Colorado 2010 Census Block TIGER GIS data available on State Demography Office website

As part of our continuing effort to provide population and demographic information, the State Demography Office (SDO) has available, on our website the current version of Processed 2010 TIGER Data available at the block level. 

TIGER is a trademarked Census Bureau digital database of geographic features.  The user of TIGER data must have Geographic Information System (GIS) software because TIGER data is not a graphical image of a map.  The processed TIGER data from the SDO can be used (in conjunction with the GIS) to map block, tract, place, and county level geography.  Demographic analysis of population and housing units can be done with this data as well.  The TIGER line files have been processed with Total Population and Housing Unit information from the PL94-171 Summary File.  The user may also choose to add additional attributes from the PL94-171 tables.   

Please visit the State Demography 2010 Processed TIGER GIS page at http://dola.colorado.gov/gis/tiger2010.html for links to the technical documentation and data downloads. Please contact Sheila Dorrell at sheila.dorrell@state.co.us or 303-866-5433 for further information. 

For tabular population data please visit the State Demography 2010 Census Data page at http://dola.colorado.gov/dlg/demog/2010censusdata.html, or the Census Bureau's American Fact Finder 2 website at http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.html .  Please contact Barbara Mason at barbara.mason@state.co.us or 303-866-3120 for assistance.

Census Bureau Releases 2010 Counts for Smaller Areas

Today the Census Bureau released more detailed 2010 Census population totals and demographic characteristics for Colorado. These data provide the first look at population counts for small areas with race, Hispanic origin, voting age and housing unit data released from the 2010 Census.
These counts for Colorado show Colorado’s most populous counties are El Paso County (622,263), Denver (600,158), Arapahoe (572,003) and Jefferson (534,543).  El Paso moved up from the third most populous county in 2000 and Jefferson slipped to fourth most populous from second in 2000.
The counties with the largest increase in population were Douglas County gaining 109,699 people and El Paso County gaining 105,334.  Other counties with large increases in population include Arapahoe (83,107), Adams (77,746), and Weld (71,889).  Seventeen of Colorado’s 64 counties (26 percent) showed population declines.  The largest declines were in Prowers (-1,932), Otero (-1,480) and Huerfano (-1,151).
The counties that show the fastest growth in percentage terms are a little more diverse.  Douglas was again the fastest growing county in Colorado growing at 62.4 percent compared to the state as a whole growing by 16.92 percent.  Other fast growing counties include Weld (39.7 percent), Garfield (28.7 percent), Mesa (26.2 percent) and Eagle (25.3 percent).

The three largest cities remain Denver (600,158) followed by Colorado Springs (416,427), and Aurora (325,078) with Fort Collins (143,986) and Lakewood (142,980) rounding out the top 5.  The five municipalities to gain the most population were Colorado Springs (55,537), Aurora (48,685), Denver (45,522), Thornton (36,388) and Castle Rock (28,007).  The Denver metro cities of Wheat Ridge, Englewood, and Lakewood recorded population declines.

Fourteen municipalities doubled their size or more over the decade. Several municipalities in Northern Colorado were in the group of the fastest growing in the state: Firestone (431 percent), Severance (430 percent), Frederick (251 percent), Erie (188 percent) and Timnath (180 percent).

Colorado continues to become more ethnically and racially diverse.  Colorado’s Hispanic population (largest minority group) increased by over 300,000 or 41 percent during the decade compared to the total population which grew by 16 percent.  Blacks or African Americans grew by 19 percent, Asians by 45 percent, and White non-Hispanic by 9.9 percent. The increase in diversity occurred throughout the state, not just in the metro areas.  The largest increases in the minority population were in Arapahoe, Adams and El Paso.  However, large increases were also seen in the Eastern Plains counties of Yuma, Kit Carson, and Morgan and the Western Slope counties of Moffat, Garfield, Eagle and Mesa.

The official 2010 Census Redistricting Data Summary File can be used to redraw federal, state and local legislative districts under Public Law 94-171. The census data are used by state officials to realign congressional and state legislative districts in their states, taking into account population shifts since the 2000 Census. To access the detailed data from the Census Bureau, visit their website at: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/ or through the American Factfinder at: http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.html

The State Demography Office has also published the Census 2010 counts and comparisons from Census 2000 for counties and municipalities on its website.  http://dola.colorado.gov/dlg/demog/2010censusdata.html  If you need help accessing the data from the Census website or from the State Demography Office website please contact us at: 303-866-3190 or 303-866-3096.

US Census Bureau releases the 2010 counts for the US and its states

Today the US Census Bureau released the 2010 counts for the US and its states.

