Boulder County, CO

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

328,317

0.104% 1-year decline

US Senator

Michael Bennet

Democratic Party

US Senator

John Hickenlooper

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

37.5

1.35% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

11.4%

1.49% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$102,772

3.01% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$713,900

6.38% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

177,426

0.354% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Boulder County, CO had a population of 328k people with a median age of 37.5 and a median household income of $102,772. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Boulder County, CO declined from 328,658 to 328,317, a −0.104% decrease and its median household income grew from $99,770 to $102,772, a 3.01% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Boulder County, CO are White (Non-Hispanic) (75.3%), Two+ (Hispanic) (6.38%), White (Hispanic) (5.32%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.63%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.17%).

None of the households in Boulder County, 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.

95% of the residents in Boulder County, CO are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Boulder County, CO are University of Colorado Boulder (9,646 degrees awarded in 2022), Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder (3,638 degrees), and Naropa University (234 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Boulder County, CO was $713,900, and the homeownership rate was 62.5%.

Most people in Boulder County, CO drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Boulder County, CO was 2 cars per household.

Boulder County, CO borders Broomfield County, CO, Gilpin County, CO, Grand County, CO, Jefferson County, CO, Larimer County, CO, and Weld County, CO.

About the photo: Flatirons of Boulder, Colorado

Photo by Keith Cuddeback

United States Colorado Boulder, CO

Population & Diversity

Boulder County, CO is home to a population of 328k people, from which 95% are citizens. As of 2023, 10% of Boulder County, CO residents were born outside of the country (33k people).

In 2023, there were 11.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (247k people) in Boulder County, CO than any other race or ethnicity. There were 21k Two+ (Hispanic) and 17.5k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95%

2023 Citizenship

95%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95% of Boulder County, CO residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Boulder County, CO was 95%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Boulder County, CO

White (Non-Hispanic)
247k ± 636
Two+ (Hispanic)
21k ± 1.66k
White (Hispanic)
17.5k ± 1.55k

14.6%

Hispanic Population

47.9k people

14.6% of the people in Boulder County, CO are hispanic (47.9k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
206,571 ± 10,957 people
India
22,427 ± 3,670 people
China
17,909 ± 3,280 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Colorado was Mexico, the natal country of 206,571 Colorado residents, followed by India with 22,427 and China with 17,909.

Foreign-Born Population

10%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

33k people

9.7%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

31.9k people

As of 2023, 10% of Boulder County, CO residents (33k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Boulder County, CO was 9.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,392 ± 443
Gulf War (2001-)
2,684 ± 436
Gulf War (1990s)
1,300 ± 285

Boulder County, CO has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.64 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Boulder County, CO employs 177k people. The largest industries in Boulder County, CO are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (30,277 people), Educational Services (24,443 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (18,606 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($250,001), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($105,351), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($101,800).

Males in Colorado have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $67,859. The income inequality in Colorado (measured using the Gini index) is 0.464, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

177k

2023 Value

± 3,374

−0.354%

1 Year decline

± 2.67%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Boulder County, CO declined at a rate of −0.354%, from 178k employees to 177k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Boulder County, CO, are Management Occupations (25,157 people), Sales & Related Occupations (15,509 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (15,034 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Boulder County, 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.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

177k

2023 Value

± 3,374

−0.354%

1 Year decline

± 2.67%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Boulder County, CO declined at a rate of −0.354%, from 178k employees to 177k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Boulder County, CO, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (30,277 people), Educational Services (24,443 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (18,606 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Boulder County, CO, though some of these residents may live in Boulder County, CO and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$68,093

Median earning men ± $2,154

$43,873

Median earning women ± $1,949

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($106,992), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($106,033), and Information ($103,094).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($80,069), Wholesale Trade ($79,614), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($76,971).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

1.73%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.87M people employed in Colorado. This represents a 1.73% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.9%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

2,238
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
993
Health Care and Social Assistance
796
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$3.33M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$2.09M
Information
$1.22M
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Boulder County, CO went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 77.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (20.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.23%).

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

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (77.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (20.6%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.23%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Boulder County, CO 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 2022, universities in Boulder County, CO awarded 13,580 degrees. The student population of Boulder County, CO in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 24,507 male students and 25,128 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Boulder County, CO are White (7,880 and 61.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (1,539 and 12%), Black or African American (1,203 and 9.35%), and Unknown (769 and 5.97%).

