Clifton, Colorado

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Clifton is a census-designated place (CDP) and post office in and governed by Mesa County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Clifton post office has the ZIP Code 81520.<ref name=ZIPcode/> As of the 2020 census, the population of the Clifton CDP was 20,413.<ref name="Census 2020"/>

History

The Clifton Post Office has been in operation since 1900.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The community was named for cliffs near the town site.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Geography

Clifton is in central Mesa County, bordered to the west by the city of Grand Junction and to the northwest by unincorporated Fruitvale. The Colorado River forms the southern edge of the community. U.S. Route 6 passes through the center of Clifton, leading west Template:Convert to the center of Grand Junction and east the same distance to Palisade. Interstate 70 passes along the northern edge of Clifton, with access from Exit 37 (I-70 Business). Colorado State Highway 141 leads south from US 6, Template:Convert to U.S. Route 50. The Clifton CDP has an area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert, or 1.20%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/>

Education

Clifton is within Mesa County Valley School District 51. The community is home to Clifton Elementary School and Mount Garfield Middle School. The students of Clifton are primarily served by Palisade High School.

Colorado Mesa University Tech operates a community campus in Clifton, offering technical certificates and non-credit courses open to the public.