Boulder, CO Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Boulder, CO Summary
Cost of living in Boulder research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Boulder is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Colorado, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Boulder is 145, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Boulder is 1.4x higher than the national average.
Boulder ranks as the #106 cheapest in Colorado out of 111.
Boulder ranks as the #5,721 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Boulder is $790,100.
The median income in Boulder is $74,902.
Table Of Contents
Boulder's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Boulder, CO?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Boulder has an overall cost of living index of 145, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Colorado, Boulder has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Colorado's index of 104.
The standard of living in Boulder ranks as #106 most affordable out of the 111 places we measured in Colorado. By definition, that implies Boulder ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Centennial State.
For more reading on life in Boulder, check out:
- Living In Boulder
- Boulder Crime Report
- Search Homes For Sale In Boulder, CO
In Colorado
In America
Boulder Cost Of Living Vs. Colorado
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Boulder. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Boulder is 104.
The Groceries index in Boulder is 89.
The Health index in Boulder is 97.
The Housing index in Boulder is 253.
The Transportation index in Boulder is 108.
The Utilities index in Boulder is 80.
| Living Expense | Boulder | Colorado | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 145 | 104 | 100 | |
| Services | 104 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 89 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 100 | 100 | |
| Housing | 253 | 116 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 108 | 104 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 80 | 90 | 100 | |
Boulder, CO Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Colorado, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Boulder is $790,100.
The Median Rent in Boulder is $1,711.
The Median Income in Boulder is $74,902.
The Home Value To Income in Boulder is 10.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Boulder is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Boulder | Colorado | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $790,100 | $397,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Rent | $1,711 | $1,437 | $1,163 |
| Median Income | $74,902 | $80,184 | $69,021 |
| Home Value To Income | 10.5x | 5.0x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.22x | 0.2x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Boulder, CO Costs By Category
Detailed Boulder Services Costs Vs. Colorado
Detailed Boulder Groceries Costs Vs. Colorado
Detailed Boulder Health Costs Vs. Colorado
Detailed Boulder Transportation Costs Vs. Colorado
Detailed Boulder Utilities Costs Vs. Colorado
Boulder SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Boulder
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Boulder. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Westminster, CO has a cost of living index of 106, 0.7x Boulder.
Northglenn, CO has a cost of living index of 103, 0.7x Boulder.
Wheat Ridge, CO has a cost of living index of 110, 0.8x Boulder.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster, CO | 115,535 | 106 | 0.7x |
| Northglenn, CO | 37,899 | 103 | 0.7x |
| Wheat Ridge, CO | 32,340 | 110 | 0.8x |
| Sherrelwood, CO | 20,069 | 98 | 0.7x |
| Golden, CO | 20,041 | 127 | 0.9x |
| Welby, CO | 16,260 | 97 | 0.7x |
| Firestone, CO | 15,949 | 111 | 0.8x |
| Frederick, CO | 14,127 | 110 | 0.8x |
| Federal Heights, CO | 14,111 | 80 | 0.6x |
| Berkley, CO | 10,920 | 99 | 0.7x |
