If you’re thinking about living in
Denver during your retirement years, you’ll definitely want to check out its suburbs too. These suburbs provide a laid-back lifestyle close to all the Denver arts, culture, dining, and shopping you love. Plus, they all have a bunch of great amenities of their own.
1. Wheat Ridge
Key Stats:
- Number of doctors: 173
- Residents 65 and up: 17.8 percent
Wheat Ridge kicks off our list of the best Denver suburbs to retire with plenty of great housing options for retirees. Whether you’re looking for a modern condo, retirement home, or spacious ranch style home, you’ll find the perfect match in Wheat Ridge.
Enjoy a peaceful stroll, fishing, bird watching, or a picnic in the serene Crown Hill Park, or hit the links at nearby Applewood Golf Course. Community events like the annual Carnation Festival are a great way to get to know your neighbors.
2. Littleton
Key Stats:
- Number of doctors: 214
- Residents 65 and up: 16.4 percent
Littleton earns the second spot on our list of the best places to retire near Denver. Housing options range from sunny townhouses to charming cottage and craftsman style homes.
Retirees looking for a close-knit community will love lively downtown Littleton, which hosts numerous community events like the Main Street Block Party and the 4th of July Festival and Fireworks. Stay active at the Littleton Golf and Tennis Club, or enjoy a stroll through the beautiful Hudson Gardens.
3. Longmont
Key Stats:
- Median home price: $239,100
- Residents 65 and up: 11.1 percent
Retirees in Longmont will get a whole lot more mileage out of their retirement fund with plenty of affordable housing options, including modern townhouses and quaint cottage style homes.
Golf enthusiasts will feel right at home at Longmont’s numerous golf courses, while nature lovers will gravitate toward the scenic trails and mountain views at the Golden Ponds Park and Nature Area. Downtown Longmont boasts over 80 independent shops and restaurants and two community theaters sure to please arts and culture enthusiasts.
4. Louisville
Key Stats:
- Total crimes per 100k: 1,695
- Number of doctors: 127
The scenic suburb of Louisville earns the fourth place spot on our list, and with just 1,695 total crimes per 100,000 people, it’s also one of the safest. Home buyers have their pick of modern condos and townhouses or charming craftsman style homes.
Hit the links at Coral Creeks Golf Course, or enjoy beautiful mountain views at the Davidson Mesa Open Space. The Louisville Public Library offers a variety of programs, from historic walking tours to book clubs.
5. Lafayette
Key Stats:
- Total crimes per 100k: 1,909
- Number of doctors: 91
Retirees on the hunt for the perfect modern townhouse or ranch style home to enjoy their golden years in will find plenty of options in the Denver suburb of Lafayette.
Hit the links at the Indian Peaks Golf Course, or enjoy a picnic and bird watching at the scenic Waneka Lake Park. Local events Art Night Out or Picnic on the Plaza are a great way to enjoy local talent and meet new neighbors.
6. Broomfield (tie)
Key Stats:
- Number of senior amenities: 256
- Residents 65 and up: 10.4 percent
The peaceful suburb of Broomfield is tied for the sixth place spot on our list. Ranch houses, contemporary homes, and modern condos are common housing options in this Denver suburb.
Broomfield boasts multiple golf courses and numerous scenic city parks with lakes, trails, and picnic spots. Convenient shopping from brand name retailers is available at the Broomfield Town Center.
6. Northglenn (tie)
Key Stats:
- Cost of living: 102, compared to the Denver average of 108
- Median home price: $185,600
Northglenn also earned a sixth place spot on our list with a low cost of living and plenty of spacious and affordable ranch style homes that give retirees plenty of room to spread out.
Enjoy convenient shopping from brand name retailers and dining at the Thorncreek Crossing shopping mall, or get back to nature at the 83-acre wooded Northwest Open Space.
8. Arvada
Key Stats:
- Number of doctors: 84
- Residents 65 and up: 14 percent
The small city of Arvada has plenty of great housing options for retirees, including modern townhouses in well maintained communities and well built ranch style homes.
Hit the links at the West Woods Golf Course, or enjoy a picnic or a stroll in one of Arvada’s numerous city parks. Residents also enjoy fresh local produce weekly from the Arvada Farmers Market in Olde Town Square.
9. Lakewood
Key Stats:
- Median home price: $238,000
- Residents 65 and up: 15 percent
Lakewood earns the ninth place spot on our list with a population of over 144,000 and the amenities to match. Retirees searching for a new home in Lakewood will find a variety of cottage and ranch style homes.
Numerous golf courses and country clubs will make golf enthusiasts feel right at home, while nature lovers will gravitate toward beautifully maintained city parks like the scenic mountainous William Frederick Hayden Park. The Lakewood Cultural Center hosts performances and events throughout the year.
10. Aurora
Key Stats:
- Cost of living: 101, compared to the Denver average of 108
- Median home price: $179,4000
If you’re looking for a low maintenance lifestyle at a low cost, the affordable modern townhouses in the thriving city of Aurora are a great pick for retirees. With a population of just over 330,000, Aurora residents enjoy all the perks of living in a small city without the congestion of a larger one.
Enjoy convenient shopping from brand name retailers at the Town Center at Aurora, or get back to nature at the scenic 880-acre Cherry Creek State Park. The Aurora Center for Active Adults is a great place to meet other retirees and enjoy fitness programs like Silver Sneakers.
Our Methodology
To create this list of the best Denver suburbs for retirees, we took a look at the following retirement friendly criteria:
- Doctors per capita
- Senior amenities per capita (volunteer opportunities, recreation centers, golf courses, restaurants, libraries, arts and entertainment, and retirement homes)
- Cost of living (the lower the better)
- Median home price (the lower the better)
- Percent of residents 65 and up
- Total crimes per 100k
From there, we ranked each suburb in the above categories. Then, because some things are a little more important to retirees than others, we weighted the percent of residents 65 and up and total crimes per 100k so they made up 20 percent of our total score, while the rest of the categories made up 15 percent.
We averaged these weighted scores into one overall score, with the lowest 10 scores going toward our top 10 best Denver suburbs for retirement.
For this list, we sourced data from the U.S. Census, local business listings, and
AreaVibes.
To see how the other suburbs ranked, check out the table below:
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