COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The U.S. Census Bureau said El Paso County gained about 105,000 people from 2000-2010 bringing the population to more than 620,000 people.
"The roughly 105,000 population increase, 40,000 is from the military, which has drove a whole bunch of things - housing, retail sales tax," Fred Crowly, a University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (UCCS) economist, said. "Go hug a soldier today is my recommendation."
Economists said over the past decade anywhere from 35,000-45,000 military personnel moved to the area. The property management company Griffis/Blessing have two apartment complexes off of highway 115 near Fort Carson. They said more than 50 percent of them are rented by soldiers, and they're nearing max capacity.
"They have begun to move to the north and to the southeast because it's been too full," Pat Stanforth with Griffis/Blessing said. "We're getting calls two, three months in advance trying to find places."
Things aren't looking as prosperous for local business. The county's 10 percent unemployment numbers mean times are tough, but Crowley said he's got a way to fix it.
"If they would go out and hire one person, every business, that can afford it, we can cut the unemployment by half by this time next year," he said.
Crowley says between 1990 and 2000 nearly 120,000 people moved to the county for private sector jobs, and that once local businesses start to re-invest in hiring, the growth numbers could increase again.
Reporter: Sade Malloy
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKXRM