The best Denver suburbs surround the downtown city center. Many have great schools. Some are as picturesque as a cozy ski town in the mountains. Others have luxury mansions and custom estates. Also, some have condominiums and patio homes for empty nesters. How do you know which are the best Denver suburbs?
Denver’s Favorite Suburbs Often Include
These are Denver suburbs chosen by our clients over the last several years.
Arvada – Blue collar to luxury home enclaves. Northwest suburbia. Good schools. Charming downtown. Near Flatirons shopping Center.
Southern Aurora – Affordable, newer homes, top schools, Southlands Mall, easy commute to DIA and DTC.
Bow Mar – Tiny community and private lakes near Littleton. 60’s ranches and total re-dos on huge lots. Several new customs.
Broomfield – Newer homes, golf courses, near Flatirons shopping on the road to Boulder. Easy commute downtown.
Castle Pines – More affordable suburban homes in this new town that was called Castle Pines North.
Castle Pines Village – Gated with 2 Country Clubs in “The Village”. Separate HOA pools and amenities.
Castle Rock – Just south of Castle Pines. Quaint downtown shops and Outlet Stores. Affordable planned subdivisions.
Centennial – Newest, close suburb with great schools. Older to near-new homes. Easy DTC, downtown, Airport commute.
Cherry Hills Village – Creme de la Creme homes and incomes to match. Gates, horses, clubs. Nearly all over $2m .
Douglas County Rural – Past Castle Rock and Parker. Great schools, golf and views galore. Fewer covenants, some ranches.
Englewood – Older homes in a modest suburb. Same zip code for larger homes near Greenwood Village.
Erie – Great schools, newer homes up north. Easy commute to Boulder or DIA.
Evergreen Area mountain living like a ski town near Denver. Close to Morrison and Conifer.
Golden – Eclectic mix of older homes to newer, larger homes. Includes Lookout Mountain and Genessee near Evergreen.
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More Great Suburban Neighborhoods
Greenwood Village – Elegant and near DTC Business Park, shops, top-schools. Subdivisions to horse estates.
Highlands Ranch – Most popular, planned, relocation town by Mission Viejo. From the affordable to Gated Communities.
Ken Caryl – Red Rocks, nature and views from the foothills.
Lakewood – All-American, near-west suburb, Jeffco Schools. Includes Solterra , Belmar shopping.
Littleton – Charming, attractive and redone historic downtown. Modest to luxury homes including Polo Reserve and Columbine CC.
Lone Tree – Newer homes near RidgeGate Town Center and Park Meadows Mall. Easy commute downtown or DTC.
Longmont – Short commute to Boulder, Ft. Collins or Denver at more affordable home prices.
Louisville – Multiple award-winner town off US 36 between Boulder-Denver with great schools. Charming, old downtown.
Niwot – Luxury, custom homes outside Boulder. Larger lots and country feel. Historic downtown for shopping.
Parker – Rural living w/horses plus suburban subdivisions. Old stagecoach stop. Historic downtown and nearby big-box stores.
Reunion – Newer suburb by DIA Airport. Affordable, planned community by Shea. A “mini-Highlands Ranch”.
Roxborough – Newer custom homes and affordable production homes in scenic and secluded red rocks.
Sedalia/Deckers – Far South, rustic, town. Unspoiled, rural country w/trout & trees. Few modern subdivisions.
Westminster – Affordable NW city. Older homes down south to almost new. Anthem planned subdivision up north.
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Suburban Lifestyles
The best Denver suburbs offer less crowded living but with all amenities of downtown. Most suburbs are within 20–45 minutes commute downtown. Anything further is so far away it could be called an “exburb” or an extreme suburb. Examples include Perry Park, Elizabeth, Franktown and even Larkspur near Colorado Springs.
Suburban home sales have been very brisk since the outbreak of Covid 19. Because, city dwellers have increasingly been moving to the suburbs to avoid congested living. In addition, homeless camps have proliferated in in some Denver neighborhoods. Moreover, suburban homes are generally larger and more affordable than their downtown counter-parts.
Crime is generally lower in the suburbs. Schools are generally higher rate. Although, a few Denver public schools rank among the best in the State.
Denver’s Desirable Southern Suburbs
Many people moving here first think that the best Denver suburbs are south of the city. Because, the Cherry Creek public school system scores among the best. It’s highly rated and many of Denver’s Movers and Shakers send their kiddos there passing up private schools. Generally, the south suburban neighborhoods also offer upscale shopping and restaurants.
Luxury real estate is often located within gated communities. This home is located in The Preserve neighborhood of Greenwood Village.
The south suburbs along with I-25 corridor are generally considered Denver’s “executive belt”. Homes are more expensive there generally and neighborhoods are generally very safe and well kept. Both Cherry Creek Schools and Douglas County are among the best in the State. Luxury homes can be found mostly here in Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, Castle Pines Village. But, Evergreen and Boulder boast some huge estates and luxurious properties too.
