Economic Profile Tables - Estes Park

The following 26 tables are referenced in Chapter Three, Economic Overview.

FIGURE A1.1 RESIDENT POPULATION BASE
Year  Estes 

Park 

 Census Tract 28  Larimer 

County 

 State of Colorado 

(000's) 
1950  1617  43554  1325 
1960  1175  2355  53343  1754 
1970  1616  3554  89900  2225 
1980  2703  6733  149184  2908 
1990  3184  9139  186136  3303 
1990*  3672  9139 
1992*  3870 
1996*  5077 
FIGURE A1.2 RESIDENT POPULATION BASE - GROWTH RATE

Estes Larimer State of
Year Park Census Tract 28 County Colorado 

1960 (27.3)% 22.5% 32.4%

1970 37.5 50.9% 68.5 26.9

1980 67.3 89.4 65.9 30.7

1990 17.8 35.7 24.8 13.6

1990* 35.9

1992* 5.4 

FIGURE A1.3 RESIDENT POPULATION BASE - ANNUAL GROWTH RATE

Estes Larimer State of
Year Park Census Tract 28 County Colorado 

1960 (3.1)% 2.0% 2.8%

1970 3.2 4.2% 5.4 2.4

1980 5.3 6.6 5.2 2.7

1990 1.7 3.1 2.2 1.3

1990* 3.1 3.1

1992* 2.7 

* Town of Estes Park estimates.

Source: Decennial Census, 1950-1990.

FIGURE A1.4 HOUSEHOLDS

1980 1990 1990* 

Town of Estes Park 1,230 1,444 1,692

Estes Valley 2,816 2,682

Larimer County 54,086 70,472

State of Colorado 1,062,879 1,285,119

Source: 1980, 1990 Census and Town of Estes Park estimates*.

FIGURE A1.5
SELECTED 1990 SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS FOR
ESTES PARK, ESTES VALLEY, LARIMER COUNTY AND THE STATE OF COLORADO

Estes Estes Larimer State of
Characteristics Park Valley County Colorado 

Population 3,672 9,139 185,136 3,294,000

Median age 42.6 43.8 31.1 32.5

Households 1,444 2,682 70,472 1,285,119

Median household
income $29,387 $31,809 $29,686 $30,140

Persons per household 2.17 2.24 2.55 2.51

Housing units total 2,006 4,274 77,811 1,477,349

% owner occupied 56.9% 64.9% 62.9% 62.3%

Vacancy rate

- Rentals 6.3% 7.0% 5.0% 11.4%

- Owner 2.5% 4.0% 2.2% 3.3%

Median housing value $103,300 $108,400 $83,900 $82,397

Median rent $353 $419 $368 $418 

FIGURE A1.6 EMPLOYMENT BASE - 1990

Estes Estes Larimer
Park Valley County 

Persons 16 and over 2,548 5,021 143,542

- In labor force 1,612 3,129 99,533

- Participation rate 63.3% 62.3% 69.3%

Civilian employees 1,520 3,017 94,102

- Unemployed 80 100 5,256

- Unemployment rate 5.0% 3.2% 5.3%

Armed Forces 12 12 175

Average commuting time
(minutes) 11.1 18.8 

Source: 1990 Census.

FIGURE A1.7 DISTRIBUTION OF EMPLOYMENT - 1990

Estes Estes Larimer
Park Valley County 

Civilian employees 1,520 3,017 94,102

Agriculture 30 38 2,630

Mining 0 0 207

Construction 93 206 5,669

Manufacturing
Nondurable 11 27 4,656

Durable 10 78 13,501

Transportation 25 54 2,535

Communications and

public utilities 30 60 2,436

Wholesale trade 20 58 2,439

Retail trade 359 658 16,579

Finance, insurance

and real estate 145 234 4,514

Services

Business and repair 79 129 4,721

Personal 179 364 3,002

Entertainment and

recreation 62 130 1,345

Health 104 209 6,478

Educational 137 292 12,763

Other professional 185 285 7,176

Public administration 51 195 3,451

Civilian employees 1,520 3,017 94,102

Private wage

and salary 1,051 1,901 67,501

Government

Local 107 315 7,187

State 71 101 8,678

Federal 33 149 2,406

Self-employed 249 527 7,925

Unpaid family 9 24 405 

Source: 1990 Census.

