Colorado is growing, Census 2020 gearing up to count them all

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By John C. Shepard

Special to The SUN

More people moved into Colorado last year than moved out, continuing the state’s trend of population growth. In 2018, approximately 239,000 people were attracted to Colorado and just over 203,000 people left, for a net gain of about 36,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) estimates released Oct. 31.

In April 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau will be making its once-a-decade count of all residents, including these newcomers. Efforts are already underway in Colorado to help ensure a complete count. Region 9 Economic Development District and the Southwest Colorado Council of Governments are coordinating efforts with the Colorado State Demographer’s Office.

Locally, the Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce is organizing the Archuleta County Complete Count Committee. Its first meeting is Friday, Nov. 15, at 11 a.m. at the Chamber offices, 105 Hot Springs Blvd.

The large number of people moving into and out of Colorado will be a challenge for the Census. In Pagosa Springs, Texas license plates aren’t unusual to see in traffic across southwest Colorado, but statewide, the largest number of new residents moved from California. Over 28,000 people left the Golden State for the Centennial State in 2018, with almost 27,000 making the move from the Lone Star State. Florida contributed about 14,000, followed by over 11,000 from New Mexico and more than 9,000 from Virginia.

The road does go both ways. Texas gained more than 21,000 former Colorado residents in 2018, with close to 19,000 moving to California and close to 16,000 moving to Florida. Arizona attracted more than 11,000, followed by the state of Washington.

The following chart shows Colorado residents who moved to another state in 2018 as “Out Migrants” and those moving to Colorado from that state as “In Migrants.”

In Migrants Out Migrants

California 28,288 18,755

Texas 26,930 21,509

Florida 14,017 15,746

New Mexico 11,444 4,877

Virginia 9,260 4,557

Arizona 7,987 11,517

Washington 6,686 10,122

This information was taken from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey one-year migration flows.