How many jobs were lost in Colorado last month?
Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed annually
Colorado gained 6,600 jobs in January 2026, ranking it 13th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 4,900 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+6.6K
month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)
13th
rank among states in monthly job growth (January 2026)
Colorado’s job gain of 6,600 January 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was up from the 1,700 jobs lost in December 2025.
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Colorado gained jobs in 46 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 25th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in April 2022 (+21,000) while job growth was weakest in June 2025 (-24,200).
There were 6,600 more jobs in January 2026 in Colorado than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, February 2021–January 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Colorado sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in January 2026?
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Colorado gained jobs in 46 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 25th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in April 2022 (+21,000) while job growth was weakest in June 2025 (-24,200).
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in January 2026 were health care and social assistance, construction, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Health care and social assistance added 4,800 jobs, more than the entire economy. Construction gained 2,400 jobs, while transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 1,800. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The health care and social assistance sector gained 4,800 jobs during January 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Colorado (January 2026)
How does Colorado's job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?
In 2025, the state has gained an average of 1,900 jobs every month. That's higher than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,800, and the highest since 2023. The 2025 average ranks as 14th-highest in job growth since 2006.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 8,800 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 7,800 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Colorado gained an average of 1,900 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among seven metro areas at least partially in Colorado during January 2026 ranged from a gain of 300 jobs in the Grand Junction, CO area to a gain of 6,400 jobs in the Denver, CO area metro area.
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
