Population 33,765 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wheat Ridge
Household size in Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.09 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.20 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.17 | 2.68 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.15 | 2.57 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.01 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Wheat Ridge is a place of small households, averaging 2.15 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.09, even as the national average fell. Of the 133 Colorado cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have smaller households.
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 Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.8 | 36.7 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.1 | 37.3 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.8 | 38.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.9 | 38.5 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.9 | +1.8 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Wheat Ridge is 41.9 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has dropped from 43.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the southwest.
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 Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 11.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 9.8% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 9.6% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.8% of households in Wheat Ridge, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Wheat Ridge
Renters in Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1% | 33.5% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.2% | 36.4% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.4% | 36.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.3% | 35.9% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Wheat Ridge than nationally: 45.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 26.9% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only seven of the 133 Colorado cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
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 Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 8.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 5.5% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 6.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −2.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Wheat Ridge: 6.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Denver area. Vacancy is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1987 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Wheat Ridge run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1966 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the northeast has the oldest housing.
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 Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $871 | $1,128 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $911 | $1,245 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,267 | $1,606 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,692 | $2,181 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$821 | +$1,053 | +$912 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wheat Ridge pays $1,692 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the wider Denver area ($2,181). Rents are up $821 a month from 2006–10, a 94% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 31.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Wheat Ridge
Bachelor's degrees in Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.3% | 38.1% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.2% | 40.0% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 43.5% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.2% | 49.1% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +20.9 pts | +11.0 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Wheat Ridge: 49.2% 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 is up 20.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.0% | 88.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.3% | 89.8% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.2% | 91.1% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 92.1% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Wheat Ridge: 95.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 7.2 points since 2006–10, 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 Wheat Ridge
| Period | Wheat Ridge | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 7.5% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 3.7% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.0%, unemployment in Wheat Ridge is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Wheat Ridge compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat Ridge | 2.15 | 41.9 | 7.8% | 45.3% | 6.0% | 1972 | $1,692 | 49.2% | 95.2% | 5.0% |
| Mountain View | 2.34 | 35.2 | 8.8% | 32.3% | 2.2% | 1938 | $2,083 | 61.1% | 94.6% | 1.4% |
| Edgewater | 2.11 | 36.4 | 9.6% | 58.2% | 8.6% | 1971 | $1,632 | 41.3% | 89.4% | 6.1% |
| Applewood | 2.42 | 44.5 | 6.6% | 17.1% | 4.7% | 1972 | $2,177 | 72.1% | 99.3% | 3.3% |
| Arvada | 2.55 | 41.3 | 7.3% | 24.0% | 5.2% | 1983 | $2,215 | 51.6% | 95.3% | 3.6% |
| Berkley | 2.50 | 33.8 | 10.3% | 36.8% | 6.8% | 1974 | $1,806 | 37.2% | 82.6% | 8.5% |
| Fairmount | 2.58 | 44.3 | 4.8% | 7.9% | 2.4% | 1988 | $2,711 | 67.6% | 97.8% | 1.9% |
| Lakewood | 2.32 | 40.2 | 9.5% | 37.3% | 5.5% | 1978 | $2,061 | 46.3% | 94.6% | 4.1% |
| West Pleasant View | 2.29 | 37.7 | 8.8% | 50.6% | 5.3% | 1980 | $2,064 | 34.8% | 94.5% | 4.6% |
| Golden | 2.44 | 39.2 | 8.5% | 32.9% | 6.4% | 1983 | $2,254 | 61.6% | 97.5% | 4.6% |
| North Washington | 1.74 | 50.5 | 11.1% | 44.0% | 27.1% | 1971 | $1,530 | 25.5% | 68.8% | 0.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lindenhurst, NY · South Riding, VA · Shelbyville, TN · Paradise Hills, NM · Orangevale, CA · Nixa, MO · Montrose, CO · Milford, OH · Melrose Park, IL · Alamo, TX
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 Wheat Ridge. 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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