Colorado

State

Add Comparison

2019 Population

5.76M

1.11% 1-year growth

US Senator

Michael Bennet

Democratic Party

US Senator

John Hickenlooper

Democratic Party

2019 Median Age

37.1

0.542% 1-year increase

2019 Poverty Rate

10.3%

5.56% 1-year decrease

2019 Median Household Income

$77,127

7.19% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$394,600

5.71% 1-year growth

2019 Employed Population

2.91M

1.81% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Colorado had a population of 5.76M people with a median age of 37.1 and a median household income of $77,127. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Colorado grew from 5.7M to 5.76M, a 1.11% increase and its median household income grew from $71,953 to $77,127, a 7.19% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Colorado are White (Non-Hispanic) (67.5%), White (Hispanic) (16.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.96%), Other (Hispanic) (3.48%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.19%). 16.7% of the households in Colorado speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

95.2% of the residents in Colorado are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Colorado are University of Colorado Boulder (9,622 degrees awarded in 2020), Colorado State University-Fort Collins (8,111 degrees), and Front Range Community College (6,583 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Colorado was $394,600, and the homeownership rate was 65.9%. Most people in Colorado drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Colorado was 2 cars per household.

Colorado borders Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.

Photo by Zach Dischner

United States

Diversity

Colorado is home to a population of 5.76M people, from which 95.2% are citizens. As of 2019, 9.49% of Colorado residents were born outside of the country (547k people).

In 2019, there were 4.16 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.89M people) in Colorado than any other race or ethnicity. There were 934k White (Hispanic) and 228k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common foreign languages spoken in Colorado are Spanish (621,284 speakers), Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (24,061 speakers), and German (22,560 speakers).

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Colorado

White (Non-Hispanic)
3.89M ± 3.18k
White (Hispanic)
934k ± 16.1k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
228k ± 6.13k

21.8%

Hispanic Population

1.26M people

21.8% of the people in Colorado are hispanic (1.26M people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Colorado as a share of the total population.

Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

Spanish
621,284 speakers (11.4%)
Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)
24,061 speakers (0.443%)
German
22,560 speakers (0.415%)

16.7% of Colorado citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 22%.

In 2019, the most common non-English language spoken in Colorado was Spanish. 11.4% of the overall population of Colorado are native Spanish speakers. 0.443% speak Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) and 0.415% speak German, the next two most common languages.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

9.49%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

547k people

9.53%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

543k people

As of 2019, 9.49% of Colorado residents (547k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Colorado was 9.53%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Colorado compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.7

In 2019, the median age of all people in Colorado was 37.1. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 36, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 43. But people in Colorado are getting getting older. In 2018, the average age of all Colorado residents was 37.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
204,332 ± 10,899 people
India
21,477 ± 3,591 people
Korea
19,269 ± 3,402 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Colorado was Mexico, the natal country of 204,332 Colorado residents, followed by India with 21,477 and Korea with 19,269.

Citizenship

95.2%

2019 Citizenship

94.7%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 95.2% of Colorado residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Colorado was 94.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Colorado compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
107,390 ± 5,745
Vietnam
106,321 ± 3,792
Gulf War (1990s)
60,951 ± 4,198

Colorado has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.01 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Colorado, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Colorado (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Colorado. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Colorado.

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Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Colorado across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Economy

Median household income in Colorado is $77,127. In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Colorado was Douglas County, CO with a value of $122,867, followed by Broomfield County, CO and Jefferson County, CO, with respective values of $111,400 and $90,040.

Males in Colorado have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,960. The income inequality in Colorado (measured using the Gini index) is 0.468, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Colorado employs 2.91M people. The largest industries in Colorado are Construction (215,607 people), Restaurants & Food Services (185,976 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (157,791 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional & commercial equipment & supplies merchant wholesalers ($150,746), Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals ($137,786), and Metal ore mining ($137,011).

