Boulder, Colorado Population 2023

Boulder is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains about 25 miles northwest of Denver. Boulder is well-known for its history, the University of Colorado and its large hippie population in the 1960s. The city also frequently tops rankings for education, health, and quality of life.

Boulder Population Statistics

Boulder has a population younger than the national average with a median age of 28.7 years compared to the U.S. median age of 37.2. About one-third of Boulder's population is between the ages of 18 and 24, mostly due to a large number of university students.

The city has a median household income of just over $57,000, with a median family income of $113,600. Full-time female workers make $47,500 compared to full-time male workers at $72,000. A full 25% of the population lives below the poverty line. Boulder usually has higher home prices than nearby areas.

Boulder Facts

• Among 14 comparable cities, Boulder has the most people who walk to work, work at home and carpool, and it ranks second in terms of people who bike.
• Bicycling is so popular in the city that the Boulder Creek bike path is often plowed of snow before the roads.
• Colorado has fewer overweight people per capita and more people who exercise regularly than any other state.
• 70% of Boulderites own a bicycle.
• Boulder is the largest beer-producing triangle in the world with Anheuser-Busch and Coors.
• Robert Redford was a janitor in Boulder before he became famous.
• Boulder has a "blue line" which deters expanding structures over four stories that would prevent views of the mountains.
• Boulder's top rankings include Lesser-Known LGBT Family-Friendly City, Best City to Raise an Outdoor Kid, Top 10 Healthiest Cities to Live and Retire (#6), Top Brainiest City, Top Happiest City, Top 10 Cities for Artists (#8).

Boulder was first home to Native Americans who had a village nearby. The first non-native settlement was established in 1858 by gold seekers. The Boulder City Town Company was created a year later with lots that had a purchase price of $1,000, which was lowered to bring in more residents. The government was formalized in 1871 when the town was incorporated.

By 1880, Boulder had a population of more than 3,000. Many trainees came to the area after World War II as business people and students, joining veterans attending the University. Before this, the population had not grown since the 1920s.