[2] The county is named for 19th-century explorer and presidential candidate John C. Frémont.

Rural Fremont County is the location of 15 prisons; most of these are operated by the state.

26.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

It houses the offices of both elected and appointed officials, including: Colorado Department of Corrections operates several prisons in the county.

The department operates the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility in Cañon City.

[16] In addition several correctional facilities near Cañon City are located in unincorporated areas in the county.

[23] The Colorado Women's Correctional Facility, near Cañon City in an unincorporated area, was decommissioned on June 4, 2009.