Weld County’s GDP growth ranks No. 7 in Colorado
Weld County’s economy grew at a 6.5% rate in 2024, seventh-best in Colorado.
That’s according to the latest release of county-level gross-domestic-product data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data represent the first estimates of real GDP for 2024. County-level data typically is released in December, a year in arrears, but the 2024 data was delayed due to the federal-government shutdown late last year.
GDP represents the total value of goods and services produced within an economy. The estimates are subject to revision in later years as more data becomes available. Real GDP is adjusted for inflation, using 2017 chained dollars.
Weld County’s real GDP totaled $24.48 billion in 2024, compared with almost $23 billion the prior year.
Elsewhere in the Boulder Valley and Northern Colorado:
• Boulder County’s real GDP totaled $33.42 billion, an increase of 1.5% from $32.9 billion in 2023.
• Broomfield’s real GDP totaled $10 billion, up 0.4% from $9.97 billion the prior year.
• Larimer County’s real GDP totaled $22.6 billion, up 1.1% from $22.37 billion in 2023.
Boulder County’s real GDP in 2024 was fifth-highest in the state, Weld County ranked eighth, Larimer County ninth and Broomfield County 10th.
Weld’s GDP growth fell behind Lake County, 25.3%; Crowley, 12.5%; Park, 10.8%; Costilla, 9.4%; Elbert, 8%; and Grand, 7.5%. Weld’s rate of growth exceeded all counties in the Denver metropolitan area.
Weld County’s traditional industries helped drive the GDP gain. Private goods-producing industries contributed 4.3 percentage points of the gain. The BEA defines that sector as including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting; mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; construction; and manufacturing.
Colorado overall recorded real GDP of $448.84 billion in 2024, up 2%.
Weld County’s GDP growth was fueled in part by population growth. Weld County added more new residents than any other Colorado county from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau population estimates.
Nationally, real GDP increased in 2,273 counties, decreased in 809 counties and was unchanged in 24 counties in 2024, according to the BEA. Percent changes ranged from an increase of 76.6% in Carter County, Montana, to a decrease of 46.3% in Baca County in Colorado.
County GDP levels vary widely around the country, ranging from $813.7 billion in New York County, New York, to $15.7 million in Issaquena County, Mississippi.
Personal income makes gains
Personal income in Boulder County totaled $34.6 billion, up 4.6% from $33.2 billion in 2023.
Broomfield’s personal income totaled $7.29 billion, up 5.5%, from $6.9 billion a year ago.
Larimer’s personal income totaled $27.68 billion, up 4.5% from $26.48 billion a year ago.
Weld’s personal income totaled $23.54 billion, up 6.1% from $22.18 billion in 2023.