Colorado Essential Wealth Metric

<div class="header alignfull header--article header--min-height-full has-background has-tonal-black-background-color"> <div class="header__layout"> <div class="header__content"> <div class="header__metadata"><div class="header__metas"><div class="header__meta header__meta--taxonomy header__meta--tax-category"> Publications</div></div></div> <h1 class="header__title has-h2-variant">Archives</h1> <div class="header__metadata"><div class="header__metas"><div class="favorite-block"> <button class="favorite" data-id="318937" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" /></svg></button></div> <div class="header__meta header__meta--date"> September 11, 2026</div> <div class="header__meta header__meta--taxonomy header__meta--tax-program_tax"> Financial Security Program</div></div></div> </div> </div> <figure class="header__media" role="presentation"> </figure> </div> <div class="wp-block-group alignfull has-white-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"> <div class="wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-0a3ccd44 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="border-top-color:var(--wp--preset--color--tonal-black);border-top-width:8px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium);flex-basis:33.33%"> <div class="wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="padding-top:0"> <p class="has-large-variant wp-block-paragraph"><strong><em><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-primary-light-color">Roughly two-thirds of Colorado households do not have the wealth they need to thrive.</mark></em></strong></p> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="border-top-color:#1b162130;border-top-width:2px;border-right-style:none;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-style:none;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-style:none;border-left-width:0px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--medium);flex-basis:66.66%"> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">In June 2026, Aspen FSP published a first-of-its-kind <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/essential-wealth-report-benchmark-for-financial-security/">wealth metric</a> to measure how much wealth families need to achieve resilience, prosperity, and well-being.&nbsp;</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">More than a research output, we designed this metric to be a tool for action, helping leaders clarify what they’re building toward, design effective wealth-building strategies, and measure progress. While our initial publication looked at wealth at the national level, we’re now working with organizations across the country to analyze local data against the metric, because in narrowing our data—by age and geography—we will be able to create a more precise understanding of where families are now and the tools they need to build meaningful wealth.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">To advance that effort, we have collaborated closely with our partners at Gary Community Ventures to <a href="https://garycommunity.org/colorado-essential-wealth-metric/">publish a companion report</a> that looks specifically at the wealth of Coloradans and offers crucial insight into one of the wealthiest states in the country.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The topline finding: Roughly two thirds of Colorado households do not have the wealth they need to thrive.   </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">As the report explains: “Colorado has great prosperity, but it accrues most readily to those who own appreciating assets like homes, retirement accounts, businesses, investment accounts, or other forms of equity. Without ownership of these kinds of assets that grow in value over time, many hard-working families, even with good jobs, fall behind.”</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Leveraging this data, Gary Community Ventures is now working with local partners to assemble a broad and diverse coalition committed to creating access to wealth for all Colorado families. Together, their goal is to double the number of Coloradan families achieving essential wealth in the next decade.</p> <div class="wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex"> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Gary_AI_essential-wealth-report_digital_2026.pdf">Read the Report<span class="wp-block-button__effect"></span></a></div> </div> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">At Aspen FSP, we’re eager to support this ambition and momentum in Colorado and beyond. If you or your organization are interested in leveraging this metric in your work, reach out to our team.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="card-slider alignfull has-grid-spacing-small"><div class="card-slider__nav"> <h2 id="related" class="wp-block-heading has-h4-variant">Related</h2> <button type="button" class="card-slider__go card-slider__go--back" aria-label="Previous"> <svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-arrow-left" role="img" focusable="false" height="0" width="0"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-arrow-left"/></svg> </button> <button type="button" class="card-slider__go card-slider__go--forward" aria-label="Next"> <svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-arrow-right" role="img" focusable="false" height="0" width="0"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-arrow-right"/></svg> </button> </div> <div class="card-slider__content"><div class="dyn-card"> <div class="dyn-card__wrap"> <div class="dyn-card__media"> <figure class="dyn-card__image"> <a 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Learn more about his work in this Q&amp;A.</div><p class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__date"><button class="favorite" data-id="162596" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" focusable="false" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark"/></svg></button><time>January 8, 2026</time></p><ul class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__people"><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/devin-murphy/">Devin Murphy</a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="dyn-card"> <div class="dyn-card__wrap"> <div class="dyn-card__media"> <figure class="dyn-card__image"> <a class="dyn-card__image-link" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/measuring-essential-wealth-primer-2025/" tabindex="-1"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="842" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/342A2020-1500x842.