FIGURE A1.8 DISTRIBUTION OF EMPLOYMENT BASE

Estes Estes Larimer Larimer
Park Valley County County
1990 1990 1990 Ave. 1995 Wage 

Participation rate 63.3% 62.3% 69.3%

Unemployment rate 5.0% 3.2% 5.3%

Civilian employees 1,520 3,017 94,102 $24,983

Agriculture 2.0% 1.3% 2.8% 16,940

Mining 0 0 0.2 28,439

Construction 6.1 6.8 6.0 27,224

Manufacturing 40,226

Nondurable 0.7 0.9 4.9

Durable 0.7 2.6 14.3

Transportation 1.6 1.8 2.7 18,615

Communications and

public utilities 2.0 2.0 2.6 34,714

Wholesale trade 1.3 1.9 2.6 28,203

Retail trade 23.6 21.8 17.6 13,310

Finance, insurance

and real estate 9.5 7.8 4.8 25,300

Services 21,025

Business and repair 5.2 4.3 5.0 18,663

Personal 11.8 12.1 3.2 12,224

Entertainment and

recreation 7.1 4.3 1.4 8,643

Health 6.8 6.9 6.9 28,077

Educational 9.0 9.7 13.6 16,979

Other professional 12.2 9.4 7.6

Public administration 3.4 6.5 3.7

Civilian employees 1,520 3,017 94,102

Private wage

and salary 69.1% 63.0% 71.1%

Government

Local 7.0 10.4 7.6 26,152

State 4.7 3.3 9.2 32,243

Federal 2.2 4.9 2.6 39,873

Self-employed 16.4 17.5 8.4

Unpaid family 0.1 0.1 0.4 

Source: 1990 Census, Colorado Employment and Wages (1995).

FIGURE A1.9 INCOME

89 Median Income 79 Median Income Annual Change 

Household Family Household` Family Household Family 

Town of Estes Park $29,387 $37,565 $14,741 $18,257 7.1% 7.5%

inflation adjusted 25,377 32,340 21,059 26,081 1.9 2.2

Estes Valley 31,809 38,492 n/a n/a n/a n/a

inflation adjusted 27,469 33,240 n/a n/a n/a n/a

Larimer County 29,686 36,931 17,169 20,861 5.6% 5.9%

inflation adjusted 25,636 31,892 24,527 29,801 0.4 0.7

State of Coloardo 30,140 35,930 18,056 21,279 5.3 5.4

inflation adjusted 26,028 31,028 25,794 30,399 0.1 0.2

Denver/Boulder

CPIU (82-84=100) 115.8 115.8 70.0 70.0 

Source: 1990 Census for 1989 income, 1980 Census for 1979 income.

FIGURE A1.10 PER CAPITA INCOME

1979 1989 Annual
Change 

Town of Estes Park $ 8,379 $17,010 7.3%

Adjusted for Inflation 11,970 14,689 2.1

Estes Valley $ 7,802 17,349 8.3%

Adjusted for Inflation 11,146 14,982 3.0

Larimer County 7,458 13,968 6.5

Adjusted for Inflation 10,654 12,062 1.3

State of Colorado 9,083 17,815 7.0

Adjusted for Inflation 12,976 15,384 1.7

Denver-Boulder CPI-U 70.0 115.8 5.2

(82-84=100)

Source: Census Data and Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates.
 

FIGURE A1.11
LARIMER COUNTY PERSONAL INCOME BY MAJOR SOURCE 1980 AND 1990 (000'S)

