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Data: University of Toronto; Note: Seasons are March-May (spring), June-Aug. (summer), Sept.-Nov. (fall) and Dec.-Feb. (winter); Visitors determined by counting unique mobile phones in ZIP codes with high employee density; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Downtown Denver foot traffic still lags compared to pre-pandemic levels, despite new development projects, research initiatives and pricey plans from city officials to breathe life into the business district.

Why it matters: Even as COVID ebbs, the era of remote and hybrid work has major implications for the city center, which has historically relied on commuters who spend money before, during and after their shifts.

Driving the news: New mobile phone activity downtown was recorded at 56% of what it was pre-COVID, according to data analyzed by researchers at the University of Toronto's School of Cities.

Although leases for downtown office space are ticking up, the vacancy rate is 28% in Denver's central business district and 13% in Lower Downtown, per a recent analysis from global real estate company JLL.

The intrigue: Vehicle traffic has come roaring back — now at just 2% below 2019 levels — which ranks the city near the top nationally. But much of that happens on nights and weekends, the latest study by traffic analysis firm INRIX found.

What they're saying: "What that tells me is that a lot of people are coming into downtown for reasons other than the office," Bob Pishue, the study's lead analyst, told the Denver Business Journal.

The big picture: Cities with downtowns that almost exclusively catered to office workers, like Denver, are struggling to recover in the remote and hybrid work era, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.

But several U.S. cities with diverse downtowns — meaning, a healthy mixture of office space, housing, attractions and more — have nearly returned to, or even exceeded, their pre-pandemic foot traffic rates.

What's next: Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has pledged to address the decline of downtown and transform it into a space where people live, work and play.

City officials are working on a long-term plan to create a central neighborhood to bolster the existing business district with new office-to-residential conversions, retail, restaurants and entertainment.

Downtown Denver's post-pandemic recovery continues to lag behind other metros

New mobile phone activity downtown was recorded at 56% of what it was pre-COVID.

Downtown Denver foot traffic still lags compared to pre-pandemic levels, despite <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new development projects" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/04/26/denver-downtown-skyline-development-skyscrapers" data-vars-content-id="01d9f833-c64c-4959-b7ce-9d720ecac2b4" data-vars-headline="Downtown Denver&#x27;s post-pandemic recovery continues to lag behind other metros" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/04/26/denver-downtown-skyline-development-skyscrapers" target="_self">new development projects</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="research initiatives" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/05/22/denver-downtown-office-conversion-study-underway" data-vars-content-id="01d9f833-c64c-4959-b7ce-9d720ecac2b4" data-vars-headline="Downtown Denver&#x27;s post-pandemic recovery continues to lag behind other metros" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/05/22/denver-downtown-office-conversion-study-underway" target="_self">research initiatives</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="pricey plans" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2022/08/30/denver-spends-millions-downtown-lodo" data-vars-content-id="01d9f833-c64c-4959-b7ce-9d720ecac2b4" data-vars-headline="Downtown Denver&#x27;s post-pandemic recovery continues to lag behind other metros" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2022/08/30/denver-spends-millions-downtown-lodo" target="_self">pricey plans</a> from city officials to breathe life into the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="business district" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/04/11/denver-16th-street-mall-construction-downtown-problems" data-vars-content-id="01d9f833-c64c-4959-b7ce-9d720ecac2b4" data-vars-headline="Downtown Denver&#x27;s post-pandemic recovery continues to lag behind other metros" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/04/11/denver-16th-street-mall-construction-downtown-problems" target="_self">business district</a>.Why it matters: Even as COVID ebbs, the era of remote and hybrid work has major implications for the city center, which has historically relied on commuters who spend money before, during and after their shifts.

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Data: First Street Foundation; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Hundreds of thousands of property owners in Colorado are seeing higher insurance premiums or policy non-renewals this year because of the threat of extreme weather.

Driving the news: About one-quarter of properties could be facing higher insurance premiums or policy non-renewals due to the risk of wildfires or flooding, according to a new analysis by climate data nonprofit First Street.

The primary danger in Colorado is wildfires — with about 20% of properties impacted.

Why it matters: Insurers are changing how they factor climate and extreme weather risks into premiums. Others are suspending coverage altogether, and many homeowners may struggle to manage higher costs as a result.

The big picture: When it comes to wildfire and wind damage, some private insurers are dropping policyholders as the risk of those threats grows, says Jeremy Porter, First Street's head of climate implications research.

Zoom in: The greatest potential impact in Colorado is along the Front Range, notably in El Paso and Larimer counties.

Quick take: John's insurance broker says 20% or greater rate increases are the norm for 2023 with some insurers backing off issuing policies completely.

Of note: Look for discounts, such as upgraded roofing tiles that will lower your rate. John saved hundreds of dollars just by emailing over an insurance update form.

Go deeper: Extreme weather could cause insurance rates across the country to spike

Extreme weather is driving up insurance costs in Colorado

Hundreds of thousands of property owners in Colorado are seeing higher insurance premiums.

Colorado

Hundreds of thousands of property owners in Colorado are seeing higher insurance premiums or policy non-renewals this year because of the threat of extreme weather.Driving the news: About one-quarter of properties could be facing higher insurance premiums or policy non-renewals due to the risk of wildfires or flooding, according to a new analysis by climate data nonprofit First Street.

Climate

Real Estate

Data: CDC; Note: Change in average weekly rate at a sample of 6,000 hospitals from June 4 to July 1 and July 2-29, 2023; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Serious cases of COVID-19 in Colorado have remained low throughout the summer, but it may not stay that way for long.

