Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

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Colorado economy driving into 2026 with the fog lights on

Note: Jeffco and Colorado are now net emigration but Lakewood is still concerned about growth.
 
By Aldo Svaldi, asvaldi@denverpost.com
 
Colorado’s economy will continue to crawl along next year, with GDP growth strengthening but job gains remaining sluggish as some of the state’s highest-paying sectors shed jobs, according to the 2026 Colorado Business Economic Outlook from the University of Colorado.
 
Adjusting for inflation, Colorado’s economy grew 2% last year and an estimated 2.1% this year. It is expected to reach a 2.9% pace next year, according to the panel of experts assembled by the Leeds School of Business. At that pace, state GDP would be close to the historical average of 3% a year since 1990.
 
But that stronger growth won’t generate the same number of new jobs as it used to. Colorado’s GDP may be beating strong, but the economy appears to have developed a case of arteriosclerosis when it comes to creating jobs.
 
Employment growth in the state was 1.1% in 2024, an estimated 0.4% this year and the forecast calls for a 0.6% gain or 17,500 net new jobs. Going back to 1990, the state has added an average of 55,000 jobs a year. There should be more jobs given GDP growth, and it isn’t entirely clear why that isn’t the case.
 
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