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Index: Community Development / Subcategory: Growth

Housing Units

Date posted: 06/30/2008

According to the United States Census, a housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall.

What this chart shows: Growth in Housing Units versus Population, 2002-2006

Growth in Housing Units versus Population, 2002-2006

Data Source: Colorado Department of Local Affairs - Demographics of Housing and Households

See data table

What these data tell us:

From 2002 to 2006, housing unit growth was consistently higher than population growth in Colorado, Larimer County, and Larimer County communities. In 2006, there were 126,120 housing units in Larimer County, with a population of 277,343. This means there were approximately 2.2 people per housing unit in Larimer County.

Between 2000 and 2001, population and housing units within Larimer County increased at approximately the same rate, 3.3% and 3.4%, respectively. After 2001, housing units growth began to exceed population growth, peaking at over three times the population growth in 2004 and 2005 before leveling off again in 2006. (See the data table below.)

A 2004 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report on the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) that includes Fort Collins and Loveland states that the population growth rate decline for the period may be attributed to a slowdown in employment over the past several years. However, historically low mortgage interest rates kept the demand for housing stable even in a weak economy. Numerous down payment assistance programs that allowed home buyers to purchase a home with little or no money down also helped drive the housing demand.

Loveland had the largest difference in housing versus population growth, with housing units increasing 17.0%, and population increasing only 10.1%. Windsor experienced the greatest amount of growth in both areas during the five years.

(See the data table for additional information on smaller Larimer County communities).

Additional Information

On Compass -

Outside Compass -

Standards or Targets: N/A

Data Table:

Housing and Population Growth - Colorado, Larimer County, & Cities

Housing Units

Population

Area

2002

2006

Percent Change

2002

2006

Percent Change

Colorado

1,935,630

2,118,942

9.5%

4,516,845

4,813,536

6.6%

Larimer County

112,611

126,120

12.0%

262,711

277,343

5.6%

Berthoud (MCP)

1,997

2,113

5.8%

5,021

5,000

-0.4%

Estes Park

3,502

3,956

13.0%

5,571

5,921

6.28%

Fort Collins

51,269

56,778

10.8%

124,428

129,511

4.2%

Loveland

22,524

26,352

17.0%

54,862

60,393

10.1%

Johnstown (MCP)

28

30

7.1%

68

80

17.65%

Timnath

96

100

4.2%

229

224

-2.2%

Wellington

1,002

2,011

100.7%

2,714

5,040

85.7%

Windsor (MCP)

147

1,037

605.4%

349

2,321

565.0%

Unincorporated

32,048

33,743

5.29%

69,469

68,853

-0.9%

See chart

Percentage Change in Housing and Population Growth

Year

Number of
Housing Units

% change
from year prior

Population

% change
from year prior

2000

106,285

251,494

2001

109,865

3.4%

259,755

3.3%

2002

112,611

2.5%

262,711

1.1%

2003

116,467

3.4%

266,610

1.5%

2004

119,569

2.7%

269,138

0.9%

2005

123,061

2.9%

271,951

1.0%

2006

126,120

2.5%

277,343

2.0%