If you’re looking for a safe place for your family to live, you can stop the search: The Centennial State is one of the most family friendly states in America. There are great family friendly Colorado places around every corner in this Rocky Mountain paradise, and HomeSnacks is here to give you the ultimate guide: we’ve broken down the best places to raise a family in Colorado for 2025 and the top ten list is below.
How did we determine Colorado’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in Colorado with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 41 family friendly Colorado places. This is also our second time ranking Colorado’s most family friendly cities, so trust us when we say that any family would be lucky to call one of Colorado’s best places to raise a family home.
It’s a known fact that many families visit Colorado on vacation and end up staying. This is because the state has Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools, cutting edge universities, good jobs, and tons of staycation possibilities for families on a budget.
And speaking of budgets, there are family friendly places in Colorado for all types of budgets. There are places like Greeley for the family that loves spending time outside, places like Fort Collins for families just starting out, and places like Durango for families who can afford to live in the most expensive places in Colorado.
So, want to see a list of Colorado’s best places for families? Read on.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Colorado For 2025
We are not at all surprised that Colorado has three of the top 100 best cities to raise a family in the country. The trick, however, is choosing the city that best fits your family’s needs.
No need to flip a coin if you take a look at our list. There can only be one number one best place to raise your family in Colorado and that would be, Louisville.
To see how your favorite place in Colorado compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don’t see it there, head to the bottom.
More reading about Colorado and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Colorado
- Cheapest Places To Live In Colorado
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Colorado For 2025
/10
Population: 20,788
Median Income: $149,159
Average Home Price: $835,000
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 53
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 36.6%
More on Louisville: Data
/10
Population: 76,614
Median Income: $143,031
Average Home Price: $621,700
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 66
Closest Major City: Aurora
Households with kids: 43.2%
More on Castle Rock: Data
/10
Population: 31,927
Median Income: $163,644
Average Home Price: $685,900
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 33
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 45.0%
More on Erie: Data
/10
Population: 35,918
Median Income: $121,758
Average Home Price: $562,300
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 60
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 33.3%
More on Windsor: Data
/10
Population: 45,092
Median Income: $96,611
Average Home Price: $596,700
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 22.4%
More on Littleton: Data
/10
Population: 107,386
Median Income: $128,167
Average Home Price: $626,700
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 53
Closest Major City: Aurora
Households with kids: 32.6%
More on Centennial: Data
/10
Population: 75,110
Median Income: $121,025
Average Home Price: $631,600
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 66
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 28.0%
More on Broomfield: Data
/10
Population: 30,471
Median Income: $110,431
Average Home Price: $647,600
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 48
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 28.1%
More on Lafayette: Data
/10
Population: 142,878
Median Income: $100,985
Average Home Price: $482,200
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 61
Closest Major City: Denver
Households with kids: 37.4%
More on Thornton: Data
/10
Population: 11,035
Median Income: $114,654
Average Home Price: $586,400
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Colorado Springs
Households with kids: 42.1%
More on Monument: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Colorado anyways?
To give you the places in Colorado that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Colorado, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Colorado, that meant a total of 41 cities.
We updated this article for 2025. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for families in Colorado.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Colorado
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Colorado ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Colorado are Louisville, Castle Rock, Erie, Windsor, Littleton, Centennial, Broomfield, Lafayette, Thornton, and Monument.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Colorado according to the data:
- Northglenn
- Wheat Ridge
- Evans
For more Colorado reading, check out:
Best Places For Families In Colorado
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville, CO | 20,788 | $149,159 | $835,000 | 53 |
| 2 | Castle Rock, CO | 76,614 | $143,031 | $621,700 | 59 |
| 3 | Erie, CO | 31,927 | $163,644 | $685,900 | 33 |
| 4 | Windsor, CO | 35,918 | $121,758 | $562,300 | 64 |
| 5 | Littleton, CO | 45,092 | $96,611 | $596,700 | 46 |
| 6 | Centennial, CO | 107,386 | $128,167 | $626,700 | 56 |
| 7 | Broomfield, CO | 75,110 | $121,025 | $631,600 | 63 |
| 8 | Lafayette, CO | 30,471 | $110,431 | $647,600 | 59 |
| 9 | Thornton, CO | 142,878 | $100,985 | $482,200 | 61 |
| 10 | Monument, CO | 11,035 | $114,654 | $586,400 | 53 |