A first-of-its-kind survey of thousands of Colorado mountain town residents has delivered the clearest look at the impact of the pandemic on housing, rentals and lifestyles in the high country to date.
And the news is not good.
Wealthy newcomers are displacing locals. Businesses are struggling to hire staff members. The crowds are growing in the backcountry. Solutions, needed ASAP, require bold moves.
“May this report be a wake-up call for local leaders, a renewed call to action for those already involved in tackling community challenges, and a reference point for those seeking to understand the trends so they can have a positive impact on the places they live,” the 70-page Mountain Migration report reads. “The consequences are real.”
More than 4,700 residents from the six counties – three-quarters of them full-time residents – completed the survey by the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments and the Colorado Association of Ski Towns.
