Smaller Colorado towns see biggest growth

Colorado’s smaller cities and towns saw the greatest growth from 2020 to 2022, new U.S. Census Bureau estimates show, while the state’s largest cities and ski towns saw declining or stable populations.

The changes come as Colorado’s population ages and people search for more affordable housing, state demographer Elizabeth Garner said.

Keenesburg, a Weld County town along Interstate 76 about 40 miles northeast of Denver, logged the most growth with a 65% population explosion over two years. That town grew to 2,080 in 2022 from 1,258 in 2020.

“They’ve been putting in a lot of housing,” Garner said. “A lot of the metro area has already been built. Keenesburg is a great location on a transportation corridor. It’s lower cost.”

The census…