Here’s three maps that show what Colorado’s native situation looks like.

If John Denver were going to call his chosen people home today, 1.3 million would have to make their way back to Colorado.

The federal government estimates there are 3.6 million people living in the United States who were born in Colorado. More than a third of those Centennial State natives lived somewhere else in the country in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Denverite recently looked at how many people living in Colorado are native versus transplants.



About 1 out of 12 natives from Colorado called California or Texas home in 2015. The Golden State had 168,702 people born in Colorado, and the Lone Star State had 126,029.

But because California and Texas are the two largest states in the union, Coloradans make up less than 1 percent of their populations.

Wyoming has the largest share of transplants from Colorado. Seven percent of the Cowboy State’s population is comprised of native Coloradans.

It turns out, Colorado has the seventh lowest share of its natives living within its borders out of all 50 states. More than half of those in the Centennial State in 2015 are transplants.

Louisiana had the most. Seventy-eight percent of native Louisianans call their boot-shaped state home. Nevada had the lowest percent of natives — 26 percent.

Business & data reporter Adrian D. Garcia is a native and sixth-generation Coloradan (he checked). He can be reached via email at agarcia@denverite.com or twitter.com/adriandgarcia.

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