City · Colorado
Golden, Colorado
Golden, city, in Jefferson County, Colorado. Golden had 20,390 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 20,399 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 20,417 (±51). GEOID 0830835.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
20,390
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 20,399 · ACS 2020-2024: 20,417 ±51
Median household income
$98,582
±$10,849 (90% margin)
Colorado: $95,470
Median home value
$837,700
±$45,272 (90% margin)
Colorado: $539,400
Median gross rent
$1,953
±$130 (90% margin)
Colorado: $1,761
Where is Golden and what county is it in?
Golden is a city in Jefferson County, Colorado. It covers 9.6 square miles of land, 2,116 residents per square mile in 2020.
Golden is in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 10 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Golden, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 20,390 people lived in Golden on July 1, 2025, down 0.1% since 2020, while Colorado grew 4.1%. The 2020 Census counted 20,399 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 20,417 (±51).
| Measure | Golden | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 20,417 ±51 | 579,377 | −276 |
| Households | 7,780 ±327 | 241,735 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.33 ±0.09 | 2.36 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 8,175 ±364 | 253,574 | no clear change |
Golden's population since 2000
From 17,159 in 2000 to 20,390 in 2025: up 18.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Golden as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Golden?
The median resident of Golden is 34.6 years old; 16.7% are under 18 and 13.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.9%. 6.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Golden | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 ±1.9 | 40.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.7% ±2.0 pts | 18.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.2% ±1.7 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Male | 58.0% ±2.0 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.9% ±1.4 pts | 16.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.3% ±2.3 pts | 75.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.5 pts | 1.1% | −0.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±1.7 pts | 2.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±1.2 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.3% ±1.3 pts | 6.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.8% ±1.8 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.7% ±1.2 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 9.8% ±1.8 pts | 11.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.5% ±1.3 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.9% ±1.0 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 59.1% ±3.6 pts | 52.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 30.3% ±3.3 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 72.0% ±3.9 pts | 85.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 9.5% ±4.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Golden earn?
Half of Golden's 7,780 households earn less than $98,582 a year (±$10,849), against $110,656 in Jefferson County and $95,470 in Colorado. In 2015-2019 it was $89,039 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Golden | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $98,582 ±$10,849 | $110,656 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $143,183 ±$11,005 | $142,995 | – |
| Per capita income | $56,368 ±$4,443 | $60,827 | +$8,144 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.6% ±2.4 pts | 6.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.8% ±1.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.6% ±2.0 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.2% ±1.4 pts | 97.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.2% ±1.6 pts | 95.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Golden?
Owners occupy 56.8% of Golden's occupied homes and renters 43.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $837,700 by its owner (±$45,272). The median renter pays $1,953 a month including utilities, and 43.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Golden | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $837,700 ±$45,272 | $637,600 | +$195,032 |
| Median gross rent | $1,953 ±$130 | $1,861 | +$247 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.7% ±5.7 pts | 42.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,969 ±$247 | $2,498 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.8% ±3.8 pts | 70.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.2% ±3.8 pts | 29.3% | – |
| Housing units | 8,175 ±364 | 253,574 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.5% ±1.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 48.1% ±3.6 pts | 63.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.5% ±2.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.5% ±0.8 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 10.1% ±2.3 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 7.1% ±1.7 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.0% ±2.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Golden building?
Builders took permits for 36 new housing units in Golden in 2025 (36 in single-family houses), 1.8 per 1,000 residents against 5.6 across Colorado.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Golden work and get to work?
50.9% of Golden's workers drive alone and 30.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.6%.
| Measure | Golden | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.8% ±2.6 pts | 69.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% ±1.2 pts | 3.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 50.9% ±3.5 pts | 64.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.1% ±2.3 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.1% ±0.8 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Walked | 7.3% ±2.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 30.8% ±3.3 pts | 25.4% | +16.2 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.4 min ±1.6 | 26.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Golden?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Golden, and 7 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $70,000 (Tract 99.01) to $168,636 (Tract 98.54).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 100.01Jefferson County | 4,203 | $88,665 |
| Tract 99.01Jefferson County | 3,192 | $70,000 |
| Tract 98.54Jefferson County | 5,252 | $168,636 |
| Tract 98.57Jefferson County | 2,957 | $91,667 |
| Tract 98.55Jefferson County | 3,043 | $164,385 |
| Tract 98.56Jefferson County | 2,707 | $75,400 |
| Tract 117.20Jefferson County | 5,212 | $156,694 |
| Tract 101Jefferson County | 5,357 | $88,291 |
| Tract 98.42Jefferson County | 3,201 | $156,250 |
| Tract 117.21Jefferson County | 3,146 | $128,897 |
| Tract 98.58Jefferson County | 3,617 | $145,600 |
| Tract 98.50Jefferson County | 2,531 | $189,631 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Golden) · Census block assignment files
How does Golden compare with other places in Colorado?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Golden is the 1,909th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 33rd-most populous of 272 in Colorado.
Golden ranks 87th of 218 places in Colorado with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 33rd | 272 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 89th | 150 |
| Residents per square mile | 64th | 221 |
| Median household income | 87th | 218 |
| Per capita income | 73rd | 220 |
| Median home value | 33rd | 217 |
| Median gross rent | 56th | 200 |
| Poverty rate | 54th | 151 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53rd | 216 |
| Median age | 170th | 220 |
| Owner-occupied share | 192nd | 218 |
| Work from home | 32nd | 176 |
| Travel time to work | 114th | 221 |
Golden's figures with every place in Colorado (CSV)
Every place in Colorado, sortable · Compare Golden with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Golden?
6 of the 57 figures for Golden on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Golden are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Golden.