City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Golden, CO

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

20,467
Residents
$95,913
Median income
$790,500
Median home
$2,089
Median rent (state)

Golden - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Golden lands in the 75th percentile for household income and the 22nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

75th
percentile, household income
94th
percentile, home value
85th
percentile, median rent
22nd
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: Golden, CO

Colorado's Golden is a small city, with 20,467 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Golden households earn a median of $95,913 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.5%. Typical homes in Golden are valued around $790,500, and the median resident age is 35.1 years. Educational attainment runs 59.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 11 residential building permits were authorized in Golden (Building Boom), up 57% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2510.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Colorado at 103.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,089 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Colorado's average monthly utility costs around $202 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 94.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

20,467 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$95,913 /yr

Poverty 2.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Golden compare to other US cities?

Golden measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 75% higher than other cities
Home value 94% pricier than other cities
Median rent 85% pricier than other cities
Safety 22% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Colorado and the picture shifts: Golden ranks #77 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Golden against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Colorado only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Colorado-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Golden toward the top of Colorado's cities

Among the 388 Colorado cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Golden ranks #59 - the 85th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Golden only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#130 of 379
66th percentile in Colorado
Median Gross Rent
#44 of 408
57th percentile in Colorado
Median Home Value
#59 of 388
85th percentile in Colorado
Poverty Rate
#257 of 408
36th percentile in Colorado
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#76 of 408
81st percentile in Colorado

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Colorado only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

75thIncome percentile
22ndSafety percentile

75th percentile nationally for median household income · 22nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Golden's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Golden'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 36 Avg. percentile National median
Golden'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 Golden's home value compares nationally

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

$790,500 6th percentile more affordable than 6% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Golden $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 - Golden, CO Golden, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Golden, 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 Golden, CO median $95,913/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%
Golden, 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 Golden, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 59.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.9%

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

Population
20,467
Median Income
$95,913
Median Home Value
$790,500
Median Age
35.1
Poverty Rate
2.5%
Labor force participation
59.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
59.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2510.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
123.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2387.0
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.

Schools

Total Schools
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,000 residents20,200 residents20,400 residents20,600 residents20,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 20,394 residents 20,390 residents ▼ -0.0%
Golden's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
11
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 7
2020 13
2021 12
2022 3
2023 5
2024 11

Permit volume increased 57% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
52.5%
Carpool
8.0%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
6.8%
Work from Home
28.3%
Other
3.6%

Based on 10,314 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 Golden sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,089/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Montrose
20,703 people
Louisville
20,788 people
Clifton
19,746 people
Sherrelwood
19,368 people
Durango
19,257 people
Four Square Mile
21,788 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Golden's 20,467 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sidney, OH
20,457 people
Painesville, OH
20,453 people
Westbrook, ME
20,484 people
Buckhall, VA
20,447 people
South Burlington, VT
20,488 people
Libertyville, IL
20,493 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Golden's $95,913 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Milton CDP (Ulster County), NY
$95,909 median income
Belmont Estates, VA
$95,900 median income
Deltana, AK
$95,927 median income
Lockwood CDP (Monterey County), CA
$95,893 median income
Talma, IN
$95,893 median income
Buckatunna, MS
$95,933 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Golden, 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 Golden, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.7% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.3% White 84.7% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 4.1% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 7.6% 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 Golden 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
Golden (this city) 20,467 $95,913
Montrose 20,703 $63,177
Louisville 20,788 $149,159
Clifton 19,746 $54,301
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Golden, CO?

What is the population of Golden, CO? +

The population of Golden, CO stands at 20,467 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Golden runs $95,913, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Golden? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Golden; 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 Golden, CO safe? +

Golden has a total crime rate of 2510.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Golden, CO? +

Golden's median home value sits at $790,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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

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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.