1980 1990 Change: 1980-1990 

Income Distribution Income Distribution Income Percent 

Agricultural services $18,566 1.4% $17,027 0.5% ($1,539) (0.9)%

Mining 3,189 0.3 11,606 0.4 8,417 13.8

Construction 83,958 6.5 140,876 4.4 56,918 5.3

Manufacturing 234,743 18.5 564,485 17.6 329,742 9.2

Transportation, commu-

nication, public utilities 33,764 2.7 59,498 1.9 25,734 5.8

Wholesale trade 19,173 1.5 53,598 1.7 34,425 10.8

Retail trade 103,048 8.1 234,990 7.3 131,942 8.6

Finance, insurance,

real estate 38,175 3.0 68,918 2.1 30,743 6.1

Services 111,518 8.8 424,947 13.2 313,429 14.3

Government 206,696 16.3 497,308 15.5 290,612 9.2 

Nonfarm income by

place of work $852,830 67.2% $2,073,253 64.6% $1,220,423 9.3%

Other income and

adjustments 413,985 32.7% 1,138,041 35.4% 724,056 10.6% 

Personal income by

place of residence $1,266,815 100% $3,211,294 100% $1,944,479 9.7%

Per capita income $8,472 $17,162 $8,690 7.3% 

Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis,

Local Area Personal Income, Rocky Mountain Region

FIGURE A1.12 ESTES PARK RETAIL SALES

Retail Sales % Real Retail % 

Year ($000,000) Change Sales* ($000,000) Change 

Base 16.9 52.8

1970 17.9 5.9 51.9 -1.8

1971 18.9 5.6 52.6 1.5

1972 24.4 29.1 65.9 25.3

1973 25.8 5.7 65.2 -1.2

1974 28.5 10.5 64.9 -0.4

1975 31.0 8.8 64.0 -1.3

1976 34.3 10.6 67.1 4.8

1977 39.1 14.0 70.6 5.1

1978 44.0 12.5 72.6 2.9

1979 46.2 5.0 66.0 -9.1

1980 49.7 7.6 63.4 -4.0

1981 54.3 9.3 62.3 -1.8

1982 58.5 7.7 61.5 -1.2

1983 61.7 5.5 61.4 -0.2

1984 68.6 11.2 65.8 7.1

1985 75.5 10.1 70.5 7.2

1986 78.7 4.2 72.9 3.5

1987 87.6 11.3 79.1 8.4

1988 98.3 12.2 86.5 9.4

1989 104.1 5.9 89.9 4.0

1990 106.0 1.8 87.6 -2.6

1991 109.3 3.1 87.0 -0.7

1992 122.1 11.7 93.7 7.7

1993 130.8 7.1 96.3 2.8

1994 147.1 12.5 103.7 7.7

Source: Coloardo Department of Revenue.

*Retail sales adjusted for inflation using the Denver-Boulder consumer price index (CPI-U).

FIGURE A1.13 SALES TAX REVENUES TOWN OF ESTES PARK (000'S)
Total Revenues  June-September Receipts  Summer as % of Total 
1986  $2,443.5  $1,467.8  60.1% 
1987  2,629.6  1,689.0  60.2 
1988  2,811.3  1,777.4  58.9 
1989  2,903.7  1,817.8  57.4 
1990  3,102.1  1,940.5  59.5 
1991  3,355.0  2,048.9  59.6 
1992  3,702.0  2,219.4  58.3 
1993  3,884.8  2,233.7  57.5 
1994  4,332.0  2,486.4  57.4 
1995  4,408.7  2,495.3  56.6 
Source: Town of Estes Park (Note: June-September tax receipts reflect May-August sales).
 
FIGURE A1.14 PER CAPITA RETAIL SALES

1991 1992 1993 1994 91-94 Change 

Estes Park $3,777 $4,243 $4,794 $6,035 59.8%

Colorado 3,351 3,541 3,774 4,319 28.9%

Retail Sales Ratio

Estes Park/Colorado 112.7% 119.8% 127.0% 139.7% 

FIGURE A1.15 OCTOBER RETAIL SALES

Sales CPI-U Real Population Real Per 

Sales Capita Sales 

1982 $ 57,744 95.1 $ 60,719 2,873 $20,099

1986 82,615 107.9 76,566 3,246 25,451

1993 165,465 135.8 121,845 3,998 41,387 

FIGURE A1.16
SPENDING BY OLDER CONSUMERS 1990 CONSUMER SURVEY
AVERAGE TOTAL EXPENDITURES

Under 65 65 and Older 65-74 75 and older 

Income before taxes $36,433 $18,842 $21,501 $15,435

Average household size 2.8 1.7 1.9 1.6

Total expenditures $29,442 $18,072 $20,386 $15,082

Food, total 15.7% 17.9% 18.2% 17.3%

Food at home 11.4 13.8 13.9 13.7

Food away from home 4.4 4.1 4.4 3.6

Alcoholic beverages 1.0 0.6 0.7 0.5

Housing, total 30.7 31.8 30.3 34.5

Shelter 18.8 17.3 16.4 18.9

Utilities 6.6 9.4 9.0 10.0

Operations 1.6 2.2 1.7 3.0

Furnishings 3.7 2.9 3.2 2.5

Apparel and services 5.1 3.4 3.7 2.9

Transportation 19.1 15.8 16.9 14.0

Health 4.1 11.7 10.3 14.0

Entertainment 5.1 3.7 4.3 2.6

Contributions 2.6 5.7 4.6 7.6

Pensions and income 10.6 4.0 5.3 1.7

Other 6.1 5.4 5.7 4.8 

Source: Monthly Labor Review, May 1993.
 

