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Colorado executives cautious on economy and state policy outlook
ColoradoBiz Staff //April 27, 2026//
Courtesy of COBRT.
Courtesy of COBRT.
Colorado executives cautious on economy and state policy outlook
ColoradoBiz Staff //April 27, 2026//
In Brief:
- Colorado Business Roundtable survey shows cautious outlook
- 81% of executives say state policy hurts business
- 57% expect sales increase in next six months
- 75% plan to maintain or grow Colorado workforce
DENVER — A new survey from the Colorado Business Roundtable shows business leaders remain cautious about the state’s economic outlook, with concerns about policy and competitiveness weighing on sentiment.
The Spring 2026 Executive Outlook survey, conducted by Centennial Economics, gathered responses from more than 50 executives across the private sector, academia and nonprofits. While some company-level expectations improved from fall 2025, views of Colorado’s broader business climate lag behind national sentiment.
Six in 10 executives expect Colorado’s business climate to worsen, and 81% said state policy is hurting their business, up from 65% in the previous survey.
“Colorado’s business community remains resilient and is still pursuing growth, but that resilience is being tested,” said Debbie Brown, president of the Colorado Business Roundtable.
Despite broader concerns, many respondents remain optimistic about their own companies. Fifty-seven percent expect sales to increase in the next six months, up from 50% in the fall, and 90% expect sales to increase or remain stable. Expectations for capital investment also rose, with 42% anticipating increases nationally and 28% in Colorado.
Workforce plans were relatively stable, with 75% of executives expecting to maintain or grow their Colorado workforce over the next year. The share planning reductions fell to 12% from 22% in the fall.
At the same time, executives expressed concern about potential tax changes. Only 10% said a shift to a progressive income tax would have a positive impact, while 54% said it would have a negative effect.
“The data shows a business community navigating real cross-currents,” said Chris Brown, partner at Centennial Economics.
The survey was conducted March 4–20. Colorado’s unemployment rate was 3.9%, below the national rate of 4.3%, while state employment declined 0.4% in 2025.
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