CU Boulder: Modest Growth for Colorado in 2026

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The Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder released its 61st annual Colorado Business Economic Outlook today. The economists at the Leeds School forecast state real GDP growth of 2.1% in 2025 and 2.9% in 2026, and are projecting employment growth of 17,500, or 0.6%, in 2026, compared to an estimated 0.5% increase in 2025. A significant portion of the growth in payrolls is expected to come from the health and education sector, followed by the trade sector. The economists note that the state’s labor market is constrained due to slower population growth. They estimate that Colorado will only see a 0.6% increase in population in both 2025 and 2026 because of a low birth rate, an aging population, and declines in both domestic and international net migration. You can read the press release here and the entire 182 page report here.

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