As Interstate 25 goes south out of Denver proper, it travels along the southern suburbs. Greenwood Village and Cherry Hills Village are considered among the most affluent suburbs in Denver. These towns share the excellent Cherry Creek Schools with Centennial, Englewood and southern sections of Aurora. But, all of the these suburbs offer excellent schools, low crime and lots of trails and open space. For example, Littleton has its own excellent schools. But, parts of unincorporated Littleton attend the Jefferson County Schools.
Highlands Ranch boasts Denver’s largest planned community. It embodies a self-contained suburban bedroom community. So, it attracts the highest percentage of relocation buyers. Because, it resembles California-style developments and has excellent Douglas County Schools. In addition, Castle Rock and Parker boast excellent schools in Douglas County. And, you will discover suburban neighborhoods mixed in with more rural sections of the county.
Western Suburbs And Foothills Towns
Want easy access to both downtown Denver and the nearby ski towns? Consider these options in Denver’s western suburbs.
Lakewood and Westminster, Colorado are closest to Denver and have Jefferson County Schools. Here, more of the homes here are older and many were built before 1980. There are newer custom, luxury home communities in Lakewood too. Moreover, Green Mountain in Lakewood is has trails, open space and hiking. Plus, there are some subdivisions here with newer homes. Golden is due west on 6th Avenue about 15 minutes from Denver. There, you’ll find an older downtown area near the Coors brewery and newer suburban areas surrounding it.
Evergreen, Morrison and Conifer are located in the nearby foothills and also share Jefferson County schools. These are Denver’s picturesque ‘mountain-like’ communities. So, they have gorgeous views and sometimes limited access to rural communities up dirt and gravel roads. But, luxury real estate abounds here too. Some of these luxury home neighborhoods include gated communities, golf courses and planned communities. In addition, some even have city water and sewer instead of well and septic tanks.
Eastern Suburbia
Aurora runs the entire length of Denver along its eastern border. The northern section of Aurora reveals some of the most affordable homes in the Denver metro area. You’ll find the Aurora Mall itself in the central section of Aurora. Both the northern section and the central section share the Aurora public school. Here, homes are generally built before 1980 and affordable.
New and newer are available in Southern Aurora. That area utilizes Cherry Creek Schools and also has the new Broadlands Shopping Mall. Crime is much lower in these southern sections of Aurora including Saddle Rock, Tallyn’s Reach, Piney Creek, Southshore, Sienna and Wheatlands. So, you feel like you are in a different world. E-470 is the outer loop which is a toll road here. As a result, it offers easy access to The Denver Tech Center and the Airport.
Denver’s Northern Suburbs
Northwest suburbs include Boulder, Broomfield, Lafayette and Louisville . Those communities offer a variety of housing options on the US 36 highway corridor. Consider, Louisville has been named the top city in the US for livability several times. And, the new Flat Irons Mall offers a wide variety of shopping and restaurant opportunities. In addition, you’ll find all the ‘big-box’ stores like Walmart and Home Depot too. Also, Costco is nearby.
Downtown Boulder is a bustling college town with boutique shops and restaurants of all varieties too. Boulder itself is one the highest priced areas for homes. Because, ‘limited growth’ policies cut housing supply in recent years. Recently, large Tech companies have also moved into the Boulder area driving up prices. So, expect even the smallest homes to cost over $1m.
Thornton, Northglenn, Brighton and Commerce City are affordable and pleasant middle-class neighborhoods. Here you’ll find a mixture of older neighborhoods and brand new communities. Plus, some of the schools in Brighton are well rated. For example, Reunion is the newest planned community here by Shea homes. And, it utilizes some of the Brighton public schools even though it is technically located in Commerce City.
Southwest Denver Suburbs
Historic, suburban Littleton thrives with events all year long.
Littleton, Evergreen, Morrison, Roxborough and Conifer are picturesque suburbs located southwest of downtown Denver. They offer more of the “Colorado atmosphere” in Denver’s Foothill Suburbs. Some areas incorporate natural red rock outcroppings Like Roxborough and Ravenna Country Club. Others feel like living in the Swiss Alps. In fact, we recently helped move a family from Switzerland to Evergreen.
Lakewood, Golden Westminster, Arvada are located on the west side of downtown Denver too. They show some great choices for top neighborhoods and good schools. Boulder, Broomfield, Lafayette and Louisville on the Northwest side of town provide easy access to the Flatirons Shopping Mall and good schools. In addition, they offer easy access to high tech companies located between Boulder and Longmont.
Denver has many choices for the best suburbs. To find out which is best for you, use our “Neighborhood Finder”. There, you just answer a few questions and we will personalize neighborhood reports to what you want in a neighborhood.
Or, if you need more information right now about the city or suburbs call us toll free 1-877-378-8213.