Fruita Demographics

Fruita's population and housing growth has grown at a faster rate than that of the other municipalities in Mesa County as well as the County' population growth rate as a whole. This year (2005) appears to be no exception since we are approaching 400 new housing units this year.

The rapid increase in population puts strains on the City's ability to deliver services. Schools are at capacity and traffic is increasing. By the same token downtown seems healthier than ever before, there are five new restaurants and a new hotel is under construction with more commercial development in the wings. The Greenway Business Park west of town is reviving and new parks and trails are being dedicated and constructed.

The boom bust cycles of the 1980's-90's in Fruita make us aware that anything can happen and we are fortunate that the city of Fruita has completed a large number of capital improvement projects in the 1980-2004, paving the way for new growth.

While the City of Fruita is a small city it is part of a larger regional market of 400,000 people (Mesa Mall regional market), a county market of 120,000 people and an immediate market area of 30,000 people (Fruita Monument High School catchment area).

Fruita continues to be one of the fastest growing municipalities in the Western Slope with an annual growth rate of 6% over the past ten years. There were 432 new residential permits issued in 2004 in Fruita, compared to 171 in 2000, and the growth rate in the market area continues at a similar pace. New housing construction consisted of primarily single family homes $150,000-$300,000; some apartment condominiums $80,000-$100,000, mobile homes $90,000-$110,000 & a retirement community $150,000-$300,000.

The Fruita Community Plan estimates that with this year's rate of new dwelling units we are at a "boom" growth rate. Our total number of housing units is up from 1,582 in 1990 (census) to 2,610 dwelling units in 2000 and 3,330 estimated in 2003. We have added 1,028 housing units since 1990, a 52% increase in our housing supply over 13 years.

Our population has increased from 4,042 in 1990 to 6,478 according to the 2000 census and an estimated 8,093 by 2003, and increase of 50% over 13 years. Fruita (like the rest of the valley) has seen boom/bust cycles before, but we expect the growth rate to slow down to 3-4% per year.