Boulder is a city located in Boulder County Colorado. Boulder has a 2024 population of 105,156. It is also the county seat of Boulder County. Boulder is currently declining at a rate of -0.7% annually and its population has decreased by -2.74% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 108,123 in 2020.
The average household income in Boulder is $132,935 with a poverty rate of 22.09%. The median age in Boulder is 28.5 years: 28.1 years for males, and 29 years for females.
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 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 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.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Boulder was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 88,651 | 83.16% |
Two or more races | 7,776 | 7.29% |
Asian | 6,306 | 5.92% |
Other race | 2,091 | 1.96% |
Black or African American | 1,104 | 1.04% |
Native American | 605 | 0.57% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 65 | 0.06% |
White
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Black or African American
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 43,658 | 2.18 | 47.2 | 52.8 |
Non Family | 26,199 | 1.72 | 30.3 | 69.7 |
Married | 14,083 | 2.85 | 78 | 22 |
Female | 2,215 | 3.08 | 49.2 | 50.8 |
Male | 1,161 | 2.77 | 51.9 | 48.1 |
2.77
Average Family Size
2.18
Average Household Size
47.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 1,026 | 1.71% |
Associates Degree | 2,083 | 3.46% |
Bachelors Degree | 21,836 | 36.32% |
Graduate Degree | 24,192 | 40.24% |
High School Graduate | 3,706 | 6.16% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 843 | 1.4% |
Some College | 6,440 | 10.71% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 48,953 | 48,424 | 39,135 |
Hispanic | 5,379 | 4,256 | 2,389 |
2+ Races | 3,420 | 3,093 | 2,246 |
Asian | 3,221 | 3,109 | 2,717 |
Other Race | 1,287 | 905 | 584 |
Black | 501 | 460 | 211 |
Native American | 417 | 396 | 110 |
Islander | 43 | 43 | 23 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 84.35%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $57,652 | $76,141 | $42,626 |
Graduate Degree | $82,111 | $92,141 | $71,912 |
High School Graduate | $37,031 | $40,741 | $34,736 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $36,675 | $40,246 | $17,569 |
Overall | $58,911 | $68,437 | $47,312 |
Some College | $36,671 | $44,890 | $30,553 |
$58,911
Average Earnings
$68,437
Average Male
$47,312
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
85.38% of Boulder residents speak only English, while 14.62% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.87% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 75,453 | 16,329 | 21.64% |
Hispanic | 9,928 | 2,362 | 23.79% |
Multiple | 6,722 | 1,581 | 23.52% |
Asian | 5,117 | 1,357 | 26.52% |
Other | 2,043 | 508 | 24.87% |
Native | 560 | 247 | 44.11% |
Black | 839 | 159 | 18.95% |
Islander | 43 | 23 | 53.49% |
22.09%
Overall Poverty Rate
22.59%
Male Poverty Rate
21.56%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Boulder is Islander, with 53.49% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Boulder is Black, with 18.95% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.53%. Among those working part-time, it was 36.8%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 33.46%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 25.34% |
Some College | 14.61% |
High School | 13.46% |
Bachelors or Greater | 5.81% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Male Unemployed | 34.95% |
Female Unemployed | 27.38% |
Female Employed | 20.11% |
Male Employed | 11.57% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $147,382 | $201,744 |
Households | $80,243 | $132,935 |
Married Families | $172,010 | $-999,999,999 |
Non Families | $50,498 | $85,164 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
30.5%
Overall Marriage Rate
29.2%
Male Marriage Rate
31.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,581
Number of Veterans
2,372
Male Veterans
209
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 884 |
Second Gulf War | 667 |
First Gulf War | 392 |
Korea | 234 |
World War II | 229 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
75+ | 881 |
65 to 74 | 637 |
35 to 54 | 524 |
18 to 34 | 401 |
55 to 64 | 138 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 2,302 | 2.93% |
Hispanic | 169 | 1.87% |
2+ Races | 156 | 2.43% |
Black | 40 | 3.85% |
Asian | 30 | 0.52% |
Native American | 21 | 4.6% |
Islander | 20 | 30.77% |
Other Race | 12 | 0.67% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
5.06%
Veteran Poverty Rate
28.98%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
63.9%
Labor Force Participation
60.4%
Employment Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
28.74%
Born in Boulder
89.71%
Native Born
10.29%
Foreign Born
5.85%
Non Citizen
4.44%
Naturalized
89.71% of Boulder residents were born in the United States, with 28.74% having been born in Colorado. 5.85% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 101,447 | -742 | -0.73% |
2028 | 102,189 | -742 | -0.72% |
2027 | 102,931 | -741 | -0.71% |
2026 | 103,672 | -742 | -0.71% |
2025 | 104,414 | -742 | -0.71% |
2024 | 105,156 | -742 | -0.7% |
2023 | 105,898 | 278 | 0.26% |
2022 | 105,620 | 1,612 | 1.55% |
2021 | 104,008 | -4,115 | -3.81% |
2020 | 108,123 | 420 | 0.39% |
2019 | 107,703 | -1,366 | -1.25% |
2018 | 109,069 | -49 | -0.04% |
2017 | 109,118 | 960 | 0.89% |
2016 | 108,158 | 1,378 | 1.29% |
2015 | 106,780 | 2,982 | 2.87% |
2014 | 103,798 | 968 | 0.94% |
2013 | 102,830 | 1,494 | 1.47% |
2012 | 101,336 | 1,803 | 1.81% |
2011 | 99,533 | 1,809 | 1.85% |
2010 | 97,724 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 94,673 | 11,361 | 13.64% |
1990 | 83,312 | 6,627 | 8.64% |
1980 | 76,685 | 9,815 | 14.68% |
1970 | 66,870 | 29,152 | 77.29% |
1960 | 37,718 | 17,719 | 88.6% |
1950 | 19,999 | 7,041 | 54.34% |
1940 | 12,958 | 1,735 | 15.46% |
1930 | 11,223 | 217 | 1.97% |
1920 | 11,006 | 1,467 | 15.38% |
1910 | 9,539 | 3,389 | 55.11% |
1900 | 6,150 | 2,820 | 84.68% |
1890 | 3,330 | 261 | 8.5% |
1880 | 3,069 | -98,378 | -96.97% |