The Town FilesGolden, Colorado
City in Jefferson County · population 20,399 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $837,700
- Household income
- $98,582
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 141 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 34.6
Golden is a city of 20,399 people in Jefferson County, Colorado. The median home is worth $837,700, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 96% of Colorado towns, more of a college town than 93% of Colorado towns, better for cycling than 91% of Colorado towns.
How Golden ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Golden is worth $837,700, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 8.5 times the median household income of $98,582, which is more affordable than 8% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,953 a month. 56.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Golden | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $837,700 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,953 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $98,582 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 56.8% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Golden
| People | Golden | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.2% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.1% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.3% | — |
| Work from home | 30.8% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 92.9% |
Weather in Golden
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 21.1°F. About 17.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 140.5 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Golden since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 3, 1981 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 28, 1996.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 263 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 13, 1984.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 1, 2024 | Fire | FM-5526: Quarry Fire |
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4731: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 248,082 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,598 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Golden itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Golden
16 public schools with 6,876 students, about 17.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden High School | 9-12 | 1,453 | 21.4 |
| Bell Middle School | 6-8 | 751 | 18.8 |
| Golden View Classical Academy (charter) | K-12 | 743 | 19.1 |
| Fairmount Elementary School | K-5 | 626 | 19.6 |
| Mitchell Elementary School | K-5 | 499 | 20.0 |
| Kyffin Elementary School | PK-5 | 493 | 18.3 |
| Compass Montessori - Golden Charter School (charter) | PK-12 | 422 | 23.4 |
| Shelton Elementary School | PK-5 | 399 | 15.3 |
| Maple Grove Elementary School | PK-5 | 379 | 17.2 |
| Free Horizon Montessori | PK-8 | 373 | 17.0 |
| Ralston Elementary School | K-5 | 288 | 18.0 |
| Welchester Elementary School | PK-5 | 263 | 13.8 |
Towns near Golden
- West Pleasant View, CO1.9 mi · 4,327 people · home $489,400
- Applewood, CO2.0 mi · 7,833 people · home $785,900
- Fairmount, CO4.0 mi · 9,324 people · home $827,600
- Genesee, CO5.0 mi · 3,610 people · home $1,032,700
- Lakewood, CO5.8 mi · 155,984 people · home $574,400
- Wheat Ridge, CO6.0 mi · 32,398 people · home $623,000
- Arvada, CO7.1 mi · 124,402 people · home $632,600
- Edgewater, CO7.9 mi · 5,005 people · home $636,900
Golden questions
Is Golden, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Golden scores better for retirees than 34% of Colorado towns and quieter than 15%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.6).
How much does a house cost in Golden?
The median owner-occupied home in Golden is valued at $837,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,582, so homes cost about 8.5 times income. Median rent is $1,953 a month.
What is the weather like in Golden?
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 21.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.5 inches of precipitation a year and 140.5 inches of snow.
Does Golden get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Golden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 3, 1981. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)