Population 328,961 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Boulder County
Household size in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.47 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.42 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
The average household in Boulder County has 2.42 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the center. Compared with other Colorado counties, though, Boulder County has larger households than most.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.6 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.6 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Boulder County are younger than 39.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.6, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Boulder County: 7.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Boulder County
Renters in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.1% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.5% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.8% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.0% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Boulder County than nationally: 38.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. More than a third of owners (36.6%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Colorado counties have a higher share of renters: only three of 64.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Boulder County than nationally: 6.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.0 points, as it has nationally. Boulder County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Colorado counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Boulder County is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,164 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,283 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,643 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,195 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,031 | +$912 | +$606 |
The median renter in Boulder County pays $2,195 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,031 a month from 2006–10, an 89% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Of Colorado's 64 counties, only five have higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Boulder County
Bachelor's degrees in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.7% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 57.6% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 62.8% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 64.2% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Boulder County: 64.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 8.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Colorado county has a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.2% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.6% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Boulder County: 95.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.8 points, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Boulder County
| Period | Boulder County | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Boulder County is close to the national rate: 4.9% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Boulder County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder County | 2.42 | 39.8 | 7.9% | 38.0% | 6.0% | 1985 | $2,195 | 64.2% | 95.6% | 4.9% |
| Broomfield County | 2.50 | 40.0 | 6.7% | 37.3% | 4.8% | 1998 | $2,362 | 61.6% | 96.3% | 3.8% |
| Grand County | 2.14 | 45.4 | 1.5% | 26.6% | 47.0% | 1990 | $1,340 | 44.1% | 95.2% | 3.7% |
| Washington County | 2.31 | 39.8 | 8.7% | 26.4% | 8.5% | 1962 | $915 | 24.8% | 89.7% | 3.1% |
| Yuma County | 2.51 | 39.0 | 4.4% | 31.1% | 6.4% | 1967 | $888 | 25.5% | 80.8% | 4.2% |
| Rio Blanco County | 2.26 | 38.2 | 5.7% | 25.7% | 15.4% | 1976 | $860 | 23.3% | 96.0% | 2.3% |
| Dundy County | 2.18 | 47.2 | 4.9% | 26.4% | 21.7% | 1951 | $669 | 20.0% | 93.2% | 0.3% |
| Harlan County | 2.36 | 49.2 | 4.2% | 14.2% | 32.3% | 1962 | $694 | 29.6% | 94.0% | 1.3% |
| Franklin County | 2.19 | 47.1 | 7.3% | 16.8% | 13.8% | 1940 | $743 | 21.1% | 93.7% | 2.7% |
| Webster County | 2.25 | 44.9 | 8.5% | 19.4% | 16.0% | 1947 | $719 | 21.1% | 94.9% | 0.8% |
| Nuckolls County | 2.11 | 51.3 | 3.7% | 16.5% | 13.1% | 1952 | $551 | 22.5% | 92.3% | 0.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Anoka County, MN · Clackamas County, OR · Bell County, TX · Placer County, CA · Pinal County, AZ · Charleston County, SC · Cameron County, TX · Gloucester County, NJ · Cumberland County, PA · Rockingham County, NH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Boulder County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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