The Town FilesBoulder, Colorado
City in Boulder County · population 108,250 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,039,500
- Household income
- $87,493
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 85 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 28.8
Boulder is a city of 108,250 people in Boulder County, Colorado. The median home is worth $1,039,500, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for cycling than 98% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 97% of Colorado towns, better for young professionals than 97% of Colorado towns.
How Boulder ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Boulder is worth $1,039,500, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 11.9 times the median household income of $87,493, which is more affordable than 3% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $2,018 a month. 47.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Boulder | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,039,500 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $2,018 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $87,493 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 11.9× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 47.2% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Boulder
| People | Boulder | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.8 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.7% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 11.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 76.8% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.5% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.8% | — |
| Work from home | 34.4% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 92.9% |
Weather in Boulder
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 21.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.2 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boulder since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on October 15, 1980 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 6, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 134 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 18, 2018.
Severe weather in Boulder County since 1996
Boulder County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2024 | Fire | FM-5525: Stone Mountain Fire |
| December 31, 2021 | Fire | DR-4634: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| December 30, 2021 | Fire | FM-5423: Marshall Fire |
| October 17, 2020 | Fire | FM-5379: Calwood Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Boulder County
Boulder County had 193,920 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $96,397 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Boulder itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Boulder
29 public schools with 12,721 students, about 17.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder High School | 9-12 | 2,022 | 20.4 |
| Fairview High School | 9-12 | 1,847 | 22.3 |
| Centennial Middle School | 6-8 | 619 | 19.3 |
| Nevin Platt Middle School | 6-8 | 503 | 16.2 |
| Southern Hills Middle School | 6-8 | 493 | 20.5 |
| Foothill Elementary School | K-5 | 437 | 17.5 |
| Manhattan Middle School of the Arts and Academics | 6-8 | 418 | 18.2 |
| Crest View Elementary School | K-5 | 410 | 15.8 |
| University Hill Elementary School | PK-5 | 408 | 15.7 |
| Columbine Elementary School | PK-5 | 394 | 16.4 |
| Casey Middle School | 6-8 | 393 | 12.3 |
| Creekside Elementary School at Martin Park | PK-5 | 368 | 16.0 |
Towns near Boulder
- Gunbarrel, CO5.0 mi · 9,554 people · home $821,000
- Louisville, CO6.9 mi · 21,226 people · home $883,900
- Niwot, CO7.0 mi · 4,306 people · home $995,700
- Superior, CO8.1 mi · 13,094 people · home $903,900
- Lafayette, CO8.3 mi · 30,411 people · home $686,500
- Erie, CO11.3 mi · 30,038 people · home $736,500
- Broomfield, CO11.7 mi · 74,112 people · home $664,500
- Longmont, CO12.7 mi · 98,885 people · home $572,800
Boulder questions
Is Boulder, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Boulder scores better for retirees than 36% of Colorado towns and quieter than 6%. 12.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.8).
How much does a house cost in Boulder?
The median owner-occupied home in Boulder is valued at $1,039,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,493, so homes cost about 11.9 times income. Median rent is $2,018 a month.
What is the weather like in Boulder?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.2 inches of precipitation a year and 85.2 inches of snow.
Does Boulder get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Boulder since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on October 15, 1980. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)