The largest universities in Boulder County, CO by number of degrees awarded are University of Colorado Boulder (9,646 and 71%), Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder (3,638 and 26.8%), and Naropa University (234 and 1.72%).

The most popular majors in Boulder County, CO are Culinary Arts & Chef Training (2,422 and 17.8%), General Business Administration & Management (1,251 and 9.21%), and Baking & Pastry Arts (1,200 and 8.84%).

The median tuition costs in Boulder County, CO are $34,400 for private four year colleges, and $11,004 and $37,376 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Boulder County, CO, the percentage of applicants admitted was 80.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 16.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 49,635 (49.4% men and 50.6% 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 2022 there were 49,635 students enrolled in Boulder County, CO, 49.4% men and 50.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 29,050 records, of which 48.8% were women and 51.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
584 degrees awarded
Computer Science
473 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
1,087 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Boulder County, CO was General Psychology with 584 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Colorado Boulder
9,646 degrees awarded
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder
3,638 degrees awarded
Naropa University
234 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Colorado Boulder with 9,646 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 6,266 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Boulder County, CO, which is 0.857 times less than the 7,314 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 7,880 degrees mean that there were 5.12 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 1,539 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 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,586) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

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 2022, 0.886% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.84% 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 2022 were Bachelors Degree (1.16M), Some college (997k), and High School or Equivalent (997k).

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 County, CO was $713,900 in 2023, which is 2.35 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $671,100 to $713,900, a 6.38% increase. The homeownership rate in Boulder County, CO is 62.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Boulder County, CO have an average commute time of 23.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Boulder County, CO is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Boulder County, CO is $102,772. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Boulder County, CO was Census Tract 121.01 with a value of $217,891, followed by Census Tract 130.04 and Census Tract 613, with respective values of $211,250 and $209,455.

In 2023, 18.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Boulder County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.66%.

Housing

Property

$713,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$8,867

$84,461

Median Property Taxes

±$1,738

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 County, CO the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

62.5%

Homeownership

2023

70%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 62.5% of the housing units in Boulder County, CO were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 62.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Boulder County, 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)

Census Tract 121.01
Census Tract 130.04
Census Tract 613

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Boulder County, CO was Census Tract 121.01 with a value of $217,891, followed by Census Tract 130.04 and Census Tract 613, with respective values of $211,250 and $209,455.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Boulder County, 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.

$102,772

Median Household Income

± $2,628

135k

Number of Households

± 2,715

In 2023, the median household income of the 135k households in Boulder County, CO grew to $102,772 from the previous year's value of $99,770.

The following chart displays the households in Boulder County, 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 County, CO is from Colorado.

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in Colorado

0.465

2021 Wage GINI in Colorado

In 2022, the income inequality in Colorado was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.265% decline from 2021 to 2022, 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 2023

Drove Alone (55.6%)
Worked At Home (27.9%)
Carpooled (5.68%)

In 2023, 55.6% of workers in Boulder County, CO drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (27.9%) and those who carpooled to work (5.68%).

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

23.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Boulder County, CO have a shorter commute time (23.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.64% of the workforce in Boulder County, CO have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Boulder County, 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 County, CO distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Boulder County, CO have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 18.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Boulder County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.66%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Boulder County, CO (36.1k out of 316k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. 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 County, 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 8.6% of the children was living in poverty in Boulder County, CO. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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

95.6% of the population of Boulder County, CO has health coverage, with 56.9% on employee plans, 9.5% on Medicaid, 11.7% on Medicare, 16.8% on non-group plans, and 0.761% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Boulder County, CO see 810 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.613% decrease from the previous year (815 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 928 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 119 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

810 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Boulder County, CO

Primary care physicians in Boulder County, CO see an average of 810 patients per year. This represents a 0.613% decrease from the previous year (815 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.5% under 18 years, 26.5% between 18 and 34 years, 37.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.37%

Uninsured

56.9%

Employer Coverage

9.5%

Medicaid

11.7%

Medicare

16.8%

Non-Group

0.761%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Boulder County, CO declined by 0.976% from 4.42% to 4.37%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 25.6 in Boulder County, CO.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Boulder County, CO.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 17.6% in Boulder County, CO.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Boulder County, CO.