Wages

Median Household Income

$77,127

2019 value

± $791

7.19%

1 Year Growth

± 1.28%

Households in Colorado have a median annual income of $77,127, which is more than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $71,953 in 2018, which represents a 7.19% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Colorado compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

$76,964

Average Male Salary in Colorado

± $1,605

$57,960

Average Female Salary in Colorado

± $1,321

In 2019, full-time male employees in Colorado made 1.33 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Colorado by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Colorado

Asian
$67,314 ± $5,675
White
$60,969 ± $1,048
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
$56,525 ± $16,631

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Colorado workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.1 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Colorado.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Colorado by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

0.468

2019 Wage GINI in Colorado

0.46

2018 Wage GINI in Colorado

In 2019, the income inequality in Colorado was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.78% growth from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Colorado was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Colorado in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Colorado across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Colorado was Douglas County, CO with a value of $122,867, followed by Broomfield County, CO and Jefferson County, CO, with respective values of $111,400 and $90,040.

The following map shows all of the counties in Colorado colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 18 - 24

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

10.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Colorado (566k out of 5.49M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
434,274 ± 4,736
Hispanic
191,702 ± 3,405
Black
39,451 ± 1,687

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Colorado is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

2.91M

2019 Value

1.81%

1 Year growth

± 1.81%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Colorado grew at a rate of 1.81%, from 2.86M employees to 2.91M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Colorado, are Other managers (103,022 people), Retail salespersons (66,228 people), and Customer service representatives (62,936 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Colorado.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Colorado, by number of employees, are Other managers (103,022 people), Retail salespersons (66,228 people), and Customer service representatives (62,936 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Colorado has an unusually high number of residents working as Solar photovoltaic installers (4.36 times higher than expected), Petroleum, mining & geological engineers, including mining safety engineers (3.89 times), and Other grounds maintenance workers (3.88 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Colorado, by average salary, are Surgeons ($327,618), Actuaries ($251,603), and Physicians ($249,013).

Industries

Employment by Industries

2.91M

2019 Value

1.81%

1 Year growth

± 1.81%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Colorado grew at a rate of 1.81%, from 2.86M employees to 2.91M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Colorado, are Construction (215,607 people), Restaurants & Food Services (185,976 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (157,791 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Colorado, though some of these residents may live in Colorado and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Colorado, by number of employees, are Construction (215,607 people), Restaurants & Food Services (185,976 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (157,791 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Colorado has an unusually high number of Aerospace products & parts manufacturing (5.85 times higher than expected), Forestry except logging (3.91 times), and Oil & gas extraction (3.34 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Colorado, by average salary, are Professional & commercial equipment & supplies merchant wholesalers ($150,746), Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals ($137,786), and Metal ore mining ($137,011).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Colorado to other states, or from other states to Colorado.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Mixed freight
$23.8B
Coal-n.e.c.
$20.7B
Machinery
$16.3B

In 2020, the top outbound Colorado product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $23.8B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($20.7B) and Machinery ($16.3B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Colorado products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Colorado.

$221B

2020 Value in Colorado

$434B

Projected 2050 Value in Colorado

96.6% growth

In 2020, total outbound Colorado trade was $221B. This is expected to increase 96.6% to $434B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Colorado trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Colorado to other states, or from other states to Colorado.

Most Common Trade Partners

California
$10.3B
Texas
$10.2B
Wyoming
$9.13B

In 2020, the top outbound Colorado domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was California with $10.3B, followed by Texas with $10.2B and Wyoming and $9.13B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Colorado shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Colorado went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.6%). The most partisan county was Kiowa County, CO with 88% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are the senators currently representing the state of Colorado. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Colorado is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (55%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (41.6%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.6%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Colorado went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.6%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Colorado for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Joseph R Biden Jr.

Popular Vote for Colorado

55% for the Democratic Party

Most Partisan Counties in Colorado

Kiowa County, CO
88% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Cheyenne County, CO
87.4% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Washington County, CO
86.3% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in Colorado was Kiowa County, CO with 88% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Colorado colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Colorado

Michael Bennet

Senator from Colorado

Assumed office on January 21, 2009
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Ken Salazar, who had become Secretary of the Interior.

