A proposed housing project could more than double the population of Calhan, a town of just 760 on the Eastern Plains outside Colorado Springs. For some small towns on the Front Range, it’s a familiar situation.

Colorado’s overall population growth was just 0.4% last year. At a time when net migration has stagnated statewide, several small towns have seen percentage increases in the double digits in the past five years.

Chris Lowe, interim town manager for Elizabeth, said that people were attracted to the idea of rural, small-town living within commuting distance of larger population centers.

A car drives down Main Street in the historic downtown Elizabeth, east of Castle Rock, on Friday.…