If you’re looking for a safe place for your family to live, you can stop the search: The Centennial State is one of the most family friendly states in America. There are great family friendly Colorado places around every corner in this Rocky Mountain paradise, and HomeSnacks is here to give you the ultimate guide: we’ve broken down the best places to raise a family in Colorado for 2024 and the top ten list is below.
How did we determine Colorado’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in Colorado with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 43 family friendly Colorado places. This is also our second time ranking Colorado’s most family friendly cities, so trust us when we say that any family would be lucky to call one of Colorado’s best places to raise a family home.
It’s a known fact that many families visit Colorado on vacation and end up staying. This is because the state has Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools, cutting edge universities, good jobs, and tons of staycation possibilities for families on a budget.
And speaking of budgets, there are family friendly places in Colorado for all types of budgets. There are places like Greeley for the family that loves spending time outside, places like Fort Collins for families just starting out, and places like Durango for families who can afford to live in the most expensive places in Colorado.
So, want to see a list of Colorado’s best places for families? Read on.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Colorado For 2024
We are not at all surprised that Colorado has three of the top 100 best cities to raise a family in the country. The trick, however, is choosing the city that best fits your family’s needs.
No need to flip a coin if you take a look at our list. There can only be one number one best place to raise your family in Colorado and that would be, Louisville.
To see how your favorite place in Colorado compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don’t see it there, head to the bottom.
More reading about Colorado and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Colorado
- Cheapest Places To Live In Colorado
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Colorado For 2024
/10
Population: 20,920
Median Income: $135,840
Average Home Price: $821,232
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 55
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 35.8%
More on Louisville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 74,065
Median Income: $135,985
Average Home Price: $655,932
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 68
Closest Major City: Aurora
Households with kids: 43.2%
More on Castle Rock: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 30,447
Median Income: $154,509
Average Home Price: $727,737
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 44
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 46.3%
More on Erie: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 33,905
Median Income: $121,754
Average Home Price: $567,646
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 53
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 35.1%
More on Windsor: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 30,295
Median Income: $105,819
Average Home Price: $684,062
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 47
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 30.3%
More on Lafayette: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 73,946
Median Income: $117,541
Average Home Price: $637,472
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 57
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 29.0%
More on Broomfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 107,702
Median Income: $124,617
Average Home Price: $630,996
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 56
Closest Major City: Aurora
Households with kids: 33.9%
More on Centennial: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 58,733
Median Income: $126,615
Average Home Price: $684,096
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 36
Closest Major City: Aurora
Households with kids: 42.8%
More on Parker: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 45,531
Median Income: $90,273
Average Home Price: $674,009
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 58
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 21.9%
More on Littleton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 15,037
Median Income: $128,078
Average Home Price: $545,237
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 51
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 44.0%
More on Frederick: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Colorado anyways?
To give you the places in Colorado that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Colorado, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Colorado, that meant a total of 43 cities.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for families in Colorado.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Colorado
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Colorado ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Colorado are Louisville, Castle Rock, Erie, Windsor, Lafayette, Broomfield, Centennial, Parker, Littleton, and Frederick.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Colorado according to the data:
- Federal Heights
- Northglenn
- Wheat Ridge
For more Colorado reading, check out:
- Most Dangerous Cities In Colorado
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Colorado
- Safest Places In Colorado
Best Places For Families In Colorado
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville, CO | 20,920 | $135,840 | $821,232 | 34 |
| 2 | Castle Rock, CO | 74,065 | $135,985 | $655,932 | 71 |
| 3 | Erie, CO | 30,447 | $154,509 | $727,737 | 45 |
| 4 | Windsor, CO | 33,905 | $121,754 | $567,646 | 46 |
| 5 | Lafayette, CO | 30,295 | $105,819 | $684,062 | 46 |
| 6 | Broomfield, CO | 73,946 | $117,541 | $637,472 | 51 |
| 7 | Centennial, CO | 107,702 | $124,617 | $630,996 | 52 |
| 8 | Parker, CO | 58,733 | $126,615 | $684,096 | 50 |
| 9 | Littleton, CO | 45,531 | $90,273 | $674,009 | 59 |
| 10 | Frederick, CO | 15,037 | $128,078 | $545,237 | 43 |