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City · 106,433 residents · Boulder County, Colorado

Boulder , Colorado

In Boulder, a typical home is worth $1,039,500 and typical rent is $2,018 a month. Compared with all of Boulder County, the typical home value is 37% higher, typical household income is 16% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 15 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $1,039,500

    37% above the county

    93% above Colorado

    • Boulder
    • County
    • Colorado

  • Typical rent

    $2,018a month

    3% above the county

    15% above Colorado

    • Boulder
    • County
    • Colorado

  • Typical household income

    $87,493a year

    16% below the county

    8% below Colorado

    • Boulder
    • County
    • Colorado

  • Households that own their home

    47%

    15 points below the county

    19 points below Colorado

    • Boulder
    • County
    • Colorado

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$937,901
1.5% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,435 a month
2.2% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Boulder is in Boulder County. The FHA loan limit ($879,750 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Boulder County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Boulder apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Boulder has the 3rd highest typical home value of the 110 cities in Colorado with more than 5,000 people ($1,039,500).

  2. Boulder has the 4th lowest homeownership rate of the 111 cities in Colorado with more than 5,000 people (47%).

  3. Nearby, in Lafayette, the typical home value is $686,500: 34% less than in Boulder ($1,039,500).

  4. The typical household income in Boulder is $87,493, 16% less than in Boulder County as a whole ($103,994).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Boulder

What homes there are in Boulder, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Many people here live in apartments: 4 in 10 homes; in Boulder County, 3.

Year built

Homes in Boulder are older: the typical year built is 1977; in Boulder County, 1986.

Homes in Boulder are smaller: 48% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Boulder County, 61%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($2,033), about 51% of rented homes in Boulder cost less.

With a mortgage

$3,210 a month

Boulder County: $2,743 a month

Without a mortgage

$980 a month

Boulder County: $836 a month

Owners with a mortgage

60%

Boulder County: 66%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Boulder is $3,210 a month, more than in Boulder County ($2,743); without one, $980.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Boulder rose 49% since 2015–2019, less than in Boulder County (52%).

The typical rent in Boulder rose 30% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Boulder County (32%).

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Boulder: typical income rose 26%, against +49% for home values and +30% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBoulderBoulder CountyColoradoUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.3%4.0%5.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.9%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.1%1.6%2.4%3.4%
People per household 2.122.302.422.53
Drive alone 39%53%65%69%
Carpool 3%5%8%9%
Public transit 5%3%2%3%
Walk or bike 18%7%3%3%
Work from home 34%31%21%15%
Other means 1%1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Boulder, the rental vacancy rate is 4.3%, about the same as in Boulder County.

In Boulder, 1.1% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in Boulder County.

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.12 on average, against 2.30 in Boulder County.

More people walk or bike to work in Boulder: 18%, against 7% in Boulder County.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Boulder?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Boulder, worth $1,039,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 115% of the typical household income in Boulder, which is $87,493 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $360,696 a year. Note: at that price the loan is above the FHA limit for Boulder County ($879,750), so FHA would not insure it; the payment is only a reference.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Boulder County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Boulder. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $36,383 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$8,416

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$1,020,672
Total interest
$1,468,507
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $17,555 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,042 a month

  • Tight

    $2,042 to $2,625 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,625 a month

    Your payment · 115%

Compared with the typical household income in Boulder ($87,493 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$8,416
Principal & interest$6,914
Property tax$442
Home insurance$433
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$627

This loan is over the FHA limit

You'd borrow $1,003,117, but the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Boulder is $879,750. You'd need a bigger down payment or a different loan.

You need at least $36,383 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Boulder and Boulder County

Boulder is in Boulder County, Colorado. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Boulder's own numbers

Typical home value
$1,039,500
Typical monthly rent
$2,018
Typical yearly household income
$87,493
Households that own their home
47%
Effective property tax rate
0.51%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Boulder County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$879,750
Conventional limit, one unit
$879,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,033
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+35%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Boulder County.

Everything about Boulder County

Buying

Buying a home in Boulder

A typical home in Boulder is worth $1,039,500: 37% above the county and 93% above Colorado. With the typical household income in Boulder ($87,493 a year), a typical home costs 11.9 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Boulder 11.9 years
  • County 7.3 years
  • Colorado 5.6 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Boulder County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Boulder County rose 86% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Boulder County.

Period County Colorado U.S.
Last year (2025) −0.1% +0.1% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +35% +38% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +86% +93% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Boulder next to Boulder County, Colorado and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Boulder $1,039,500
  • County $756,300
  • Colorado $539,400
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Boulder $2,018
  • County $1,966
  • Colorado $1,761
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Boulder $87,493
  • County $103,994
  • Colorado $95,470
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Boulder next to Boulder County and Colorado
Measure Boulder Boulder County Colorado U.S.
Typical home value $1,039,500 $756,300 $539,400 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,018 $1,966 $1,761 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $87,493 $103,994 $95,470 $80,734
Households that own their home 47% 62% 66% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $5,322 $3,998 $2,602 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.51% 0.53% 0.48% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 66% 60% 53% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Boulder County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Boulder

For a typical $1,039,500 home in Boulder, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Boulder's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $8,416a month

    Above the FHA limit for Boulder County ($879,750)
    Down payment
    $36,383
    Cash to close
    $67,568
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $627

  • Conventional, 5% down $8,059a month

    Above the conventional limit for Boulder County ($879,750): it would be a "jumbo" loan
    Down payment
    $51,975
    Cash to close
    $83,160
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $494

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $6,508a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $207,900
    Cash to close
    $239,085
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $7,469a month

    Down payment
    $155,925
    Cash to close
    $187,110
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is Conventional, 20% down, no PMI.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Boulder and for Boulder County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Boulder

0.51%of the home’s value each year

$5,322 a year for the typical owner in Boulder.

