Grand Junction
POPULATION: 63,374 (2018)
CLIMATE: High Desert & Semi-Arid
MEDIAN HOME COST: $306,500
TOP EMPLOYERS: Mesa County Valley School District 51, St. Mary’s Hospital, Mesa County, State of Colorado, Colorado Mesa University, City Market
HOME TO: Colorado National Monument, Colorado Mesa University, Museum of the West, GJ Rockies Minor League Baseball Team
The most populous city in the state of Colorado on the Western Slope and the seat of Mesa County. Grand Junction is located 247 miles west of the capitol of Denver. It is a major commercial and transportation hub within the large area between the Green River and the Continental Divide.
The city sits along the Colorado River, at its confluence with the Gunnison River, which comes in from the south. "Grand" refers to the historical Grand River; it was renamed the Upper Colorado River in 1921. "Junction" refers to the confluence of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. Grand Junction has been nicknamed "River City". It is near the midpoint of a 30-mile (48 km) arcing valley, known as the Grand Valley; since the late 19th century it has been a major fruit-growing region. Since the late 20th century, several wineries have been established in the area.
