HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 9/26/2023 - Memorandum From Ryan Mounce Re: Population & School Enrollment Growth Trends
Planning, Development & Transportation
Community Development & Neighborhood Services
281 N. College Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.416.2350
970.224.6134 FAX
www.fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
DATE: September 21, 2023
TO: Mayor Arndt and City Councilmembers
THRU: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, Planning, Development & Transportation Director
Paul Sizemore, Community Development & Neighborhood Services Director
Clay Frickey, Interim Planning Manager
FROM: Ryan Mounce, City Planner
RE: Population & School Enrollment Growth Trends
The purpose of this memo is to provide information on recent population and school enrollment growth
requested at the September 11, 2023, Leadership Planning Team meeting.
Bottom Line
Over the past 10-years, population growth in Fort Collins has decelerated and outpaced student
enrollment growth for both Colorado State University (CSU) and Poudre School District (PSD). The 10-
year growth rate for Fort Collins was 14.4% while enrollment growth at CSU and PSD was 3.2% and 7.2%
respectively.
Population Growth Rates
Data for the numeric change and rate of growth for Fort Collins, Colorado, and the US over the prior
decade (2013-2023) can be found in the tables below. Over this period, Fort Collins’ 10-year growth rate
of 14.4% is higher than both Colorado and the nation and represents a numeric increase of
approximately 22,000 persons over the 10-year period.
A notable trend for all three geographies is a continuing deceleration in annual growth rates. At the
national level, lower birth rates, lower immigration, and an increase in excess mortality during the COVID
pandemic are often noted as contributing factors for the deceleration. Similar trends can also be noted
for Fort Collins and Colorado. Locally, the price of housing/rent, and an ongoing reduction in developable
land in the Growth Management Area are also likely contributing factors. City Plan and staff anticipate a
continuing deceleration in the community ’s growth rate into the future.
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Fort Collins Colorado US
2013 Population 152,511 5,270,884 316,128,839
2023 Population 174,445 5,913,110 333,287,557
10-yr Numeric Increase 21,934 642,226 17,158,718
10-yr Growth Rate 14.4% 12.2% 5.4%
Year Annual Growth Rate
Fort Collins Colorado US
2013 1.60% 1.47% 0.71%
2014 2.71% 1.46% 0.86%
2015 2.76% 1.85% 0.80%
2016 1.42% 1.52% 0.53%
2017 0.95% 1.27% 0.80%
2018 1.47% 1.38% 0.44%
2019 1.84% 1.02% 0.33%
2020 -0.21% 0.86% 0.98%
2021 0.46% 0.53% 0.13%
2022 1.71% 0.74% 0.42%
2023 0.44% 0.95% 0.28%
Sources: US Census, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, City of Fort Collin s
Colorado State University & Poudre School District Enrollment
Yearly enrollment data for Colorado State University (CSU) and Poudre School District (PSD) can be found
in the table below. CSU figures include total enrollment numbers, which includes in-person and online
enrollment, and Resident Instruction (RI) enrollment, which only includes students attending on campus
classes. PSD enrollment data includes all Pre-K through 12th grade students.
Between 2013 and 2022, enrollment growth for CSU Resident Instruction was 3.2% and enrollment
growth for PSD students was 7.9%. Similar to Fort Collins’s population, both institutions experienced a
small decrease in enrollment around the time of the pandemic but have recently resumed growth.
Year CSU Total
Enrollment
CSU Resident
Instruction
Enrollment
Poudre School
District
Enrollment
2013 31,514 26,492 27,908
2014 31,725 26,553 28,439
2015 32,236 27,017 29,053
2016 33,198 27,730 29,527
2017 33,413 27,867 29,682
2018 33,877 28,095 30,019
2019 34,166 28,264 30,463
2020 32,765 27,218 30,764
2021 32,908 27,313 29,417
2022 33,455 27,334 29,941
2023 TBD TBD 30,105
Sources: Colorado State University, Poudre School District, Colorado Department of Education
DocuSign Envelope ID: 70609C5E-695C-4344-8605-51607C61A949