Economy & Economic Development  May 20, 2016

Census Bureau ranks Broomfield 9th-fastest growing city in U.S.

Broomfield is the nation’s ninth-fastest-growing large city, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau that also showed Greeley cracking the 100,000 barrier for the first time.

The bureau measured the growth of cities with populations of 50,000 or more between July 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015. For the period, Broomfield is estimated to post 5.2 percent growth, for a population of 65,065, up from 62,138 on July 1, 2014.

Texas was home to five of the 11 fastest-growing cities, with Austin suburb Georgetown placing first. The only city outside the South or West that made it onto the top 15 for growth was the Des Moines suburb of Ankeny, Iowa.

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Denver joined the list of the 20 most populous cities in the United States, moving up two spots to 19th, displacing Detroit, which fell from 18th to 21st. Denver ranked ninth for numeric growth year over year, adding 18,582 people for a total of 682,545.

According to the July 2015 estimates. Fort Collins ranked 156th in the nation, with a population of 161,175, Boulder was 276th at 107,349, and Greeley was 298th at 100,883.

The bureau projected that Larimer County’s population was 333,577 as of July 1, up from 324,122 on the same date in 2014. It estimated Boulder County at 319,372 people, up from 313,333, and Weld County at 285,174, up from 277,670.

To produce population estimates for cities and towns, the Census Bureau first generates county population, which updates the latest census population using data on births, deaths, and domestic and international migration. This yields a county-level total of the population living in households. Next, updated housing unit estimates and rates of overall occupancy are used to distribute county household population into geographic areas within the county. Then, estimates of the population living in group quarters, such as college dormitories and prisons, are added to create estimates of the total resident population.

Dallas Heltzell
With BizWest since 2012 and in Colorado since 1979, Dallas worked at the Longmont Times-Call, Colorado Springs Gazette, Denver Post and Public News Service. A Missouri native and Mizzou School of Journalism grad, Dallas started as a sports writer and outdoor columnist at the St. Charles (Mo.) Banner-News, then went to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before fleeing the heat and humidity for the Rockies. He especially loves covering our mountain communities.
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