The count for the US was 308,745,538.  This represents a 27.3 million increase over the decade.  The change in percentage terms was 9.7 percent.

In percentage terms, this was the second slowest growing decade -- second to the decade of the 30s. In absolute terms however, the 27.3 million ranks third fastest behind the decade of the 90s and the 50s.

For Colorado, the population count came in at 5,029,196 which is a 727,915 or 16.92 percent increase since 2000 and ranks our state as no. nine in percentage change over the decade.

Colorado will not gain or lose a US congressional seat.  All other states being equal, we would have had to have a population count of approximately 5.309 million to get an eighth seat.

Colorado population is expected to reach 5.3 million by July 1, 2012

The population of Colorado, which is estimated at 5,074,528 for July 1, 2009, is expected to increase an average of 80,000 per year or grow at an annual rate of 1.6% over the next two years to reach 5.3 million by (July 1,) 2012.  This is compared to the average annual growth of 2.0% during the first five years of the decade and 1.7% per year over the past five years.  The state is expected to return to higher growth rates after 2015, as job growth is expected to increase to an average of over 60,000 per year.  This is compared to the average job growth of 10,000 per year this past decade.

These forecasts have been revised downward on the basis of new information regarding lower than expected job growth through 2010.  Data and information about the population and the factors that lead to population change are critical for program and local area planning.  Our office updates the population forecasts annually as new information about expected growth within a county is learned.  These forecasts are based on the updated 2009 final population estimates and a job forecast prepared in September of 2010. 

The revised population forecasts are available on our website at http://dola.colorado.gov/dlg/demog/pop_totals.html, select geography, and then select forecasts.  Job forecasts are also available at https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg/demog/economy_worksheets.html.

We expect net migration to exceed natural increase (births – deaths) between 2009 and 2010.  However, natural increase is forecast to nearly equal net migration in the two years following 2010.  Natural increase has exceeded net migration in only two other periods in Colorado’s recent history and those include the natural resource bust of the late 1980’s and the tech bust of the early 2000’s.  Similar to the tech bust of the early 2000’s, Colorado is not expected to experience net out migration.

For the ten year period thereafter, Colorado is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 1.8% through 2025, and then gradually slow to 1.1% reaching 8.1 million by 2040.

Colorado's rate of growth is expected to slow down over time is due to the expected slowdown in the rates of growth of the U. S. population.  The current average annual growth rates of the U. S. population are just above one percent -- 1.1% -- and are expected to slow by 0.1% each decade.  This national slowing results from the fact that fertility rates have been barely above the replacement level (of 2 children per woman) since the late 1960's. 

A major demographic factor affecting Colorado’s growth over the forecast period will be the aging of the baby boomers, the first of whom will turn 65 this next year.  As a result, Colorado’s median age is expected to increase from its current 36.3 to 37.7 over the next 30 years.  The total population ages 65 and over will increase an average of 6% per year over the next 10 years slowing to 3% per year from 2020 to 2040.  Colorado’s population age 65 and over will be nearly 20% of the total population by the year 2040 as compared to 10.5% today. 

The aging of the population will also affect the growth rates of the labor force.  Colorado total labor force participation rates will decline as a result of an increased share of labor force participants aging into lower participation rate age groups, and although participation rates for older persons are expected to increase, they are still well below that of prime working age participation rates.  In addition, the increases in labor force participation of women appear to have peaked and are not expected to increase to higher rates in the future.  As a result, growth in Colorado’s labor force is expected to decline from an annual average of 2.2% over the next ten years to 1.3% for the 20 year period following 2020.   As the state’s own labor force growth slows, a higher proportion of new net migrants to the state will be needed to meet job forecasts.

As Colorado’s population ages, it will become more diverse.  The share of Colorado’s population that is minority will grow from 27.1% today to 32.6% in 2040.  The fastest growing race and ethnic group will continue to be Hispanics.  The current median age of White non-Hispanics in Colorado is 40.3 as compared to the median age of Hispanics in Colorado which is 26.9.

July 2009 Population Estimates for the state, counties and municipalities available

The Department of Local Affairs' State Demography Office has completed its Vintage July 2009 Population Estimates for the state, counties and municipalities. 

The new data has been posted on DOLA's website at:  http://dola.colorado.gov/dlg/demog/index.html, select "Population" and "Population Totals" and then the geography you are interested in.  Please note, there have been revisions to the data series 2001-2008 based on revised migration and housing unit data. 

Also take a look at our information release link:  http://dola.colorado.gov/dlg/demog/presentations/2009estimatesinforelease.pdf