Golden, CO
Census place 0830835 · pop 20,417
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$837,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
37 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 964/100k · worse than most cities
2422 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,295/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
50 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 67.2% · worse than most cities
56.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
95/100 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 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 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
119 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$98,582 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
59.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.45% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
22.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
12.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
Frequently asked
- Is Golden, CO a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Golden scores 47/100 — 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 physical inactivity and its weakest is housing cost. 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 Golden, CO?
- Golden reports 119 violent crimes per 100k and 2422 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Golden, CO expensive to live in?
- Golden has a median home value of $837,700 and typical rent around $2,295/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Golden, CO?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($837,700) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Golden, CO best at?
- Its strongest measured area is physical inactivity (12.6%) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.