Boulder, Colorado Income Statistics
Boulder Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Boulder Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $82,777 | $95,803 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $80,858 | $68,113 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.9% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 18.9% | 18.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 21.8% | 17.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Boulder is about 14% lower than in Colorado. Income has been growing slower in Boulder (4.9%/yr) than in Colorado (5.4%/yr).
About 19% of adults in Boulder earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Colorado average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Boulder, Colorado grew by 76.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $82,777 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.9% per year.
Boulder has crossed the U.S. median household income 3 times since 2009, most recently moving above it by 2023. In 2024 its income was 2.9% higher.
Income Distribution in Boulder
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 16,708 households (43.6% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 27.9% of households in Boulder had an income under $35,000 and 30.0% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Boulder has a larger share of households earning $200,000 or more (21.8% vs 13.2%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 to $149,999 (13.6% vs 17.4%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 3,541 | 9.2% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,556 | 4.1% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,673 | 7.0% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,921 | 7.6% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 2,867 | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,499 | 11.7% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,575 | 9.3% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 5,197 | 13.6% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 3,154 | 8.2% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 8,357 | 21.8% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 38,341 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 15,995 residents (18.9% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 21.6% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 12.1% of Boulder residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 36.9% had some income but less than $25,000, and 25.4% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Boulder has a larger share of residents earning $1 to $9,999 (22.1% vs 11.2%) and a smaller share earning $35,000 to $49,999 (7.9% vs 12.6%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 10,219 | 12.1% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 18,689 | 22.1% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 5,837 | 6.9% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 6,585 | 7.8% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 6,783 | 8.0% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 6,640 | 7.9% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 8,256 | 9.8% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 5,420 | 6.4% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 15,995 | 18.9% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 84,424 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 12.1% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Boulder
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.614 | 0.524 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $95,055 | $78,863 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $82,151 | $64,818 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.6% | 17.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Boulder, it is 0.614, higher than Colorado's 0.524, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 16% more than women's income in Boulder, Colorado. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $451,640 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Boulder, Colorado has narrowed from about 24% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2012, and was narrowest at 5% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $458 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Boulder | Colorado Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 33.3% | 21.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 3,146 people are unemployed in Boulder, Colorado.
The average commute time in Boulder is 16 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Colorado.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Boulder, Colorado has fallen from 7.8% to 5.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.4% in 2019.
Boulder started 0.9 points below the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had risen above it by 2023, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its rate was 0.7 points higher.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Boulder, Colorado has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than Colorado, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Boulder, Colorado.
How Rich Is Boulder, Colorado?
Boulder has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $82,777, about 14% lower than the Colorado average of $95,803.
Are incomes growing in Boulder, Colorado?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Boulder, Colorado rose 76%, from $46,906 to $82,777. Over the same years, income here outpaced Colorado as a whole: +76% against +70%.
What was the median household income in Boulder in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Boulder, Colorado was $80,352, up 9% from $73,917 in 2022. The Colorado median that year was $93,071.
What was the median household income in Boulder in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Boulder, Colorado was $67,770. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $82,777.
Is it hard to find a job in Boulder, Colorado?
Unemployment in Boulder, Colorado is 5.9%, well above the Colorado rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Boulder, Colorado?
The Gini coefficient in Boulder is 0.614. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Boulder, Colorado?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Boulder, Colorado has narrowed from about 24% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2012, and was narrowest at 5% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $458 since 2009.
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