The Town FilesGunbarrel, Colorado
Community in Boulder County · population 9,554 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $821,000
- Household income
- $109,407
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 65 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 43.3
Gunbarrel is a community of 9,554 people in Boulder County, Colorado. The median home is worth $821,000, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 93% of Colorado towns, more upscale than 91% of Colorado towns, hipper than 87% of Colorado towns.
How Gunbarrel 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 Gunbarrel is worth $821,000, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 7.5 times the median household income of $109,407, which is more affordable than 13% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,972 a month. 63.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gunbarrel | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $821,000 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,972 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $109,407 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 63.1% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Gunbarrel
| People | Gunbarrel | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 13.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.4% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.7% | — |
| Work from home | 40.1% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.6% | 92.9% |
Weather in Gunbarrel
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 21.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.0 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gunbarrel since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 5, 1988 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 3, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 201 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 18, 2018.
Severe weather in Boulder County since 1996
Boulder County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2024 | Fire | FM-5525: Stone Mountain Fire |
| December 31, 2021 | Fire | DR-4634: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| December 30, 2021 | Fire | FM-5423: Marshall Fire |
| October 17, 2020 | Fire | FM-5379: Calwood Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Boulder County
Boulder County had 193,920 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $96,397 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Gunbarrel itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Towns near Gunbarrel
- Niwot, CO2.5 mi · 4,306 people · home $995,700
- Boulder, CO5.0 mi · 108,250 people · home $1,039,500
- Lafayette, CO6.1 mi · 30,411 people · home $686,500
- Louisville, CO6.6 mi · 21,226 people · home $883,900
- Erie, CO7.2 mi · 30,038 people · home $736,500
- Longmont, CO8.2 mi · 98,885 people · home $572,800
- Superior, CO9.1 mi · 13,094 people · home $903,900
- Broomfield, CO9.9 mi · 74,112 people · home $664,500
Gunbarrel questions
Is Gunbarrel, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gunbarrel scores better for retirees than 66% of Colorado towns and quieter than 32%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Gunbarrel?
The median owner-occupied home in Gunbarrel is valued at $821,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,407, so homes cost about 7.5 times income. Median rent is $1,972 a month.
What is the weather like in Gunbarrel?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.2 inches of precipitation a year and 65.0 inches of snow.
Does Gunbarrel get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gunbarrel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 5, 1988. 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)