City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Boulder, CO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Boulder - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

106,274
Residents
$85,364
Median income
$982,600
Median home
$2,124
Median rent (state)

Boulder - the verdict

Boulder ranks in the 67th percentile for household income and the 15th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

67th
percentile, household income
97th
percentile, home value
85th
percentile, median rent
15th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Boulder, CO

106,274 people live in Boulder, Colorado - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Boulder households earn a median of $85,364 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.9%. Home values in Boulder run a median of $982,600, and the median resident age is 28.8 years. About 76.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 60.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 406 residential building permits were authorized in Boulder (Rapid Growth), up 24% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Boulder's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3055.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 35.2°F with 33.9 inches of precipitation per year.

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Colorado scores 103.1 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,124 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Colorado run around $202, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 90.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

106,274 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$85,364 /yr

Poverty 5.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Boulder compare to other US cities?

Here's how Boulder stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 67% higher than other cities
Home value 97% pricier than other cities
Median rent 85% pricier than other cities
Safety 15% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Colorado alone, Boulder ranks #85 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Boulder's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Colorado, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

67thIncome percentile
15thSafety percentile

67th percentile nationally for median household income · 15th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Boulder's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Boulder's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Boulder's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Boulder's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$982,600 3rd percentile more affordable than 3% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Boulder $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Boulder, CO Boulder, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Boulder, CO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Boulder, CO median $85,364/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Boulder, CO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Boulder, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 76.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
106,274
Median Income
$85,364
Median Home Value
$982,600
Median Age
28.8
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Labor force participation
60.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
76.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3055.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
322.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2733.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
35.2°F
Annual Precipitation
33.9"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
30
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
104,000 residents106,000 residents108,000 residents110,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 108,431 residents 105,689 residents ▼ -2.5%
Boulder's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
406
housing units authorized
Single-Family
35
detached homes
Multifamily
371
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 327
2020 316
2021 294
2022 304
2023 255
2024 406

Permit volume increased 24% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
41.9%
Carpool
3.6%
Public Transit
5.9%
Walk
8.6%
Work from Home
31.6%
Other
8.4%

Based on 56,378 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Colorado - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$202
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Colorado state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Colorado state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Boulder sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,124/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Centennial
107,386 people
Greeley
109,421 people
Highlands Ranch
101,437 people
Pueblo
111,514 people
Longmont
98,958 people
Westminster
115,546 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Boulder's 106,274 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Nampa, ID
106,289 people
Jurupa Valley, CA
106,244 people
Davie, FL
106,412 people
Concord, NC
106,518 people
Rio Rancho, NM
106,533 people
Green Bay, WI
106,585 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Boulder's $85,364 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rainbow, CA
$85,368 median income
Fredericksburg, VA
$85,368 median income
Sharptown, MD
$85,357 median income
Knappa, OR
$85,357 median income
Lordship, CT
$85,347 median income
Stem, NC
$85,385 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Boulder, CO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Boulder, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 81.8% 9.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.2% White 81.8% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 5.8% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.8% Two or more races 9.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Boulder compares to nearby Colorado cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Boulder (this city) 106,274 $85,364
Centennial 107,386 $128,167
Greeley 109,421 $68,650
Highlands Ranch 101,437 $155,847
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Boulder, CO?

What is the population of Boulder, CO? +

Boulder, CO has a population of 106,274 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Boulder, CO? +

In Boulder, the typical household earns $85,364 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Boulder? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Boulder; the closest available measure is the Colorado state average, a cost of living index of 103.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Colorado vary by metro area.

Is Boulder, CO safe? +

Boulder has a total crime rate of 3055.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Boulder, CO? +

The median home value in Boulder is $982,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Boulder? +

Climate normals put Boulder's yearly average temperature at 35.2°F, 33.9 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.