John Hickenlooper

Senator from Colorado

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are the senators currently representing Colorado.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Colorado over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from Colorado

Colorado is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Colorado have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Colorado awarded 96,372 degrees. The student population of Colorado is skewed towards women, with 158,796 male students and 216,127 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Colorado are White (58,304 and 62.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15,094 and 16.2%), Unknown (5,771 and 6.21%), and Black or African American (5,521 and 5.94%).

The largest universities in Colorado by number of degrees awarded are University of Colorado Boulder (9,622 and 9.98%), Colorado State University-Fort Collins (8,111 and 8.42%), and Front Range Community College (6,583 and 6.83%).

The most popular majors in Colorado are General Business Administration & Management (10,768 and 11.2%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (3,823 and 3.97%), and Registered Nursing (3,451 and 3.58%).

The median tuition costs in Colorado are $34,400 for private four year colleges, and $6,816 and $17,592 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
2,124 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
1,815 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
5,371 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Colorado was Registered Nursing with 2,124 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Colorado according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Colorado Boulder
9,622 degrees awarded
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
8,111 degrees awarded
Front Range Community College
6,583 degrees awarded

$6,816

Median In-State Public

$34,400

Median Private

In 2020, the Colorado institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Colorado Boulder with 9,622 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

41,992

Degrees Awarded to Men

54,380

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 41,992 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Colorado, which is 0.772 times less than the 54,380 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 institutions in Colorado by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
58,304 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
15,094 degrees awarded
Unknown
5,771 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Colorado was White students. These 58,304 degrees mean that there were 3.86 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 15,094 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Colorado was $394,600 in 2019, which is 1.64 times larger than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $373,300 to $394,600, a 5.71% increase. The homeownership rate in Colorado is 65.9%, which is higher than the national average of 64.1%. People in Colorado have an average commute time of 24.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Colorado is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$394,600

2019 Median

± $2,695

$373,300

2018 Median

± $2,652

In 2019, the median property value in Colorado grew to to $394,600 from the previous year's value of $373,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Colorado compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Colorado the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$77,127

Median Household Income

± $791

2.24M

Number of Households

± 25,958

In 2019, the median household income of the 2.24M households in Colorado grew to $77,127 from the previous year's value of $71,953.

The following chart displays the households in Colorado distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Colorado distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Colorado the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

Rent vs Own

65.9%

2019 Homeownership

65.1%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 65.9% of the housing units in Colorado were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.1%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Colorado compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

24.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Colorado have a shorter commute time (24.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26 minutes). Additionally, 2.24% of the workforce in Colorado have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Colorado compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (74.2%)
Worked At Home (9.12%)
Carpooled (8.58%)

In 2019, 74.2% of workers in Colorado drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.12%) and those who carpooled to work (8.58%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Colorado distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Colorado have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

92% of the population of Colorado has health coverage, with 51.2% on employee plans, 14.6% on Medicaid, 10.8% on Medicare, 13% on non-group plans, and 2.37% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Colorado was $6,804 in 2014. This is a 5.13% increase from the previous year ($6,472).

Primary care physicians in Colorado see 1211 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.656% decrease from the previous year (1219 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1220 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 269 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Costilla County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (17.9%). Additionally, Logan County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (36%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,211 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Colorado

Primary care physicians in Colorado see an average of 1,211 patients per year. This represents a 0.656% decrease from the previous year (1,219 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Colorado in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

$6,804

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Colorado

$4,623

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,143

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,287

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Colorado (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 5.13%, from $6,472 to $6,804.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

8.01%

Uninsured

51.2%

Employer Coverage

14.6%

Medicaid

10.8%

Medicare

13%

Non-Group

2.37%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Colorado grew by 6.41% from 7.52% to 8.01%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Colorado changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.