When most people think of Colorado, they think of fancy ski towns like Aspen and Vail, but there’s more to The Centennial State than double black diamonds and $175 lift tickets, there’s an entirely different cultural experience in Denver just waiting to be explored. But, to experience the best that the Mile High City has to offer, you need to live in the center of it all. To do this, we suggest you take a look at HomeSnacks’ list of the best neighborhoods in Denver for 2024.
Little did we know that when we first set out to calculate this it would be like an ‘Old Wild West’ shootout for the top neighborhood. Only one out of the top ten scored less than a 9/10 on our SnackAbility scale that measures things like jobs, affordability, safety, and amenities and that’s because Highland has a couple of safety issues that need addressed.
Safety, however, is not all that Denver’s best neighborhoods offer. Neighborhoods like the historic LoDo are filled with eclectic coffee houses and craft beer brewhouses. And, if you like shopping at a local farmers market, Golden Triangle has one of the best.
How do you get your hands on one of these Denver playgrounds for big and little kids alike? A neighborhood where the sun shines 300 days a year? You’re going to have to make at least $83,880/year and you’re going to need to keep reading.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Yes, many of Denver’s best neighborhoods are also some of the city’s wealthiest pockets. It sometimes takes the median incomes of neighborhoods like Washington Park to pay for the extra programs and maintenance issues to keep a neighborhood safe and welcoming. What’s also not surprising, Denver’s number one best neighborhood checks all the boxes.
So, what Denver neighborhood do all the other Denver neighborhoods want to be? According to the latest census date, that would be Washington Park.
If you want to see where the rest of Denver’s 22 neighborhoods landed on our list, take a look below. And if you want to see the Denver neighborhoods that could use a little TLC, check out the worst neighborhoods in Denver.
For more Colorado reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Colorado
- Cheapest Places To Live In Colorado
- Most Dangerous Cities In Colorado
The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Denver
Population: 7,509
Median Home Value: $816,840 (Second best)
Median Income: $165,855 (best)
More on Washington Park: Data | Real Estate
Population: 19,079
Median Home Value: $555,882 (Fifth best)
Median Income: $88,369 (Ninth best)
More on Five Points: Data | Real Estate
Population: 858
Median Home Value: $1,002,100 (best)
Median Income: $94,202 (Fourth best)
More on Auraria: Data | Real Estate
Population: 8,519
Median Home Value: $441,900 (Tenth best)
Median Income: $71,476 (14th best)
More on Lodo: Data | Real Estate
Population: 1,873
Median Home Value: $418,600 (12th best)
Median Income: $83,929 (11th best)
More on Golden Triangle: Data | Real Estate
Population: 3,379
Median Home Value: $539,467 (Sixth best)
Median Income: $88,699 (Seventh best)
More on Jefferson Park: Data | Real Estate
Population: 6,954
Median Home Value: $782,740 (Third best)
Median Income: $133,998 (Second best)
More on Cherry Creek: Data | Real Estate
Population: 6,749
Median Home Value: $433,440 (11th best)
Median Income: $90,714 (Fifth best)
More on Baker: Data | Real Estate
Population: 9,938
Median Home Value: $445,780 (Ninth best)
Median Income: $86,261 (Tenth best)
More on University: Data | Real Estate
Population: 10,549
Median Home Value: $538,020 (Eighth best)
Median Income: $89,050 (Sixth best)
More on Highland: Data | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Denver, CO Neighborhoods In 2024
To rank the best neighborhoods in Denver, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.
Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 22 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Denver.” We’re lookin’ at you, Washington Park.
Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Denver, Colorado has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Denver.
Summary: Putting A Bow On Our Analysis Of The Best Neighborhoods In Denver
If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Denver where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best neighborhoods in Denver are Washington Park, Five Points, Auraria, Lodo, Golden Triangle, Jefferson Park, Cherry Creek, Baker, University, and Highland.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Denver aren’t all good. Central West Denver takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Denver.
The worst neighborhoods in Denver are Central West Denver, Northern Denver, Northwestern Denver, Park Hill, and Gateway-Green Valley Ranch.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.
For more Colorado reading, check out:
Best Neighborhoods To Live In Denver For 2024 Detailed Data
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Park | 7,509 | $816,840 | $165,855 |
| 2 | Five Points | 19,079 | $555,882 | $88,369 |
| 3 | Auraria | 858 | $1,002,100 | $94,202 |
| 4 | Lodo | 8,519 | $441,900 | $71,476 |
| 5 | Golden Triangle | 1,873 | $418,600 | $83,929 |
| 6 | Jefferson Park | 3,379 | $539,467 | $88,699 |
| 7 | Cherry Creek | 6,954 | $782,740 | $133,998 |
| 8 | Baker | 6,749 | $433,440 | $90,714 |
| 9 | University | 9,938 | $445,780 | $86,261 |
| 10 | Highland | 10,549 | $538,020 | $89,050 |
| 11 | Central East Denver | 64,393 | $416,967 | $88,432 |
| 12 | Stapleton | 25,262 | $538,212 | $126,734 |
| 13 | City Park | 3,355 | $575,033 | $83,430 |
| 14 | Capitol Hill | 15,881 | $384,269 | $64,389 |
| 15 | Southeastern Denver | 123,683 | $277,859 | $64,624 |
| 16 | Southwestern Denver | 123,093 | $227,605 | $54,762 |
| 17 | Alamo Placita | 11,380 | $325,227 | $54,018 |
| 18 | Gateway-Green Valley Ranch | 35,927 | $222,990 | $68,544 |
| 19 | Park Hill | 28,587 | $366,040 | $82,311 |
| 20 | Northwestern Denver | 30,609 | $293,687 | $62,992 |
| 21 | Northern Denver | 25,549 | $226,148 | $53,074 |
| 22 | Central West Denver | 50,475 | $245,607 | $49,508 |