Boulder, Colorado
Among the top 2% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 3% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 51% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 59% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 9% for summer humidity
- bottom 1% for monthly owner costs
Boulder is a city in Colorado with about 107,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, summer humidity, and air quality. It rates lower on comfortable days and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Boulder is $920k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Boulder is $80k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Boulder is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Boulder has a violent crime rate of 1063/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Boulder is 19 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
71%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.4 in0.8 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$80k72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$59kbetter than 13% of US places
Home Value$920k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 8% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$21kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.51%better than 88% of US places
Income Tax4.40%better than 65% of US places
Sales Tax7.81%better than 42% of US places
Estimated total tax burden12.79%better than 25% of US places
Unemployment5.4%better than 36% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation18.6 in12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall85.2 inbetter than 4% of US places
Sunny Days210 daysbetter than 27% of US places
Summer Humidity49°Fbetter than 91% of US places
Comfortable Days20 daysbetter than 1% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk52.4better than 68% of US places
Air Quality31 AQIbetter than 90% of US places
School Quality61.9better than 56% of US places
Violent Crime1063/100kbetter than 33% of US places
Property Crime3020/100kbetter than 7% of US places
Community
Population106,59899th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age28.57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3063rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0768th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+582nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)78.1%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.0%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.7%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.9%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.2%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 88% of US places
Walkability15.1/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance32 mibetter than 80% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.0%better than 80% of US places
Amenities Nearby41.84better than 35% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 53% of US places
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)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Boulder an affordable place to live?
- Boulder is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $59k, better than 13% of comparable areas. Median rent is $2k.
- Is Boulder safe?
- Boulder is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1063/100k (better than 33%). Property crime is 3020/100k.
- What is the weather like in Boulder?
- Boulder averages 65°F in July and 26°F in January, with 18.6 in of annual precipitation and about 210 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Boulder?
- Public-school quality in Boulder is about average, scoring better than 56% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Boulder?
- The average one-way commute in Boulder is 19 min.