Denver, Colorado Population 2023

699,288

Denver is a city located in Denver County Colorado. It is also the county seat of Denver County. With a 2023 population of 699,288, it is the largest city in Colorado and the 19th largest city in the United States.Denver is currently declining at a rate of -0.86% annually and its population has decreased by -2.56% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 717,630 in 2020. Spanning over 155 miles, Denver has a population density of 4,562 people per square mile.

The average household income in Denver is $99,151 with a poverty rate of 13.98%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Denver is 34.6 years, 34.4 years for males, and 34.8 years for females.

Denver, officially the City and County of Denver, is the capital of Colorado and the largest city in the state. Denver is also the most populous city within a 500-mile radius.

Denver is a rapidly growing area. According to the Census Bureau, it ranks 11th on the list of cities in the country with the most significant addition of residents, adding nearly 15,000 people between 2011 and 2012. The state of Colorado is the second fastest growing state in the US, driven in large part by growth in the Denver metro area.

While the 2016 population is estimated at over 680,000, the metropolitan area is much larger. The 10-county Denver-Aurora-Broomfield Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has a population of 2.8 million, making it the 21st most populous MSA in the country. The 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area, meanwhile, had a population of 3.15 million in 2013.

Denver Diversity and Age Statistics

The most common ancestry groups in Denver are Mexican (31.2%), German (14.6%), Irish (9.7%), English (8.9%) and Italian (4.0%). 23.5% of Denver's population speaks Spanish at home.

Denver Population Growth

Denver has led Colorado in population growth for four years in a row, according to the Census Bureau. Denver is both the fastest growing city and county in the state, with a growth rate of 2.42% from 2011 to 2012.

The city-county's growth is attributed to the ongoing development of areas like Stapleton, the buildout of the area's few remaining greenfield areas and a great deal of densification in the urban area. Denver is now the fastest growing city in the United States overall, and also first among large metro areas for population gain in the 25-34-year age group.

A 2013 economic forecast for metro Denver shows net migration in 2013 of close to 17,000, with an employment growth rate of 2.0%. Denver will continue to remain an attractive area to new residents through migration, and it's estimated the city will reach 700,000 and beyond by 2020.

The wider metro area is projected to reach 4.1 million by 2040, according to projections from the state demographer.

Denver City was founded in 1858 as a mining town during the peak of a Gold Rush in the area. Earlier in the year, gold prospectors arrived from Kansas and established Montana City along the South Platte River, which later became the city of Denver. This first settlement was abandoned by 1859 in favor of Auraria and nearby St. Charles City.

General William Larimer, a land speculator, staked a claim on the bluff overlooking the river across the creek from Auraria in 1858, naming the town site Denver City in an attempt to curry favor with Kansas Territorial Governor James W. Denver, although he didn't realize the governor had already resigned. Parcels of land were sold to miners and merchants, and Denver City became a frontier town with an economy centered on livestock, saloons, and gambling.

By 1861, the Colorado Territory was created, followed by Arapahoe County and the incorporation of Denver City a week later. Denver City became the Territorial Capital 6 years later, and its name was shortened to Denver given its importance.

Denver was finally linked to the rest of the country by railway in 1870, and its population grew as millionaires and those in poverty both made the city their home. Between 1870 and 1880, the population increased 648.7%, followed by almost 200% growth in the next decade. While its growth has slowed, it has continued to grow in both importance and size through the 20th and 21st century.

Denver Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Denver was:

  • White: 72.24%
  • Black or African American: 9.18%
  • Two or more races: 7.08%
  • Other race: 6.95%
  • Asian: 3.61%
  • Native American: 0.78%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.16%
The current population of Denver, Colorado is 699,288 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 717,630.

Denver, Colorado Population 2023

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Denver Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

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White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Denver Population by Race

Denver Population Pyramid 2023

Denver Median Age

34.6

Total

34.4

Male

34.8

Female

Denver Adults

There are 577,048 adults, (84,203 of whom are seniors) in Denver.

Denver Age Dependency

45.3

Age Dependency Ratio

17.1

Old Age Dependency Ratio

28.2

Child Dependency Ratio

Denver Sex Ratio

Female357,20949.9%
Male358,66950.1%

Denver Population by Age

Denver Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.38

Average Family Size

2.44

Average Household Size

50.4%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Denver Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Denver Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Denver Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 89.43%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 60.59%.

Denver Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$49,129

Average Earnings

$52,903

Average Male

$43,382

Average Female

Denver Earnings by Educational Attainment

Denver Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Denver Language

75.44% of Denver residents speak only English, while 24.56% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 18.23% of the population.

Denver Language

Denver Poverty by Race

rate

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13.98%

Overall Poverty Rate

10.79%

Male Poverty Rate

12.93%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Denver

The race most likely to be in poverty in Denver is Black, with 27.85% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Denver is White, with 8.47% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.08%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.38%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 24.43%.

Denver Poverty

rate

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Denver Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Denver Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Denver Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Denver Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

37.8%

Overall Marriage Rate

37.9%

Male Marriage Rate

37.7%

Female Marriage Rate

Denver Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Denver Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Denver Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Denver Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

28,730

Number of Veterans

26,050

Male Veterans

2,680

Female Veterans

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Denver Veterans by War

count

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Denver Veterans by Age

count

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Denver Veterans by Race

Denver Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

7.88%

Veteran Poverty Rate

25.43%

Veteran Disability Rate

Denver Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

72.4%

Labor Force Participation

69.1%

Employment Rate

4.3%

Unemployment Rate

Denver Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Denver Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Denver Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

39.82%

Born in Denver

85.76%

Native Born

14%

Foreign Born

7.88%

Non Citizen

6.12%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

85.76% of Denver residents were born in the United States, with 39.82% having been born in Colorado. 7.88% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Denver Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change
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Denver Population by Year