Examining the relationship between jobs, people, and migration in Colorado

Chris Akers, Colorado State Demography Office

Population growth has again become a hot button topic in Colorado. Oftentimes people will talk about what can be done to limit this growth, without pausing to examine the driving force behind it. Simply put, people are moving to Colorado (especially our urban areas) because it provides them with opportunities they cannot find elsewhere. Many people migrate to Colorado to work, so limiting population growth would likely mean limited job growth as well. This talk will explore the iterative population / employment model the Demography Office uses to forecast the state’s population through 2050 and job growth through 2040. It will look at the characteristics of Colorado residents as the state’s population ages and becomes more diverse.

Chris Akers

Chris Akers is an Economist with the State Demography Office in the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). He produces employment estimates and a long-term job forecast for Colorado and all 64 counties within the state and identifies economic drivers across the state. Chris is part of a team that does extensive outreach with local governments and other stakeholders to help them understand and use economic and demographic data and forecasts. Prior to joining DOLA, he worked ten years as a Statistical Analyst with Labor Market Information (LMI) in the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment where he produced an array of employment and wage data. Chris has a degree in Economics from Vanderbilt University.

DABE Luncheon Information
Reservations and prepayment required using the registration system at the top of the page. Please RSVP by 10am one business day prior to the luncheon.