Colorado Economy Expands Through H1 2026 as Health Care Drives More Than Half of New Jobs
Updated
Updated · Newswise · Aug 11
Colorado Economy Expands Through H1 2026 as Health Care Drives More Than Half of New Jobs
2 articles · Updated · Newswise · Aug 11
Summary
Colorado posted gains in output, employment and personal income through the first half of 2026, according to the University of Colorado Boulder's midyear economic update.
Easing policy uncertainty from 2025 helped sustain growth, but higher inflation, geopolitical conflict and rising energy prices still cloud the near-term outlook.
Health care and social assistance generated more than half of jobs added through June, while construction stayed resilient despite financing and labor constraints.
A shrinking labor force—tied to aging demographics and slow net migration—is expected to slow job growth, with agriculture, manufacturing and parts of government still under pressure.
The report says downside risks have eased from last year, but stagflation concerns remain even as Colorado continues to outperform national averages on several long-term measures.