FIGURE A1.17 HEALTH CARE WORKERS - 1990

Estes Park Larimer County 

Health Care Workers 209 6,478

Labor Force 1,612 99,533

% Labor Force in

Health Care 12.9% 6.5%

Population 3,184 186,136

Estes Park Estimate 3,672 n/a

Residents Per

Health Care Worker 15.2 28.7

Estes Park Estimate 17.6 n/a

Population

65 and Over 732 17,857

Elderly Population per

Health Care Worker 3.5 2.8

Source: 1990 Census.

FIGURE A1.18
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION BUILDING PERMITS (# OF UNITS)
TOWN OF ESTES PARK

Year Single-Family Multi-Family Total 

1972 30 51 81

1973 33 20 53

1974 12 10 22

1975 14 8 22

1976 35 18 53

1977 22 25 47

1978 19 16 35

1979 11 4 15

1980 14 39 53

1981 13 43 56

1982 12 6 18

1983 33 77 110

1984 53 8 61

1985 40 48 88

1986 17 6 23

1987 21 19 40

1988 19 23 42

1989 23 11 34

1990 29 15 44

1991 27 46 73

1992 39 18 57

1993 54 53 107

1994 83 34 117

1995 84 7 91

Source: 1972-1981 from BBC study. 1983-92 totals from Town of Estes Park Annual Building Permit Summary. Single-family from Stamey data, multi-family is total residential minus single-family permits.)

FIGURE A1.19 COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION, TOWN OF ESTES PARK

Year Number of Value Real Value Assessed 

Permits ($000's) ($000's) Value 

1983 30 2,052.9 2,042.687

1984 15 1,127.4 1,080.92

1985 26 3,562.2 3,326.05

1986 5 1,050.5 973.5867 57,805.6

1987 17 1,165.9 1,052.256 91,647.8

1988 7 253.5 222.9551 85,958.7

1989 10 337.2 291.1917 101,240.9

1990 11 1,799.6 1,487.273 96,951.3

1991 20 1,739.5 1,384.952 90,433.5

1992 16 718.3 551.2663 83,461.1

1993 11 868.8 639.8 n/a

1994 19 1,364.4 962.2 n/a

1995 24 2,011.4

Source: Town of Estes Park
 

FIGURE A1.20
ELECTRIC UTILITY SERVICE ESTES PARK AREA - NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS

Year Residential Commercial Total Gov't 

1972 3731 777 3731

1973 3917 793 3917

1974 4063 817 4063

1975 4014 797 4014

1976 4082 807 4082

1977 4189 822 4189

1978 4342 846 4342

1979 4498 892 4498

1980 4661 922 4661

1981 4788 938 4788

1982 5804

1983 5018 965 5018

1984 5196 976 5196

1985 5340 1012 5340

1986 5380 1033 5380

1987 5386 1043 5386 38

1988 5379 1169 5379 40

1989 5417 1191 5417 45

1990 5541 1250 5541 50

1991 5649 1284 5649 50

1992 5863 1269 7132 49

1993 6120 1160 7329 49

1994 6360 1199 7559 52

1995 6544 1254 7798 48

Source: Town of Estes Park Light and Power Department

FIGURE A1.21 WATER METERS - ESTES PARK AREA

Residential Commercial 

Year Urban Rural Urban Rural Total Change 

1983 1228 525 410 98 2259

1984 1257 533 424 94 2308 2.2%

1985 1269 572 433 70 2344 1.6

1986 1307 572 456 69 2404 2.6

1987 1314 587 477 71 2449 1.9

1988 1347 590 484 69 2490 1.7

1989 1370 1040 492 74 2976 19.5

1990 1398 1060 500 79 3037 2.0

1991 1428 1083 514 92 3117 2.6

1992 1512 1050 526 97 3185 2.2

1993 1635 1124 544 85 3389 6.4

1994 1759 1136 531 86 3512 3.6

1995 1823 1162 542 85 3612 2.8 

FIGURE A1.22 BANK DEPOSITS - MILLIONS OF $

Year-end Total Number Percent 

Deposits of Banks Change 

1977 23.7 2

1978 25.1 2 5.9

1979 30.1 2 19.9

1980 30.2 2 0.3

1981 33.5 2 10.9

1982 37.7 2 12.5

1983 54.8 3 45.4 (break)

