The U.S. Census Bureau released 2023 county population estimates on March 14, 2024. Colorado’s total population change was 36,500, slightly more than the previous year and was comprised of 62,400 births, 45,000 deaths, and 19,000 in net migration. Births are the largest contributor to growth. Deaths were lower in 2023 compared to the previous years impacted by COVID. Migration was up slightly from 15,700 in 2022. Cumulative migration since 2020 has been half from domestic migration (26,500) and half from international migration (26,500). Annual migration is still lower compared to the annual average last decade of 45,000.
The changes among the counties were varied, thirty-nine counties increasing in population and twenty-five declining – almost 40% of the counties. The counties with the largest growth in population were Weld County, which increased by 9,176, or 2.6%; followed by Douglas County at 7,969 (2.1%), Adams County at 5,856 (1.1%), El Paso County at 3,619 (0.5%), and Larimer County at 3,194 (0.9%). Some of Colorado’s fastest growing counties are some of its smallest and largest. The counties with the fastest rate of growth of their household populations are Custer County at 3.7% (197), Elbert County at 3.5% (964), Weld County at 2.6% (9.176), Dolores County at 2.2% (53), and Douglas County at 2.1% (7,969). Fifteen counties are growing due to both positive net migration and natural increase. The counties with the largest natural increase with more births than deaths included Denver, El Paso, Arapahoe, Adams and Weld. Counties with the largest net-migration include: Weld, Douglas, Adams, Larimer and Mesa.
Colorado has 25 counties declining in population led by Jefferson, Boulder, and Eagle. Thirty-seven of the counties are experiencing natural decline with more deaths than births. Pueblo, Mesa and Fremont have the largest natural declines. Some counties continued to grow despite having more deaths than births. There are 21 counties in this group led by Mesa, Fremont, Chafee, Montrose and Bent, which increased in population only due to migration or increases in their prison population (Bent and Fremont).
Due to the slowdown in births and increase in deaths, migration is becoming a larger impact on population change. Forty counties had positive net migration led by Weld, Douglas, Adams, Larimer and Mesa. Counties with largest out-migration were a mix of metro and mountain counties. Arapahoe, Eagle, Boulder, Denver, and Summit all had net out migration. As mentioned previously, international migration has returned to pre-pandemic levels. International migration includes students, work-visas, as well as refugees and others fleeing impacted countries. Although both Denver and Arapahoe are experiencing net out migration, they lead the state in international migration.
There are 12 counties in Colorado experiencing both net out migration as well as natural decline. These counties include central mountain counties of Clear Creek and Teller as well as Eastern Plains counties of Otero, Logan, Baca, Kiowa, and Lincoln. The remaining counties include San Luis Valley counties of Rio Grande and Conejos and Western Slope counties of La Plata, Hinsdale, and San Juan.
More U.S. counties experienced population gains than losses in 2023, as counties in the South saw faster growth and more Northeast and Midwest counties had population losses turn to gains, Approximately 60% (1,876) of U.S. counties gained population from 2022 to 2023. Areas which experienced high levels of domestic out-migration during the pandemic, such as in the Midwest and Northeast, are now seeing more counties with population growth. Meanwhile, county population growth is slowing down in the west.
The State Demography Office will release its 2023 Draft County and Municipal population estimates by the end of May. These estimates may be slightly different than those released by the Census Bureau.
If you have questions or need to discuss estimates sooner please contact Nancy Gedeon at nancy.gedeon@state.co.us
See the full paper here: Census Bureau 2023 County Population Estimates, March 2024
Please contact the SDO team if you have any questions about the population of Colorado.