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Colorado · 158 graded towns

Towns and cities in Colorado

50 of Colorado’s 158 graded towns and cities (32%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns. Holly Hills ranks first in the state with an A+; jobs & income (A+) and health (A+) are its strongest grades; cost of living (B−) is its lowest.

Letters are national: the overall grade blends cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk. How grades work

How Colorado compares: report cardBest places to liveBest small townsMost affordable townsSafest townsTowns with the best schoolsHealthiest towns
158
towns of 2,500+ with an overall grade
50
grade A− or better nationally
1
of 2,500+ without enough data for a grade
59
smaller places (1,000–2,499) with subject grades
Towns by letter
A+4A23A−23B+15B22B−18C+15C12C−14D10D−2

All 158 graded towns, by county

Every town of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade, in 38 counties, A to Z inside each. The rank is among 158 Colorado towns on the best places to live list. A town that spans counties is listed in the one where most of it lies.

158 graded towns, A to Z.

Sort within each county:
Jump to a county (38)

Adams County 15 graded

  1. BBennett#82 of 1584,224
  2. C−Berkleyunincorporated, Adams County#144 of 15810,789
  3. CBrighton#121 of 15845,395
  4. C−Commerce City#139 of 15872,345
  5. C+Derbyunincorporated, Adams County#117 of 1588,453
  6. B−Federal Heights#95 of 15814,075
  7. C+Northglenn#109 of 15838,893
  8. C−Shaw Heightsunincorporated, Adams County#134 of 1585,565
  9. CSherrelwoodunincorporated, Adams County#126 of 15818,692
  10. BStrasburgunincorporated, Adams County · also in Arapahoe County#68 of 1583,455
  11. B−Thornton#102 of 158147,766
  12. BTodd Creekunincorporated, Adams County#78 of 1585,379
  13. CTwin Lakesunincorporated, Adams County#125 of 1588,030
  14. C+Welbyunincorporated, Adams County#106 of 15816,197
  15. BWestminsteralso in Jefferson County#76 of 158116,182

Alamosa County 1 graded

  1. DAlamosa#148 of 1589,849

Arapahoe County 14 graded

  1. CAurora#122 of 158410,053
  2. A−Centennial#36 of 158108,658
  3. ACherry Creekunincorporated, Arapahoe County#15 of 15810,721
  4. ACherry Hills Village#19 of 1586,389
  5. AColumbineunincorporated, Arapahoe County · also in Jefferson County#20 of 15825,478
  6. A−Dove Valleyunincorporated, Arapahoe County#37 of 1584,806
  7. CEnglewood#131 of 15835,305
  8. A−Four Square Mileunincorporated, Arapahoe County#43 of 15823,024
  9. B−Glendale#94 of 1584,475
  10. BGreenwood Village#77 of 15815,323
  11. A+Holly Hillsunincorporated, Arapahoe County#1 of 1582,572
  12. AInvernessunincorporated, Arapahoe County#18 of 1582,934
  13. B+Littleton#54 of 15846,246
  14. DSheridan#156 of 1585,972

Boulder County 7 graded

  1. BBoulder#73 of 158105,689
  2. AGunbarrelunincorporated, Boulder County#12 of 15810,051
  3. B+Lafayette#51 of 15830,116
  4. A−Longmont#31 of 158100,109
  5. ALouisville#24 of 15820,581
  6. A−Niwotunincorporated, Boulder County#35 of 1583,447
  7. A+Superior#4 of 15813,637

Broomfield County 1 graded

  1. A−Broomfield#45 of 15879,174

Chaffee County 2 graded

  1. B−Buena Vista#92 of 1583,248
  2. A−Salida#40 of 1585,985

Delta County 2 graded

  1. DDelta#149 of 1589,802
  2. C−Orchard City#142 of 1583,299

Denver County 1 graded

  1. C+Denver#119 of 158740,613

Douglas County 15 graded

  1. A+Acres Greenunincorporated, Douglas County#2 of 1582,639
  2. ACastle Pines#6 of 15815,583
  3. A−Castle Pines Villageunincorporated, Douglas County#29 of 1584,436
  4. ACastle Rock#17 of 15883,815
  5. A+Highlands Ranchunincorporated, Douglas County#3 of 158102,257
  6. BLone Tree#70 of 15815,278
  7. A−Meridianunincorporated, Douglas County#38 of 1585,634
  8. B+Meridian Villageunincorporated, Douglas County#52 of 1582,699
  9. A−Parker#48 of 15865,985
  10. ARoxborough Parkunincorporated, Douglas County#27 of 1589,085
  11. A−Sierra Ridgeunincorporated, Douglas County#44 of 1583,663
  12. AStepping Stoneunincorporated, Douglas County#5 of 1583,137
  13. B+Sterling Ranchunincorporated, Douglas County#62 of 1584,213
  14. AStonegateunincorporated, Douglas County#7 of 1588,906
  15. A−The Pineryunincorporated, Douglas County#34 of 15811,871

