Denver’s population grew modestly between 2021 and 2022, but the city has yet to regain the population lost after the 2020 pandemic.

The city’s population in 2022, according to Vintage 2022 Population Estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau, was 713,252. That was 1,929 more people than in 2021, but 4,304 fewer people than 2020.

“Metro Denver experienced net out-migration in 2021 for the first time since 2003 and 2005,” according to Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. “In 2021, only Broomfield and Douglas Counties posted net in-migration while the other five Metro Denver counties experienced net out-migration as individuals presumably moved from more densely populated areas to more open areas.”

The Census Bureau reported that “U.S. metro areas grew by approximately 0.4% between 2021 and 2022.” Denver’s growth was 0.3%.

While population growth strengthened over the last two years, the number of new residents remained below historic averages, the Metro Denver EDC reported in their 2020 economic forecast. Prior to the pandemic, Denver was No. 8 nationally based on population growth. The Census Bureau reported an increase of 10,946 people bringing the city’s population to 727,211 residents.

Much of Colorado’s economic future will be dependent on its population, which is growing at a slowing rate despite the popular narrative that the state is seeing exponential growth, said Elizabeth Garner, Colorado’s state demographer, at the Adams County Regional Economic Partnership’s State of the Region event last week.

The top 15 largest Colorado cities in the Census’ data showed a mix of growth and loss year over year. Castle Rock led the group with the highest percentage increase with 4.6% growth as the population increased by 3,539 with 76,652 residents in July 2021 to 80,191 a year later. Boulder grew by 1.4% and Loveland added 1.1% more people. Aurora had an 0.8% increase of inhabitants in 2022 than 2021. Colorado Springs saw a 0.6% increase.

Arvada experienced the largest decline of the Top 15. The city’s population fell 1.6% from 123,591 to 121,581. Centennial lost 1.4% falling from 107,332 to 105,865. Fort Collins was the most neutral with a loss of 17 people.

Beyond the larger metropolitan areas, seven towns in Colorado saw double digit increases in population The biggest percentage increase was 20.1% for Keenesburg, a town of about 2,000 people located about 40 miles northeast of Denver on Interstate 76.

It added 474 people, growing from 1,732 to 2,080. Since 2020, the town has added 822 residents for a nearly 40% growth rate. Timnath followed with 19.8% jump from 2021 to 2022 by adding 1,547 people for a total of 9,344 people living in the Larimer County enclave 20 miles southeast of Fort Collins.

Gazette staffers Kyla Pierce and Dennis Huspeni contributed to this story.