1984 60.0 3 9.5

1985 65.4 3 9.0

1986 71.9 4 9.9

1987 70.0 4 5.7

1988 82.1 4 8.0

1989 84.7 4 3.2

1990 88.0 4 3.9

1991 95.4 4 8.4

1992 103.6 4 8.6

1993 111.0 4 7.1

1994 112.5 4 2.3 

Note: 1977-82, Estes Park Bank and First National Bank of EP

1983-85, adds Home Federal Savings (now Key Bank)

1986-92, adds Park National Bank (new bank)
 
 

FIGURE A1.23 ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK VISITATION

Total Annual Visitors June-September 

Year (millions) as % of Total 

1970 2,357,909

1971 2,457,321

1972 2,519,622

1973 2,521,960

1974 2,501,093

1975 2,854,789

1976 2,741,377

1977 2,894,994

1978 3,037,866

1979 2,579,986

1980 2,654,197

1981 2,917,080

1982 2,578,902

1983 2,704,066 78.3

1984 2,220,219 78.3

1985 2,354,480 76.4

1986 2,523,122 75.6

1987 2,665,029 74.2

1988 2,686,986 76.3

1989 2,636,662 75.8

1990 2,801,259 75.8

1991 2,903,811 75.0

1992 2,942,743 73.7

1993 2,950,867 75.8

1994 3,153,450 75.7

1995 3,008,446 74.7

Source: Rocky Mountain National Park.

An examination of the listings in the Estes Park Yellow Pages for 1972, 1982 and 1992 provides an additional measure of the growth of the tourist industry:

FIGURE A1.24 YELLOW PAGES LISTINGS

1972 1982 1992 

Resorts and Motels 127 108 124

Campgrounds 12 10 8

Restaurants 58 52 73 

Source: 1972 - Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Directory

1982 - Bell Systems Directory

1992 - U.S. West Directory.
 

FIGURE A1.25 CONFERENCES

# of Conferences # of Delegates Local Expenditures 

1991 (Aug-Dec) 15 8,600 N/A

1992 30 12,403 $2,536,675

1993 79 14,747 3,177,708

1994 96 14,965 3,546,164

1995 88 14,635 4,184,877 

Source: Estes Park Conference Center.
 
 
 
 
 

FIGURE AI.26 TOWN OF ESTES PARK TREND PROJECTIONS
1990
1991
1992
1993
1995
2000
Population 

% Change 

 3,672* 

3.1% 

 3,758* 

2.3% 

 3,870* 

3.0% 

 3,998 

3.3% 

 4,258* 

3.0% 

 4,889 

2.8% 
Employment 

% Change 

% Employed 

 1,753 

3.3% 

47.7% 

 1,795 

2.4% 

47.8% 

 1,838 

2.4% 

47.5% 

 1,882 

2.4% 

47.1% 

 1,974 

2.4% 

46.4% 

 2,255 

2.7% 

46.1% 
Personal 

Income (1990$) 

% Change 

$63.5M 

$68.2M 

7.4% 

$71.3M 

4.5% 

$74.5M 

4.5% 

$79.3M 

4.54% 

$96.5M 

4.02% 
Retail Sales 

(1990$) 

% Change 

$106M 

(2.6%) 

$105.3M 

(0.7%) 

$113.4M 

7.7% 

$112.2M 

(1.0%) 

$112.3M 

1.2% 

$148.8M 

4.0% 
Residential 

Construction 

44 

73 

57 

107 

68 

68 
Park Visitation 

% Change 

 2.80M 

6.7% 

 2.90M 

3.7% 

 2.94M 

1.3% 

 3.01M 

3.5% 

 3.23M 

2.9% 

 3.70M 

2.8% 
* Town of Estes Park Estimates

Note: Census income and employment data for 1990 are adjusted to conform with

Town of Estes Park population estimates.

The 2000 residential construction forecast is for an average of 68 units per year for the last six years of the decade. We expect substantial intra-period volatility, as has occurred in the past. During the 1990-2000 period, an estimated 754 housing units will be built (354 were completed or underway through year-end 1994, including both single family and multi-family).

Source: The Adams Group, Inc.