Eagle County 7 graded

  1. C+Avon#110 of 1586,184
  2. B−Basaltalso in Pitkin County#104 of 1584,009
  3. B+Eagle#57 of 1587,280
  4. C+Edwardsunincorporated, Eagle County#112 of 15810,785
  5. BEl Jebelunincorporated, Eagle County#79 of 1582,941
  6. B+Gypsum#65 of 1589,212
  7. CVail#123 of 1584,407

El Paso County 12 graded

  1. BBlack Forestunincorporated, El Paso County#71 of 15815,738
  2. CCimarron Hillsunincorporated, El Paso County#129 of 15819,817
  3. C−Colorado Springs#138 of 158494,743
  4. C+Fort Carsonunincorporated, El Paso County#115 of 15818,019
  5. C−Fountain#137 of 15829,450
  6. AGleneagleunincorporated, El Paso County#26 of 1586,440
  7. BManitou Springs#86 of 1584,577
  8. B+Monument#63 of 15813,813
  9. A−Palmer Lake#41 of 1582,591
  10. C+Security-Widefieldunincorporated, El Paso County#111 of 15837,345
  11. B−Stratmoorunincorporated, El Paso County#91 of 1585,412
  12. AWoodmoorunincorporated, El Paso County#10 of 1588,934

Elbert County 2 graded

  1. AElizabeth#13 of 1582,957
  2. BPonderosa Parkunincorporated, Elbert County#84 of 1583,453

Fremont County 5 graded

  1. C−Cañon City#140 of 15817,030
  2. C−Florence#133 of 1583,856
  3. C−Lincoln Parkunincorporated, Fremont County#141 of 1583,986
  4. C+Park Centerunincorporated, Fremont County#120 of 1582,588
  5. C−Penroseunincorporated, Fremont County#143 of 1584,087

Garfield County 6 graded

  1. CBattlement Mesaunincorporated, Garfield County#124 of 1585,755
  2. BCarbondale#81 of 1586,762
  3. C−Glenwood Springs#135 of 15810,395
  4. BNew Castle#87 of 1584,896
  5. B−Rifle#105 of 15810,844
  6. BSilt#83 of 1583,743

Gunnison County 1 graded

  1. B−Gunnison#93 of 1586,836

Huerfano County 1 graded

  1. D−Walsenburg#157 of 1583,039

Jefferson County 12 graded

  1. AApplewoodunincorporated, Jefferson County#21 of 1588,350
  2. B+Arvada#64 of 158122,901
  3. ADakota Ridgeunincorporated, Jefferson County#14 of 15833,753
  4. C+Edgewater#107 of 1584,870
  5. A−Evergreenunincorporated, Jefferson County#39 of 1588,602
  6. AFairmountunincorporated, Jefferson County#16 of 1589,902
  7. B+Geneseeunincorporated, Jefferson County#53 of 1583,778
  8. BGolden#74 of 15820,390
  9. AKen Carylunincorporated, Jefferson County#11 of 15833,233
  10. B−Lakewood#97 of 158156,927
  11. A−West Pleasant Viewunincorporated, Jefferson County#49 of 1585,051
  12. B−Wheat Ridge#100 of 15832,081

Kit Carson County 1 graded

  1. C+Burlington#116 of 1583,164

La Plata County 2 graded

  1. A−Bayfield#33 of 1582,974
  2. B+Durango#61 of 15819,733

Lake County 1 graded

  1. A−Leadville#50 of 1582,668

Larimer County 6 graded

  1. A−Berthoud#28 of 15814,080
  2. BEstes Park#69 of 1585,780
  3. B+Fort Collins#59 of 158171,500
  4. B−Loveland#88 of 15881,387
  5. ATimnath#9 of 15811,600
  6. BWellington#75 of 15812,169

