Boulder, CO

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

328,713

1.24% 1-year growth

US Senator

Michael Bennet

Democratic Party

US Senator

John Hickenlooper

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

37.2

0.813% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

11%

1.46% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$92,466

5.7% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$575,700

6.79% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

177,979

1.38% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Boulder, CO had a population of 329k people with a median age of 37.2 and a median household income of $92,466. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Boulder, CO grew from 324,682 to 328,713, a 1.24% increase and its median household income grew from $87,476 to $92,466, a 5.7% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Boulder, CO are White (Non-Hispanic) (76.7%), White (Hispanic) (8.22%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.67%), Two+ (Hispanic) (3.45%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.28%).

None of the households in Boulder, CO reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

94.8% of the residents in Boulder, CO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Boulder, CO are University of Colorado Boulder (9,728 degrees awarded in 2021), Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder (2,419 degrees), and Naropa University (219 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Boulder, CO was $575,700, and the homeownership rate was 62.7%.

Most people in Boulder, CO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Boulder, CO was 2 cars per household.

Boulder, CO borders Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO, Fort Collins, CO, and Greeley, CO.

Photo by Bryce Bradford

United States Colorado

Population & Diversity

Boulder, CO is home to a population of 329k people, from which 94.8% are citizens. As of 2021, 9.9% of Boulder, CO residents were born outside of the country (32.5k people).

In 2021, there were 9.33 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (252k people) in Boulder, CO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 27k White (Hispanic) and 15.3k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.8%

2021 Citizenship

94.5%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 94.8% of Boulder, CO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Boulder, CO was 94.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Boulder, CO compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Boulder, CO

White (Non-Hispanic)
252k ± 599
White (Hispanic)
27k ± 1.82k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
15.3k ± 528

14%

Hispanic Population

45.9k people

14% of the people in Boulder, CO are hispanic (45.9k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Boulder, CO as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Colorado.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
210,883 ± 11,065 people
India
21,272 ± 3,574 people
China
18,229 ± 3,310 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Colorado was Mexico, the natal country of 210,883 Colorado residents, followed by India with 21,272 and China with 18,229.

Foreign-Born Population

9.9%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

32.5k people

10.1%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

32.9k people

As of 2021, 9.9% of Boulder, CO residents (32.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Boulder, CO was 10.1%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Boulder, CO compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,737 ± 416
Gulf War (2001-)
2,594 ± 420
Gulf War (1990s)
1,463 ± 228

Boulder, CO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.83 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Boulder, CO employs 178k people. The largest industries in Boulder, CO are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (28,629 people), Educational Services (24,251 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (18,954 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($189,219), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($89,993), and Utilities ($80,984).

Males in Colorado have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $61,864. The income inequality in Colorado (measured using the Gini index) is 0.465, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

178k

2021 Value

± 3,329

1.38%

1 Year growth

± 2.6%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Boulder, CO grew at a rate of 1.38%, from 176k employees to 178k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Boulder, CO, are Management Occupations (23,581 people), Sales & Related Occupations (16,502 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (15,850 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Boulder, CO.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Colorado (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

178k

2021 Value

± 3,329

1.38%

1 Year growth

± 2.6%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Boulder, CO grew at a rate of 1.38%, from 176k employees to 178k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Boulder, CO, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (28,629 people), Educational Services (24,251 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (18,954 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Boulder, CO, though some of these residents may live in Boulder, CO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$58,617

Median earning men ± $1,778

$38,158

Median earning women ± $1,169

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Information ($97,332), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($95,815), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($90,881).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Manufacturing ($65,148), Wholesale Trade ($62,083), and Public Administration ($58,270).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Colorado. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Colorado.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

6,538
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
4,304
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
2,665
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4.27M
Manufacturing
$3.2M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
$3.07M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Colorado to other states, or from other states to Colorado.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Mixed freight
$23.8B
Coal-n.e.c.
$17.7B
Machinery
$15.3B

In 2020, the top outbound Colorado product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $23.8B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($17.7B) and Machinery ($15.3B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Colorado products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Colorado.

$207B

2020 Value in Colorado

$434B

Projected 2050 Value in Colorado

110% growth

In 2020, total outbound Colorado trade was $207B. This is expected to increase 110% to $434B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Colorado trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Colorado to other states, or from other states to Colorado.

Most Common Trade Partners

California
$9.69B
Texas
$8.1B
Wyoming
$8.09B

In 2020, the top outbound Colorado domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was California with $9.69B, followed by Texas with $8.1B and Wyoming and $8.09B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Colorado shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Colorado went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.6%).

Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are the senators currently representing the state of Colorado. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Colorado is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Boulder, CO. Showing the available data for Colorado.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (55%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (41.6%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.6%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Colorado went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 55% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (41.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.6%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Colorado for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Colorado

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

Michael Bennet

Senator from Colorado

Assumed office on January 21, 2009
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Ken Salazar, who had become Secretary of the Interior.

John Hickenlooper

Senator from Colorado

Assumed office on January 3, 2021

Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper are the senators currently representing Colorado.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Colorado over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Colorado

Colorado is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Colorado have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Boulder, CO awarded 12,409 degrees. The student population of Boulder, CO in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 24,672 male students and 25,017 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Boulder, CO are White (7,575 and 66%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (1,423 and 12.4%), Black or African American (914 and 7.97%), and Two or More Races (719 and 6.27%).

The largest universities in Boulder, CO by number of degrees awarded are University of Colorado Boulder (9,728 and 78.4%), Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder (2,419 and 19.5%), and Naropa University (219 and 1.76%).

The most popular majors in Boulder, CO are Culinary Arts & Chef Training (1,612 and 13%), General Business Administration & Management (1,281 and 10.3%), and Baking & Pastry Arts (807 and 6.5%).

The median tuition costs in Boulder, CO are $34,400 for private four year colleges, and $10,806 and $36,554 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Boulder, CO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 79.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 15.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 49,689 (49.7% men and 50.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 49,689 students enrolled in Boulder, CO, 49.7% men and 50.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 29,626 records, of which 48.8% were women and 51.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
546 degree-majors awarded
Computer Science
475 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
1,105 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Boulder, CO was General Psychology with 546 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Boulder, CO according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Colorado Boulder
9,728 degrees awarded
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder
2,419 degrees awarded
Naropa University
219 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Colorado Boulder with 9,728 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 6,127 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Boulder, CO, which is 0.975 times less than the 6,282 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 7,575 degrees mean that there were 5.32 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 1,423 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($34,400) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,804) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,256) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

Measure

In 2021, 0.83% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.785% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were Bachelors Degree (1.12M), Some college (999k), and High School or Equivalent (988k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Boulder, CO was $575,700 in 2021, which is 2.35 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $539,100 to $575,700, a 6.79% increase. The homeownership rate in Boulder, CO is 62.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Boulder, CO have an average commute time of 23.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Boulder, CO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Boulder, CO is $92,466. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Boulder, CO was Douglas County, CO with a value of $127,443, followed by Elbert County, CO and Broomfield County, CO, with respective values of $114,904 and $107,570.

Housing

Property

$575,700

Median Property Value 2021

±$8,194

$82,521

Median Property Taxes

±$1,957

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Boulder, CO the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Boulder, CO compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62.7%

Homeownership

2021

69.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 62.7% of the housing units in Boulder, CO were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 63.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Boulder, CO compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Boulder, CO was Douglas County, CO with a value of $127,443, followed by Elbert County, CO and Broomfield County, CO, with respective values of $114,904 and $107,570.

The following map shows all of the counties in Boulder, CO colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$92,466

Median Household Income

± $2,254

132k

Number of Households

± 2,673

In 2021, the median household income of the 132k households in Boulder, CO grew to $92,466 from the previous year's value of $87,476.

The following chart displays the households in Boulder, CO distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Boulder, CO is from Colorado.

0.465

2021 Wage GINI in Colorado

0.467

2020 Wage GINI in Colorado

In 2021, the income inequality in Colorado was 0.465 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.376% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Colorado was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Colorado in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Colorado across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (60.1%)
Worked At Home (20.8%)
Carpooled (6.58%)

In 2021, 60.1% of workers in Boulder, CO drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (20.8%) and those who carpooled to work (6.58%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Boulder, CO have a shorter commute time (23.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.57% of the workforce in Boulder, CO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Boulder, CO compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Boulder, CO distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Boulder, CO have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

11% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Boulder, CO (34.8k out of 317k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 18 - 24, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Boulder, CO is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

95.4% of the population of Boulder, CO has health coverage, with 56.9% on employee plans, 9.71% on Medicaid, 11% on Medicare, 17% on non-group plans, and 0.766% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Colorado see 1202 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.743% decrease from the previous year (1211 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1208 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 250 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Colorado.

1,202 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Colorado

Primary care physicians in Colorado see an average of 1,202 patients per year. This represents a 0.743% decrease from the previous year (1,211 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Colorado in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.1% under 18 years, 26.2% between 18 and 34 years, 38.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.62%

Uninsured

56.9%

Employer Coverage

9.71%

Medicaid

11%

Medicare

17%

Non-Group

0.766%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Boulder, CO grew by 3.38% from 4.47% to 4.62%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Boulder, CO changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.