Are Second Homes in Colorado Under-counted?

In October, I wrote a cover story for High Country News about the boom in second homes in key resort towns in the Rocky Mountains. The percentage of homes in Northwest Colorado that turned out to be second homes was stunningly high -- over half of all residences, in several counties.

But the U.S. Census may have missed a lot of them. So says the Summit Daily News in an article about Breckenridge, Frisco and nearby towns. The actual second-home figure in Summit County is more like 67 percent.

The message for communities with large numbers of part-time residents is clear: get 'em counted, or else your local government planners won't be able to calculate taxes, transportation or affordable housing needs correctly.