Las Animas County 1 graded

  1. DTrinidad#155 of 1588,091

Logan County 1 graded

  1. DSterling#154 of 15813,054

Mesa County 7 graded

  1. CCliftonunincorporated, Mesa County#130 of 15819,518
  2. A−Fruita#47 of 15814,003
  3. BFruitvaleunincorporated, Mesa County#80 of 1588,019
  4. C+Grand Junction#118 of 15871,827
  5. BOrchard Mesaunincorporated, Mesa County#85 of 1586,945
  6. BPalisade#67 of 1582,599
  7. B−Redlandsunincorporated, Mesa County#99 of 1588,868

Moffat County 1 graded

  1. B−Craig#96 of 1588,874

Montezuma County 1 graded

  1. DCortez#150 of 1589,126

Montrose County 1 graded

  1. CMontrose#127 of 15821,583

Morgan County 2 graded

  1. BBrush#72 of 1585,337
  2. DFort Morgan#147 of 15811,841

Otero County 2 graded

  1. DLa Junta#153 of 1586,864
  2. DRocky Ford#151 of 1583,752

Pitkin County 2 graded

  1. B−Aspen#101 of 1586,489
  2. A−Snowmass Village#46 of 1582,965

Prowers County 1 graded

  1. CLamar#128 of 1587,588

Pueblo County 2 graded

  1. D−Pueblo#158 of 158110,404
  2. B−Pueblo Westunincorporated, Pueblo County#103 of 15835,681

Rio Grande County 1 graded

  1. DMonte Vista#152 of 1584,005

Routt County 1 graded

  1. B+Steamboat Springs#58 of 15813,557

Summit County 3 graded

  1. B−Breckenridge#90 of 1585,015
  2. AFrisco#23 of 1582,792
  3. C+Silverthorne#108 of 1585,418

Teller County 1 graded

  1. B−Woodland Park#98 of 1588,014

Weld County 16 graded

  1. BAult#66 of 1582,667
  2. B+Dacono#56 of 1586,844
  3. A−Eaton#30 of 1585,848
  4. AEriealso in Boulder County#8 of 15840,904
  5. C−Evans#145 of 15822,500
  6. B+Firestone#60 of 15820,129
  7. C−Fort Lupton#146 of 15810,402
  8. AFrederick#25 of 15818,241
  9. C−Greeley#136 of 158115,073
  10. B−Johnstownalso in Larimer County#89 of 15822,433
  11. C+Lochbuie#114 of 1588,776
  12. A−Mead#42 of 1587,042
  13. B+Milliken#55 of 1589,183
  14. C+Platteville#113 of 1582,908
  15. A−Severance#32 of 15811,841
  16. AWindsoralso in Larimer County#22 of 15843,840

Yuma County 1 graded

  1. CYuma#132 of 1583,424
Also in Colorado

Not on the ranked list

Not graded (1)

Towns of 2,500+ without enough data for an overall grade. Their pages show every subject that is graded.

  • –Air Force Academy El Paso County · 6,727 people. No overall grade: no cost of living or safety figures, and the overall needs three of the four.

Smaller places 59 with 1,000–2,499 residents

These have subject grades (safety, schools, health and the rest) but no overall grade or rank: the overall starts at 2,500 residents.

Go deeper

Lists in Colorado

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Colorado rankings →
Best places to live158 towns · #1 Holly HillsBest small towns86 towns · #1 Holly HillsMost affordable towns158 towns · #1 CraigSafest towns87 towns · #1 MillikenTowns with the best schools159 towns · #1 Steamboat SpringsHealthiest towns159 towns · #1 SuperiorBest towns for jobs & income159 towns · #1 Stepping Stone and Todd CreekMost walkable towns159 towns · #1 BoulderTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk159 towns · #1 CortezBest towns for the outdoors159 towns · #1 GunbarrelMost historic towns159 towns · #1 Manitou SpringsTowns with the most civic life104 towns · #1 VailTowns with the least snow158 towns · #1 CliftonDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns158 towns · #1 AvonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters149 towns · #1 LakewoodDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers149 towns · #1 FruitaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers149 towns · #1 BreckenridgeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes159 towns · #1 Castle Pines Village and Cherry Hills VillageDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes156 towns · #1 WalsenburgDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns104 towns · #1 TimnathDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries17 towns · #1 VailDescribed, no letters