Where Are Transplants Moving to Denver From? Here Are the Top 29 Places

Last December, statistics showed that Colorado is the second fastest growing state in the country (behind only North Dakota) thanks to the addition of more than 100,000 new residents between July 2014 and July 2015. And a large percentage of them wound up in the Denver area. But where did they...

By Michael Roberts

August 9, 2016

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Last December, statistics showed that Colorado is the second fastest growing state in the country (behind only North Dakota), thanks to the addition of more than 100,000 new residents between July 2014 and July 2015. And a large percentage of them wound up in the Denver area.

But where did they come from? Sparefoot.com provides some fascinating answers to that question.

Drawing from U.S. Census Bureau data between 2009 and 2013, the site discovered that 64 percent of those who moved to Denver County during that span — 42,674 people — relocated from another county in Colorado.

That means that the remaining 36 percent, representing 23,751 people, came from out of state — and Sparefoot figures show the actual numbers for 29 U.S. counties.

Many of the digits confirm what longtime residents have long suspected, based simply on the license plates seen on local roadways. For example, three California counties are in the top six, including the number-one place when it comes to new Denver residents — more than 4,000 of them. But there are plenty of surprises along the way.

Count down the photo-illustrated top 29 below, featuring each county's ranking and the number of people from there who moved to Denver County circa 2009-2013. Click to check out Sparefoot's original post.

Number 29:
Bexar County, Texas
625

Number 28:
Orange County, Florida
657

Number 27:
New York, New York
680

Number 26:
San Francisco, California
682

Number 25:
Bernalillo County, New Mexico
684

Number 24:
Marion County, Indiana
698

Number 23:
Hennepin County, Minnesota
705

Number 22:
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
711

Number 21:
Dane County, Wisconsin
736

Number 20:
Oakland County, Michigan
740

Number 19:
Ramsey County, Minnesota
771

Number 18:
Pima County, Arizona
780

Number 17:
Johnson County, Kansas
796

Number 16:
Polk County, Iowa
844

Number 15:
Douglas County, Nebraska
879

Number 14:
Franklin County, Ohio
886

Number 13:
Travis County, Texas
1,133

Continue to see the top twelve counties that sent the most new residents to Denver County between 2009 and 2013.

Number 12 (tie):
Harris County, Texas
1,159

Number 12 (tie):
King County, Washington
1,159

Number 10:
Multnomah County, Oregon
1,222

Number 9:
Clark County, Nevada
1,283

Number 8:
El Paso County, Texas
1,351

Number 7:
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
1,418

Number 6:
Orange County, California
1,664

Number 5:
San Diego County, California
1,689

Number 4:
Maricopa County, Arizona
2,054

Number 3:
Dallas County, Texas
2,083

Number 2:
Cook County, Illinois
2,186

Number 1:
Los Angeles County, California
4,247

Total out-of-state migration to Denver County, Colorado:
23,751

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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