Boulder, CO
Census place 0807850 · pop 106,433
Home of the University of Colorado, the dramatic Flatirons rock formations, and federal labs like NIST and NCAR.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.56 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$1,039,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
47.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2788 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
21.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,421/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
10 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
49 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+0.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
325 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
90/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$87,493 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.51% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
76.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
12.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
16.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Boulder, CO a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Boulder scores 43/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is income inequality. Colorado overall ranks #36 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Boulder, CO?
- Boulder reports 325 violent crimes per 100k and 2788 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Boulder, CO expensive to live in?
- Boulder has a median home value of $1,039,500 and typical rent around $2,421/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Boulder, CO?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.56) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Boulder, CO best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (16.5%) — 100/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the University of Colorado, the dramatic Flatirons rock formations, and federal labs like NIST and NCAR.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.