Population Size & Growth

Date updated: 07/30/2012

The population data are based on United States Census information from 1990, 2000 and 2010, and on estimates from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), and the Larimer County Planning Department.

Population estimates for Larimer County are available from the United States Census Bureau and the Colorado State Demography Office. The estimates vary, with the state's estimates being slightly higher than the Census Bureau's estimates. Information on methodologies is available from the United States Census Bureau and the Colorado State Demography Office.

What this chart shows: Population of Larimer County, 2000 - 2011

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, (2000 to 2009) and (2010 and 2011)

See data table

What this chart shows: Estimated Population Growth in Larimer County, 2012 - 2030

Data Source: Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA)

See data table

What the above data tell us:

Larimer County's population grew approximately 19% between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census.

Colorado's State Demography Office estimates the annual population will increase each year by 1.5% to 2.0% through 2030.

What this table shows: Total Estimated Population in Larimer County Communities, 2003-2012

Total Estimated Population in Larimer County Communities
	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Berthoud*	4,999	4,999	4,988	5,085	5,186	5,249	5,281	5,320	5,351	5,397
Estes Park	5,651	5,808	5,821	6,021	6,165	6,282	6,404	6,458	6,505	6,534
Fort Collins	127,155	129,151	129,951	131,711	134,169	135,843	137,503	139,587	140,158	141,841
Johnstown*	65	65	65	81	89	292	401	523	718	916
Loveland	57,355	59,198	60,407	62,114	64,166	64,858	65,442	65,614	67,330	67,786
Timnath	229	229	227	228	231	451	609	718	876	1,226
Wellington	3,365	3,784	4,478	5,126	5,445	5,617	5,703	5,737	5,797	5,852
Windsor*	1,183	1,446	1,968	2,360	2,373	2,593	2,688	2,741	2,838	2,989

*Larimer County portion only

Data Source: Larimer County Planning Department (data not available online)

What the above data tell us:

The smaller communities of Johnston, Timnath, Wellington and Windsor saw the largest percentage increases in population between 2003 and 2012. In comparison, growth in Berthoud, Estes Park, and Fort Collins was smaller than for Larimer County as a whole.

In 2010, Larimer County became the sixth most populous county in the state. See the data table for more information on population growth in Colorado's largest counties since 1990.

According to the 2010 Census, Fort Collins is now the fourth largest city in Colorado. See the data table for more information on population increases in Colorado's largest cities since 1990.

Note: Percentage increases can be misleading when applied to smaller populations. In looking at Larimer County's smaller cities and towns, small increases in numbers of residents may translate into large gains in percentage of population increases.

What this chart shows: Components of Population Change in Larimer County, 1970 - 2029

Data Source: Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA)

See data table

What the above data tell us:

Net migration (difference between residents moving into and out of the county) has accounted for at least 50% of the population increase in Larimer County since 1970.

The Colorado State Demography Office estimates that beginning in 2015, nearly three-quarters of the county's population will be the result of net migration and not due to births.

Additional Information:

Related Information on COMPASS -

• Crime & Safety
• Demographics

• Economy - Business
• Enrollment by Ethnicity - Public Schools
• Enrollment - Preschool
• Enrollment by School District

• Growth
• Housing
• Transportation

Other Resources -

• Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) - the population section contains population estimates, forecasts through 2035 at the county level, and forecasts and estimates by age groupings, among other data sets.
• Larimer County Planning Department
• United States Census - in addition to numerous Census data sets, population estimates through the local level can be found here.

Standards or Targets: N/A

Data Tables:

Estimated Population of Larimer County

2000 Census	251,494
2001	260,746
2002	265,659
2003	268,671
2004	271,830
2005	275,477
2006	281,215
2007	286,927
2008	292,889
2009	298,382
2010 Census	299,630
2011	305,525

See chart

Estimated Population of Larimer County

Year	Estimated Population		Year	Estimated Population
2012	308,439		2022	374,682
2013	313,749		2023	381,773
2014	319,627		2024	388,806
2015	325,776		2025	395,785
2016	332,659		2026	402,666
2017	339,519		2027	409,255
2018	346,370		2028	415,551
2019	353,215		2029	421,779
2020	360,274		2030	427,926
2021	367,527		------	----------

See chart

Population Increase in Colorado's Largest Counties

Population Rank			County	Population			Population Increase
1990	2000	2010		1990 Census	2000 Census	2010 Census	Increase 1990 to 2000	Increase 2000 to 2010
3	3	1	El Paso	397,014	516,929	622,263	30%	20%
1	1	2	Denver	467,610	554,636	600,158	19%	8%
4	4	3	Arapahoe	391,511	487,967	572,003	25%	17%
2	2	4	Jefferson	438,430	527,056	534,543	20%	1%
5	5	5	Adams	265,038	363,857	441,603	37%	21%
7	7	6	Larimer	186,136	251,494	299,630	35%	19%
6	6	7	Boulder	225,339	291,288	294,567	29%	1%
11	9	8	Douglas	60,391	175,766	285,465	191%	62%
8	8	9	Weld	131,821	180,936	252,825	37%	40%
9	10	10	Pueblo	123,051	141,472	159,063	15%	12%

Back to 'What the above data tell us'

Population Increase in Colorado's Largest Cities

Population Rank			City	Population			Population Increase
1990	2000	2010		1990 Census	2000 Census	2010 Census	Increase 1990 to 2000	Increase 2000 to 2010
1	1	1	Denver	467,610	554,636	600,158	19%	8%
2	2	2	Colorado Springs	281,140	360,890	416,427	28%	15%
3	3	3	Aurora	222,103	276,393	325,078	24%	18%
7	5	4	Fort Collins	87,758	118,652	143,986	35%	21%
4	4	5	Lakewood	126,481	144,126	142,980	14%	-1%
11	10	6	Thornton	55,031	82,384	118,772	50%	44%
5	7	7	Pueblo	98,640	102,121	106,595	4%	4%
6	6	8	Arvada	89,235	102,153	106,433	15%	4%
9	8	9	Westminster	74,625	100,940	106,114	35%	5%
---	---	10	Centennial	---	---	100,377	---	---
8	9	11	Boulder	83,312	94,673	97,385	14%	3%
---	13	12	Highlands Ranch	10,181	70,931	96,713	597%	36%
10	11	13	Greeley	60,536	76,930	92,889	27%	21%
12	12	14	Longmont	51,555	71,093	86,270	38%	21%
13	14	15	Loveland	37,352	50,608	66,859	35%	32%

Back to 'What the above data tell us'

Components of Population Change in Larimer County

	Natural Increase		Net Migration
	#	%	#	%
1970-74	4,386	12.8%	29,817	87.2%
1975-79	5,385	21.0%	20,243	79.0%
1980-84	8,344	39.8%	12,625	60.2%
1985-89	8,635	50.5%	8,463	49.5%
1990-94	8,069	26.9%	21,932	73.1%
1995-99	7,646	24.5%	23,582	75.5%
2000-04	9,134	33.7%	17,977	66.3%
2005-09	9,384	38.7%	14,849	61.3%
2010-14	10,362	42.2%	12,793	57.8%
2015-19	10,464	29.9%	23,542	70.1%
2020-24	10,366	26.9%	26,034	73.1%
2025-29	9,903	26.7%	24,158	73.3%

See chart

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