Page 133 - Littleton, CO Comprehensive Plan
P. 133
9
PEOPLE
So much of the input that went into the 2018 Envision Report revolved around people issues in Littleton – how best to
house them, keep them safe, healthy and active, and support those in need whether due to aging, job status, or other
challenges. The nation’s upcoming Census 2020 will be a next crucial step for monitoring local demographic
changes.
14.3% Increase in population experienced so far this decade, through 2017,
which could return Littleton to the growth pace seen from 1980 to 2000,
before population growth dropped off from 2000 to 2010.
After a much smaller Littleton grew by 304 percent during the 1950s, from nearly 3,400 residents to almost 13,700, the
rate of population growth has decreased significantly in the decades since. The lowest rate was seen from 2000 to 2010
when the city grew by only 3.4 percent. However, a relatively steady growth path has brought Littleton to the point of being
nearly built out. As a result, the Comprehensive Plan must consider Littleton’s long-term financial sustainability
and the implications of both redevelopment possibilities and how remaining vacant land may ultimately be used.
Population Growth
60,000 350
50,000 300
47,734 250
40,000 40,340 41,737
Population 30,000 28,631 33,685 200 Percent Growth
150
20,000 26,466
100
13,670
10,000 50
3,378
0 0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Population Percent Growth
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
42.2 Median age in Littleton in 2017.
The median age in Littleton is substantially higher than in the Denver Metro Area (36.6 years) and
has been increasing each recent decade, from 34.7 in 1990 to 42.2 in 2017. Potential shifts in
Littleton’s age composition in coming decades warrant attention as this could have implications across all
aspects of the Comprehensive Plan and Transportation Master Plan, from housing and mobility needs to
recreational programming and retail spending patterns. As of 2017, just under 11 percent of Littleton residents who
were not living in institutional housing had some form of disability, with about half of these age 65 or older.