Tracking Population Trends in Mesa County

Mesa County Public Health tracks population trends in Mesa County, as well as the contributing factors behind the numbers. 

“The trends we’re seeing have the potential to impact various sectors of our community beyond those directly related to birth. This helps organizations and community leaders look at possible long-term impacts for services and programs,” said Data Analyst Shalie Dahar.

Birth Rate Trend

For the last 15 years, the birth rate in Mesa County has been steadily and significantly decreasing. In 2007, the birth count was 2,100, and by 2022, it had dropped by a third to only 1,390. One of the contributing factors to this decrease is greater access to birth control. 

“Throughout the state, expanded access to long-acting reversible contraception has had a measurable impact on decreasing the number of unintended pregnancies. The yearly birth count began dropping almost immediately following the increase in access to contraceptives,” said Dahar.

Another contributing factor is the age distribution of those moving to Mesa County. From 2010 to 2020, the age distribution of those moving to our area has heavily consisted of older adults beyond child-bearing years. 

Increasing Population

Despite the decreasing birth rate, Mesa County has a growing population. In the past 15 years, the population has increased by about 20,000 people. The growth is largely attributed to people moving to our area.

Resources at Mesa County Public Health

Visit our website to take a closer look at the latest population report and the potential impacts of these trends. Look for our Community Health Data page on mesacounty.us/public-health. On the same page, you can also look at other special MCPH reports available.