Boulder, Colorado Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Boulder, CO Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top grade
-
C
Income Below average
-
A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,436 | 5,842,429 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3309.7 | 56.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.18% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 25.7 | 35.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 38,341 | 2,364,171 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Boulder grew by 4.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 92,436 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Boulder is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 44.8% of residents. That is 22.2 points above Colorado as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 41,402 44.8% +22.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 16,955 18.3% -5.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 13,586 14.7% -5.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 9,979 10.8% -4.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Colorado, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 47.9% of the people living in Boulder and men 52.1%.
- Women 47.9% Colorado 49.4%
- Men 52.1% Colorado 50.6%
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Economy
Boulder has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $82,777 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.86% | 5.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Boulder is about 14% lower than in Colorado.
Housing
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $388,383 | $484,034 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,981 | $1,761 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 44.8% | 66.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Boulder is about 16.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,981 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Boulder spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 134 hours, about 5.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.1 | 22.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.1 | 44.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 134 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,147 | $5,694 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 33.3% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 14,445 | 8,183 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,704 | 1,277 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Boulder is 16 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Boulder has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.7% | 40.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.11 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Health
Boulder has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.0 | 80.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 7.8% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 10.8% | 16.1% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Boulder, Colorado.
How many people live in Boulder, Colorado?
About 92,436 people live in Boulder, Colorado, in 38,341 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 25.7, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 12 years.
Is Boulder, Colorado urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Boulder, Colorado has 3,310 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 38 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Boulder, Colorado an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 4.7 times the median household income ($388,383 against $82,777), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,981 a month takes about 29% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Boulder, Colorado?
52.7% of adults in Boulder, Colorado hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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