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large" alt="Post-it notes cover a wall during a brainstorm activity" style="object-position: 50% 50%" /> </a> </figure> <div class="dyn-card__label"> <span class="has-meta-variant">Publications</span> </div> </div> <div class="dyn-card__content"> <h2 class="dyn-card__title has-h5-variant"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/measuring-essential-wealth-primer-2025/">Families Need Wealth. 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This brief aims to offer a path toward greater empirical understanding of what constitutes essential wealth and how to measure it. </div><p class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__date"><button class="favorite" data-id="162953" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" focusable="false" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark"/></svg></button><time>December 18, 2025</time></p><ul class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__people"><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/steven-brown/">Steven Brown</a></li><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/katherine-lucas-mckay/">Katherine Lucas McKay</a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="dyn-card"> <div class="dyn-card__wrap"> <div class="dyn-card__media"> <figure class="dyn-card__image"> <a class="dyn-card__image-link" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/we-dont-have-to-choose-between-stability-and-wealth/" tabindex="-1"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="844" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Generic-web-header-1500x844.png" class="attachment-large size-large" alt="Video: We Don’t Have to Choose Between Financial Stability and Wealth" style="object-position: 50% 50%" /> </a> </figure> <div class="dyn-card__label"> <span class="has-meta-variant">Blog Posts</span> <span>Videos</span> </div> </div> <div class="dyn-card__content"> <h2 class="dyn-card__title has-h5-variant"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/we-dont-have-to-choose-between-stability-and-wealth/">Video: We Don&#8217;t Have to Choose Between Financial Stability and Wealth</a></h2><div class="dyn-card__excerpt">Households need tools that help them afford everyday life and build long-term security. Too often, policy systems fail to respond to both of these needs and instead prioritize one goal over the other.</div><p class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__date"><button class="favorite" data-id="153917" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" focusable="false" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark"/></svg></button><time>September 30, 2025</time></p><ul class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__people"><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/tim-shaw/">Tim Shaw</a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="dyn-card"> <div class="dyn-card__wrap"> <div class="dyn-card__media"> <figure class="dyn-card__image"> <a class="dyn-card__image-link" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/trump-accounts-are-here-now-lets-make-them-work/" tabindex="-1"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="844" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Generic-web-header-1500x844.png" class="attachment-large size-large" alt="Trump Accounts Are Here–Now Let’s Make Them Work for the Kids Who Need Them Most" style="object-position: 50% 50%" /> </a> </figure> <div class="dyn-card__label"> <span class="has-meta-variant">Blog Posts</span> </div> </div> <div class="dyn-card__content"> <h2 class="dyn-card__title has-h5-variant"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/trump-accounts-are-here-now-lets-make-them-work/">Trump Accounts Are Here–Now Let’s Make Them Work for the Kids Who Need Them Most</a></h2><div class="dyn-card__excerpt">Trump Accounts were signed into law. Now, private and public sector need to work together to make sure these early wealth building accounts help low-income families.</div><p class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__date"><button class="favorite" data-id="143151" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" focusable="false" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark"/></svg></button><time>July 18, 2025</time></p><ul class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__people"><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/jason-ewas/">Jason Ewas</a></li><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/karen-andres/">Karen Biddle Andres</a></li><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/kc-boas/">KC Boas</a></li><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/ray-boshara/">Ray Boshara</a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="dyn-card"> <div class="dyn-card__wrap"> <div class="dyn-card__media"> <figure class="dyn-card__image"> <a class="dyn-card__image-link" href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/its-time-to-connect-financial-security-and-economic-policy/" tabindex="-1"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="1125" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ideas-2-1500x1125.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large" alt="Genevieve Melford sits in the Ideas 20 letters on the Aspen campus." style="object-position: 52% 70%" /> </a> </figure> <div class="dyn-card__label"> <span class="has-meta-variant">Blog Posts</span> </div> </div> <div class="dyn-card__content"> <h2 class="dyn-card__title has-h5-variant"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/its-time-to-connect-financial-security-and-economic-policy/">It’s Time to Connect Financial Security and Economic Policy</a></h2><div class="dyn-card__excerpt">Aspen FSP Managing Director Genevieve Melford looks to the future of financial security work and economic policy.</div><p class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__date"><button class="favorite" data-id="135507" data-state="" title="Favorites are not currently available" disabled><span class="favorite__on">Unfavorite</span><span class="favorite__off">Favorite</span><svg class="svg svg--svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark" role="img" focusable="false" height="15" width="11"><use xlink:href="#svg-assets-svg-icon-bookmark"/></svg></button><time>June 11, 2025</time></p><ul class="dyn-card__meta dyn-card__people"><li class="dyn-card__person"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/genevieve-melford/">Genevieve Melford</a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/colorado-essential-wealth-metric/">Colorado Essential Wealth Metric</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org">Aspen Institute</a>.</p>