Living in Boulder, CO
College town in Colorado
Boulder is a college town in Colorado, home to about 106,000 people, with 2.3 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
In short: Mountains at the edge of town, a very active outdoor culture and a strong startup scene. Very expensive.
Is Boulder a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 13 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low taxes: about $1,517 state income tax per resident, 0.51% property tax
- Highly educated: 77% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 4 research universities are within 31 mi
- Easy flying: DEN is 33 mi away
👎 Cons
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $964k, and rent is $2,820 a month
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Boulder ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Boulder: common questions
What is the cost of living in Boulder?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $964k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,820 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 105, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Boulder?
Colorado collects about $1,517 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.51% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Boulder safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Boulder?
Boulder has cold winters: winter days average around 47°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 85″ of snow a year.
Does Boulder get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.63 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Boulder?
The nearest major airport is DEN, about 33 mi away.
How Boulder scores
Each bar compares Boulder with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Boulder right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.