Census Data Shows Population Shifting

New census data shows slowing or declining growth for some Colorado counties, while others are booming.

According to data from mid-2021 to mid-2022, Denver, Jefferson and Boulder counties have seen their populations decline compared to 2020, while Douglas, Adams and Weld counties saw significant growth.

Compared to 2020, Jefferson County is down by 6,800 residents, and Boulder County is down by nearly 3,300. Denver County’s population has dropped by 2,300 residents compared to 2020. Denver had previously seen 15 consecutive years of growth.

By contrast, Douglas, Adams and Weld counties have experienced an influx of new residents since 2020. Douglas County has grown by 17,990 people, while Adams County is up 7,993 residents. Weld County, home to Greeley, is the top grower in the state, adding 18,700 since 2020.

Arapahoe and Broomfield counties saw little change compared to 2020, growing by 750 and 2,016 residents, respectively.

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Statewide, Colorado grew by 28,629 residents, or 0.5%, between mid-2021 and mid-2022 to reach a population of 5.8 million, holding steady with 2020 numbers. The entire Denver metro area grew by just 7,682, or 0.24%, to about 3.3. million residents. El Paso County, home to Colorado Springs, is still Colorado’s most populous county. The county has grown by about 12,000 residents since 2020, to a population of 740,567.

Experts say the growth patterns have a lot to do with housing, with many people moving to counties where homes are more available and more affordable. Colorado’s rising housing costs could also be making it less attractive to out-of-state residents. Additionally, migration patterns seem to be normalizing post-pandemic, with out-of-state moves slowing down.   

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Author

  • Corey Dahl

    Corey Dahl is managing editor for Colorado Builder magazine. She has written for a wide variety of news and trade publications, in print and online. Corey has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Colorado and a master's in communications management from Webster University. She lives in Denver with her dog Rosie.

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1 COMMENT

  1. I must be mistaken that the western slope is part of Colorado.
    Didn’t see any reference to the best part of the state!

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