Mount Vernon House · National Register of Historic Places
Golden’s story
167 years in pictures
18 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1859Golden is settled
GoldenCO
A town of 20,417, settled in 1859. Nearly 27% of it is conserved land.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Yassie · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
20,417
+8.1% since 2010
Typical home
$857K
+0.3% in a year
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
34.6
years
Jobs based here
19,823
A job hub
What makes Golden stand out
The 3 things Golden does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#12 most conserved land in CO
29 miles of trails across 25 parks and preserves
27% of the town is conserved land.
19,823jobs here
Work
19,823 jobs
based in Golden, a regional job hub
10% of working residents work in town.
A−School Grade
Schools
#19 for schools in CO
of 142 towns
School Grade A−.
College town
17% of Golden is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Golden’s report card
Outdoors29 mi#22 for trails in COCommute13 miHalf of commuters travel lessSchoolsA−Beats 78% of CO districtsHousing$857K61% above the CO typical homeHealthAHealthier than 93% of U.S. townsSafetyCLess crime than 31% of U.S. townsClimate86°/18°Summer high · winter low · 141″ snowHazards50/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Golden
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Golden? Is an A for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Golden’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Local news
All →- Ascent Classical Academy of Northern Colorado vs. Golden View Classical AcademyNFHS Network · Sep 25
- Golden View vs Away - Girls Varsity Volleyball 09/23/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 24
- Bear Creek vs Golden - Girls Varsity Basketball 01/26/2027 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 23
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Golden. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
Nearly a quarter of Golden is conserved land
29 miles of trails across 25 parks and preserves.
#22for trails in CO
27%
conserved · 1,676 of 6,199 acres
29 mi
of trails · 3 per sq mi
#12
most conserved land in CO
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Apex Park | 7.7 mi | 532 |
| 2. City of Golden North Table Mountain Area | 2 mi | 141 |
| 3. Tony Grampas Memorial Sports Complex | 0.5 mi | 59 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in ten working residents works right in Golden
Most working residents leave Golden for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Denver (24%), Lakewood (11%) and Boulder (5%). Half commute less than 13 miles.
10%work in town
Where working residents work
In Golden10%
Denver24%
Lakewood11%
Boulder5%
Aurora4%
13 mi
median commute distance
19,823
jobs based in Golden
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Golden’s public schools outperform 78% of Colorado districts
The public schools Golden’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 78% of Colorado’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Elementary School | K–5 | 478 | A |
| Shelton Elementary School | PK–5 | 394 | A− |
| Bell Middle School | 6–8 | 774 | B |
| Connections Learning Center on the Earle Johnson Campus | 6–9 | 22 | Not graded |
| Golden High School | 9–12 | 1,469 | A |
| Lookout Mountain | 5–12 | — | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state tests and graduationAll 7 schools →
Housing
A typical Golden home is worth about $857K
The typical Golden home is worth about $857,000, about the same as a year ago, 61% above the Colorado typical home.
$857KZillow home value
Typical home value
Golden$857K
Colorado$533K
Market temperature
4
days on market
100.9%
sale-to-list price
+0.3%
value change, 1 year
25
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 93% of U.S. towns
Golden beats the Colorado average on 11 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
AHealth Grade
26 measures vs. Colorado
11 better12 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Golden | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who get no exercise | 12.6% | 17.7% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| More binge drinkers | 22% | 19% |
Centura Health-St. Anthony Hospital
4.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
70th
percentile among CO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 31% of U.S. towns
Golden reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 69% report less.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Golden1.3
Colorado4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Golden21.6
Colorado22.3
U.S.15.5
31st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
48th
percentile among CO towns
26
violent crimes reported in 2025
434
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Golden has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 141 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
141″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–46°
Spring33–61°
Summer53–83°
Fall35–65°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailTornadoes
5
paid flood claims since 1980
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A job hub
Every workday, about 18,923 people come to Golden for work
Where Golden’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
19,823jobs based in Golden
10%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
18 places in Golden on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Golden
City in Colorado, United States
Golden is a home rule city that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 20,399 at the 2020 United States census. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak gold rush on June 16, 1859, the mining camp was originally named Golden City in honor of Thomas L. Golden. Golden City served as the capital of the provisional Territory of Jefferson from 1860 to 1861, and capital of the official Territory of Colorado from 1862 to 1867. In 1867, the territorial capital was moved about 12 miles (19 km) east to Denver City. Golden is now a part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metrop…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1859
- Population
- 20,399
- Area
- 10 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,673 ft
- ZIP code
- 80401, 80402, 80403
Golden’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Golden.
West Pleasant ViewFairmountLakewoodGolden
More about Golden
Still missing for Golden:archive photosupcoming events