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Garfield County, CO: population growth, jobs and income

Garfield County lost 346 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.5%).

Garfield County had an estimated 63,474 residents in 2025, up 2.7% (1,681 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Colorado as a whole (+3.9%), and the 28th fastest growth of 61 counties in Colorado.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Garfield County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Garfield County, ranked against Colorado and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,637/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes6.2%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months1762025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 770 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 21,223 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.2% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.2% in 2025, 0.7 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 294 new homes in 2025, or 4.6 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $91,131 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +20.8% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 1,073rd.

Part of the Rifle, CO micro area.

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Garfield County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202563,474−346
202463,820+605
202363,215+757
202262,458+336
202162,122+329
202061,793–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Garfield County

Garfield County grew by 1,681 people since 2020 even though 1,362 more residents moved to other U.S. counties than came from them: births outnumbered deaths by 1,576, and net international migration added 1,464.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+337+1,576
International migrationfrom and to other countries+89+1,464
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−770−1,362
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−2+3
Total change−346+1,681

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn ColoradoAmong U.S. counties
Population growth28th of 611,073rd of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents54th of 612,934th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth31st of 611,181st of 3,092
Median household income19th of 61278th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate8th of 61544th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents30th of 61687th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Garfield County, CO as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Garfield County's population change (+2.7%) was ahead of 5 of its 7 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Mesa County and Uintah County, UT).

3 of its 7 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Garfield County's $91,131 (2020–24).

Garfield County, CO and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Garfield County, CO This county63,474+2.7%−12.14.6$91,131
Rio Blanco County, CO6,683+2.5%−17.12.2$65,473
Pitkin County, CO16,625−4.3%−11.92.2$102,645
Routt County, CO25,329+2.0%−11.48.6$106,489
Eagle County, CO54,291−2.5%−12.24.1$104,096
Mesa County, CO162,845+4.4%10.15.0$73,658
Uintah County, UT38,278+7.3%−3.34.4$73,746
Grand County, UT9,790+1.1%4.512.7$67,106

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

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Questions

Is Garfield County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 2.7% between 2020 and 2025, about 1,681 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Colorado as a whole changed +3.9% over the same years. That ranks 28th of 61 counties in Colorado for population growth.

How many people moved to Garfield County?

On net, none in 2025: about 770 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Garfield County?

It averaged 3.2% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Garfield County?

About 63,474 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Garfield County?

Private employers there had 21,223 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.2% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Colorado

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Colorado county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Garfield County data alerts

Email me when Garfield County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Garfield County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.