Driving the news: COVID hospitalization rates across the state fell 11% between June and July, despite signs of a late summer wave sweeping much of the U.S., Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.

Yes, but: State health officials tell us COVID cases are now rising again and they have seen a "slight uptick" in hospitalizations this month. 

Colorado's current average admissions per week are hovering around 71, up from 62 hospitalizations per week in July. 

What they're saying: Doctors are watching case numbers closely, particularly as back-to-school season gears up, Carrie Horn, chief medical officer at National Jewish Health in Denver, told Fox31 earlier this month.

"I think we are going to see things increase a little bit more as school starts back up again. You are putting a lot of people and kids in classrooms together," she said.

The big picture: A new variant, EG.5 or "Eris," is now the dominant strain in the U.S., according to CDC estimates — though it's unclear if it's directly responsible for the rising numbers.

The average COVID-19 hospitalization rate nationwide rose about 17% from June to July, per the latest available CDC data.

The bottom line: There's no sign we're headed for anything like the waves of the peak pandemic era. But it's still an alarming trend, and a reminder that COVID will remain a public health concern for the foreseeable future.

Colorado health officials watching COVID cases closely as hospitalizations rise in the U.S.

New variant EG.5, "Eris," is now the dominant strain in the U.S.

Serious cases of COVID-19 in Colorado have remained low throughout the summer, but it may not stay that way for long.Driving the news: COVID hospitalization rates across the state fell 11% between June and July, despite signs of a late summer wave sweeping much of the U.S., Axios&#x27; Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why" data-vars-content-id="8edac4c9-eecb-4f5e-a469-c09fe691bd46" data-vars-headline="Colorado health officials watching COVID cases closely as hospitalizations rise in the U.S." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why" target="_self">report</a>.

COVID

Health

Although much of the country's electric vehicle use is concentrated in the "four corners" of California, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and the Southeast, Colorado is a glaring exception, according to data shared with Axios.

How it works: The data, from mobility analytics platform Replica, is based on estimated EV miles traveled per 1,000 residents at the county level on a typical weekday.

Replica's data from the second quarter of 2023 comes from anonymized mobile device info, roadside sensors, transit agencies and more.

Zoom in: Hinsdale County in southwestern Colorado took the crown for the most electric miles traveled per 1,000 residents in the state, at 2,150 on a typical weekday — but its population is under 800.

Boulder County has the state's most EV usage among larger counties, at 816 electric miles per 1,000 residents.

By comparison, Denver County totaled about 325 electric miles

Between the lines: Areas with the most EV activity are generally those with better-developed charging infrastructure, as well as higher-income households that can more easily afford the electric car premium.

Earlier this year, Colorado awarded $17 million to Tesla, gas stations and other companies to help expand the state's network of EV charging stations.

Of note: The Tesla Cybertruck, which made its official debut Thursday, is now on display at the Tesla dealership in Littleton.

Last month, EV manufacturer Rivian opened a Denver showroom in RiNo, one of the company's first retail locations.

The big picture: Electric car sales are growing in Colorado and across the country, but remain short of automakers' hopes as some potential buyers continue to be skeptical about their range, performance and cost.

Go deeper ... The country's electric car hotspots, mapped

The country's electric car hotspots, mapped

Colorado is an electric vehicle hotspot

EV sales are growing in the Centennial State and across the country.

Although much of the country&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="electric vehicle use" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/07/electric-vehicles-ev-market-tesla" data-vars-content-id="c52c7910-385b-4a5a-aa80-965005136a82" data-vars-headline="Colorado is an electric vehicle hotspot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/07/electric-vehicles-ev-market-tesla" target="_self">electric vehicle use</a> is concentrated in the &quot;four corners&quot; of California, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and the Southeast, Colorado is a glaring exception, according to data shared with Axios.How it works: The data, from mobility analytics platform <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Replica" data-vars-click-url="https://www.replicahq.com/" data-vars-content-id="c52c7910-385b-4a5a-aa80-965005136a82" data-vars-headline="Colorado is an electric vehicle hotspot" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.replicahq.com/" target="_blank">Replica</a>, is based on estimated EV miles traveled per 1,000 residents at the county level on a typical weekday.

Data: The Council for Economic and Social Research; Note: Map only shows urban areas with more than 100,000 people; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Three Colorado cities rank in the top 50 nationwide for their outsized cost of living.

Driving the news: Goods and services tend to be more expensive in Westminster, Denver and Colorado Springs compared to the national average.

The analysis from the Council for Community and Economic Research looks at regional differences in the cost of housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services. It's based on spending by "professional and managerial households in the top income quintile."

The result: A snapshot in time useful for comparing relative costs across cities.

By the numbers: Westminster ranks highest in Colorado among the 269 urban areas analyzed and 36th in the nation, followed by Denver (38) and Colorado Springs (42).

For all three, housing is what makes them so expensive.

Grand Junction landed at No. 78 for its elevated transportation and health care costs.

Data: The Council for Economic and Social Research; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Where cost of living is greatest in Colorado

Three Colorado cities rank in the top 50 nationwide for their outsized cost-of-living.

Three Colorado cities rank in the top 50 nationwide for their outsized cost of living.Driving the news: Goods and services tend to be more expensive in Westminster, Denver and Colorado Springs compared to the national average.

Kavya Beheraj

Featured stories

Colorado is an electric vehicle hotspot

Where cost of living is greatest in Colorado

Extreme weather is driving up insurance costs in Colorado

Colorado health officials watching COVID cases closely as hospitalizations rise in the U.S.

Downtown Denver's post-pandemic recovery continues to lag behind other metros