located within Severance, has become widely known for serving Rocky Mountain oysters. The town's unofficial motto is a reference to this dish.[12]

History

The community was named after David Severance, a pioneer settler in the area. The town originally applied for its post office to be named Tailholt, but the name was mistakenly changed to Severance when Mr. Severance applied for the post office in 1894.[4]

In the early 1900s, the town of Severance ran a promotional campaign for citizens to farm sugar beets, to build a sugar factory in neighboring Windsor. The campaign succeeded, leading to the creation of the Great Western Sugar Company in 1905.[13]

Geography

The Great Western Bike and Pedestrian Trail runs through the center of the town in a northeast-southwest manner. The path runs along the former route of the Great Western Railway, extending southwest to Windsor and northeast, after bending due east, to Eaton.[14]

Education

The public schools from the Weld RE-4 school district located in Severance are:[15]

  • Severance High School
  • Severance Middle School
  • Rangeview Elementary

Demographics

Feed store in Severance. Agriculture remains the primary industry of the town, despite the construction of new residences in recent years.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town's median household income is $121,047 with 43.6% of residents having received a Bachelor's Degree or Higher.

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1940138—
1950108−21.7%
196070−35.2%
197059−15.7%
198010272.9%
19901063.9%
2000597463.2%
20103,165430.2%
20207,683142.7%
2023 (est.)11,554[10] Increase50.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Severance had a population of 7,683. The median age was 32.6 years. 31.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 8.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 101.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.5 males age 18 and over.[17][18]

82.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 17.2% lived in rural areas.[19]

There were 2,488 households in Severance, of which 49.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 72.8% were married-couple households, 10.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 9.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 9.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]

There were 2,568 housing units, of which 3.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%.[17]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[18]
Race Number Percent
White 6,470 84.2%
Black or African American 61 0.8%
American Indian and Alaska Native 54 0.7%
Asian 78 1.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 5 0.1%
Some other race 234 3.0%
Two or more races 781 10.2%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 1,085 14.1%
High school football
Friday Knight Lights, the first game of the year for the Severance High School Silver Knights
Sunset at Blue Spruce Pond
Sunset at Blue Spruce Park in Severance

Governance

The town previously had a ban on snowball fights, which was repealed in 2018 after a 9-year-old advocated for the repeal.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Colorado Town Mottos and Nicknames". Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Town of Severance Charter" (PDF). Town of Severance. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "History of the Town of Severance". Town of Severance. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  5. ^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Archived from the original on August 23, 2003. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
  6. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  7. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Severance town, Colorado". Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Town of Severance". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  9. ^ "ZIP Code Lookup" (JavaScript/HTML). United States Postal Service. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c "Severance, CO QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  11. ^ "Post offices". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
  12. ^ "Bruce's Bar". Food Network. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  13. ^ "History of the Town of Severance | Severance, CO". www.townofseverance.org. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  14. ^ "Great Western Trail Windsor – Severance – Eaton". Great Western Trail Authority. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  15. ^ "Best Public Schools in Severance, Colorado & Rankings - SchoolDigger.com". SchoolDigger. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  16. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  17. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  18. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  19. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  20. ^ "Boy gets Colorado town to overturn snowball fight ban". BBC News. December 4, 2018.
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