At a glance: Colorado Colorado is the 21st most populous state in the U.S., with 5,877,610 residents across its 104,094 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state ranked No. 16 for business in 2024 by CNBC. Colorado is a key player in the energy sector and is known for its outdoor recreation industry, aerospace, professional services, healthcare, and agriculture. Energy Colorado ranks No. 9 among states for energy production, with its leading production sources being natural gas, crude oil, and renewable energy, particularly wind, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The state ranks No. 33 for energy consumption per capita. The leading energy sources consumed by Coloradans are natural gas, motor gasoline, and coal. Coloradans’ residential electricity rate is $0.156/kWh, below the national average. Commercial electricity rates are also cheaper at $0.099/kWh compared to the national average of $0.1259/kWh. Industrial users pay $0.079/kWh, just under the national average industrial rate of $0.0804/kWh. The residential natural gas price in Colorado is $11.84 per thousand cubic feet, significantly below the national average of $15.23, according to the most recently available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Environment Annual carbon emissions have increased 25 percent since 1970, while the state’s population has grown 133 percent in the same period. Colorado’s population is projected to increase another 23 percent, reaching approximately 7.2 million by 2050. About 36 percent of Colorado’s land is under permanent protection through federal, state, local, and nonprofit management. The federal government lists 38 species in Colorado as threatened or endangered.