  • Boulder 0.51%
  • County 0.53%
  • Colorado 0.48%

What Colorado publishes Senior homestead exemption (owners 65 and older) (Colorado General Assembly (Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 39))

Exemptions and deadlines in Colorado

Flood risk in Boulder County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Boulder County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.6%
2,870
Of those, with NFIP insurance
44%
County Colorado U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.6% 1.1% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 44% 24% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Boulder

Typical rent in Boulder is $2,018 a month: 3% above the county. In Boulder, 66% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Boulder County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,033 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $39.10 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Boulder County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,520 $29.23 $60,800
1 bedroom $1,735 $33.37 $69,400
2 bedrooms $2,033 $39.10 $81,320
3 bedrooms $2,703 $51.98 $108,120
4 bedrooms $3,146 $60.50 $125,840

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Boulder

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Boulder has 6 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,120 in 80303 to $2,390 in 80305.

6 of the 6 are above the fair market rent for Boulder County ($2,033).

  • 80301 $2,170$2,890
  • 80302 $2,140$2,850
  • 80303 $2,120$2,820
  • 80304 $2,230$2,970
  • 80305 $2,390$3,180
  • 80310 $2,150$2,860

5 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Boulder when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Boulder

HUD lists 31 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Boulder. These are the largest.

  • Project Renovate Various, Boulder 80302 279 low-income homes · Studio: 58 · 1 bd: 103 · 2 bd: 74 · 3 bd: 37 · 4 bd: 7 · In service since 2016 · For older adults, families
  • San Juan del Centro Apts (BOULDER) 3100 34th St, Boulder 80301 150 low-income homes · 1 bd: 14 · 2 bd: 56 · 3 bd: 64 · 4 bd: 16 · In service since 2007 · For families (303) 447-0532
  • Diagonal Crossing 3705 Canfield St, Boulder 80301 105 low-income homes · 1 bd: 59 · 2 bd: 35 · 3 bd: 11 · In service since 2020 · For families
  • Canyon Pointe 700 Walnut St, Boulder 80302 82 low-income homes · 1 bd: 82 · In service since 2020 · For older adults (720) 564-4610
  • Fairways Apts 5600 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder 80303 70 low-income homes · 1 bd: 24 · 2 bd: 46 · In service since 2007 · For families

See all 69 buildings in Boulder County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Boulder

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Boulder County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A young woman and a young man point to a line in their notes beside a laptop in a library.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Boulder

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Boulder or Boulder County. The ones below are statewide in Colorado: they work in Boulder the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Colorado

  • CHFA Down Payment Assistance

    Statewide in Colorado

    Colorado state agency help with the down payment or closing costs: a grant of up to 3% of the mortgage or a deferred second mortgage of up to 4%, both capped at $25,000. Offered by Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA).

    GrantDeferred

    See the program Official page

  • CHFA FirstGeneration

    Statewide in Colorado

    Open, per the source

    $25,000 from the Colorado state agency for the down payment of first-generation buyers (neither you nor your parents have owned a home); repaid when you sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage. Offered by Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Boulder

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Boulder, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Oweesta Corporation

    2432 Main St, Longmont · 15 miles away

    (303) 774-8838

  • Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation

    7305 Lowell Blvd Unit 200, Westminster · 18 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (303) 428-1448

  • Brothers Redevelopment, Inc.

    2250 Eaton St Ste B, Edgewater · 22 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (303) 202-6340

Every agency in Boulder County All counseling agencies in Colorado

Help in Spanish near Boulder

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Boulder

HUD’s record names them for Boulder or Boulder County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Boulder Housing Partners Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (720) 564-4610
  • Boulder County Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (303) 441-3929

One other authority has an office in Boulder County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Boulder County

These cities are also in Boulder County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Boulder County Housing in Colorado

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Boulder, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Boulder County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Boulder.

All guides
A man and two girls read a book together on the sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Boulder

Short answers with the numbers for Boulder and all of Boulder County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Boulder?

The typical home value in Boulder is $1,039,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Boulder County it is $756,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Boulder?

Typical rent in Boulder is $2,018 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Boulder County is $2,033.

What is the FHA loan limit in Boulder?

Boulder uses the FHA limit for all of Boulder County (2026): $879,750 for a one-unit home and $1,691,850 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Boulder?

The typical homeowner in Boulder pays $5,322 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.51% of the home’s value; in Boulder County, the rate is 0.53%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Boulder?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Boulder County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).