Economic policy and young adulthood in Colorado: A new report series from CCLP

Economic policy and young adulthood in Colorado: A new report series from CCLP

by Anthony Lux | Jul 30, 2026

Family Economic Security, News, Research and Policy Analysis

Young adulthood, typically defined as ages 18 to 24, is a period marked by major transitions. Many start and complete schooling during that time. Many enter the job market, often seeking entry-level positions that may be driven by necessity, others finding jobs that are the starting points for life-long careers. Living arrangements may change considerably, depending upon an individual's access to resources.

That access to resources varies widely. For many, this is a time of great economic instability. Meeting basic needs is a challenge for young adults with low incomes and who cannot rely on family wealth and opportunities.

Unfortunately, the social safety net in the United States largely does not address the needs of many in the early years of adulthood. Assumptions that may not apply across the board are baked into the eligibility requirements and even the nature of those programs themselves.

For example, the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), one of the most impactful tools we have to lift people out of poverty, effectively excludes workers under 25 years of age. It does so based on an assumption that adults up to that age are likely to be financially supported by their families.

Basing policy on unfounded assumptions make for bad policy. Individuals are bound to slip through cracks, and government programs fail to make the impact that taxpayers expect from them.

Correcting the record with facts and clear-eyed analysis is crucial to forming better policy proposals.

With this in mind, CCLP Income and Housing Policy Director Charles Brennan began a research project last year into the lived realities of Colorado's young adults-and the ways in which our public benefits do and do not support their needs.

Generously supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and drawing upon the 2019-2023 5-year American Community Survey as well as a substantial body of other national research, this research project delineates precisely what life looks like for today's 18-24 year olds. It breaks down the myths that have often been asserted, sometimes derisively, about this demographic. From there, it identifies how the design of safety net programs in Colorado result in so many young adults falling through the cracks. The series concludes by identifying concrete, evidence-based policy changes that would better serve our state's young adults.

As Brennan states in the report: "The picture that emerges is not of an age cohort failing to launch," as is so often assumed to be the case by members of older generations, "but of one that is navigating a labor market and a cost of living that are structurally misaligned with the job opportunities and support systems available to them."

Addressing that misalignment begins with greater understanding. It is CCLP's hope that this series might begin to educate the public and policymakers across the state of Colorado, leading to more effective and supportive policy enactment in the years to come.

Read Part One of the series here. Expect future parts to be released in the coming weeks.

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