Boulder County, Colorado
Among the top 3% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 9% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 97% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 92% of US counties
- top 2% for broadband access
- top 2% for walkability
- bottom 1% for comfortable days
Boulder County is a county in Colorado with about 329,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include broadband access, walkability, and park & nature access. It rates lower on monthly rent and comfortable days.
- The median home value in Boulder County is $671k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Boulder County is $100k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Boulder County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Boulder County has a violent crime rate of 1043/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Boulder County is 23 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
71%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.4 in0.7 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$100k96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$59kbetter than 7% of US counties
Home Value$671k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$83kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.53%better than 83% of US counties
Income Tax4.40%better than 65% of US counties
State 4.40% + Local 0.00%
Sales Tax7.81%better than 40% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.54%better than 31% of US counties
Unemployment4.4%better than 57% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)64°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation19.2 in12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall86.1 inbetter than 3% of US counties
Sunny Days212 daysbetter than 25% of US counties
Summer Humidity48°Fbetter than 92% of US counties
Comfortable Days19 daysbetter than 1% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk90.7better than 9% of US counties
Air Quality50 AQIbetter than 16% of US counties
School Quality53.1better than 47% of US counties
Violent Crime1043/100kbetter than 33% of US counties
Property Crime2696/100kbetter than 6% of US counties
Community
Population328,65893rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.017th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3054th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0267th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+581st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)76.2%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.8%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)13.9%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.6%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 57% of US counties
Walkability12.7/20better than 98% of US counties
Airport Distance40 mibetter than 86% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.1%better than 98% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.61better than 31% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 96% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Boulder County an affordable place to live?
- Boulder County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $59k, better than 7% of comparable areas. Median rent is $2k.
- Is Boulder County safe?
- Boulder County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1043/100k (better than 33%). Property crime is 2696/100k.
- What is the weather like in Boulder County?
- Boulder County averages 64°F in July and 26°F in January, with 19.2 in of annual precipitation and about 212 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Boulder County?
- Public-school quality in Boulder County is about average, scoring better than 47% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Boulder County?
- The average one-way commute in Boulder County is 23 min.