6 Million and Counting: Can Northern Colorado Keep Up With Colorado's Population Boom?

Colorado's population surpassed 6 million on July 1, 2025, hitting 6,012,561 — a 0.92% increase driven by rising births and net migration, according to Census Bureau estimates released by the governor's office.

For Larimer and Weld counties — among Colorado's fastest-growing regions — the milestone raises urgent questions: Can local housing, schools, roads, and public safety match the pace of growth?

Births jumped 4.6% to 65,380 — the highest since 2017 — while net migration surged from 33,370 in 2023 to 38,860 in 2024, according to state demography data.

Yet statewide housing construction data suggests supply may not be keeping pace. Colorado's total housing units grew 1.62% from 2023 to 2024, while building permits fell 18.32% to 32,185, according to the State Demography Office.

"While growth had its challenges, like the potential to push up housing prices, the actions we are taking to make it easier to build new homes are effective in keeping rents and home prices stable while building more housing people can afford," Polis said in a statement released by the governor's office.

Northern Colorado felt this growth acutely. During the pandemic, Weld County posted a 2.8% growth rate, ranking among the fastest-growing large counties in the region, according to Economic Innovation Group analysis. Larimer and Weld together saw net migration of 35,656 people during that period. Both counties continue to attract residents, drawn by job growth and housing costs lower than in Denver and Boulder.

Rising births, strong migration, and constrained housing construction are converging in fast-growing Northern Colorado communities — Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Windsor, and Severance. Whether state housing and infrastructure policies can meet the local demand remains to be seen. Statewide, household population rose 0.96% as housing units grew just 1.62% — a gap that may strain fastest-growing counties hardest.