Could Erie, Colorado be the North Denver suburb you want to call home? Regardless of the reason you're thinking of relocating here, it's wise to learn a little more about the area before you start browsing homes for sale in Erie CO.
Erie is located on the northern outskirts of Denver just east of Boulder. It's a great place to start looking for a home if you work in a busier part of Denver but want to raise your family in a quiet bedroom community. The zip code for this area is 80516.
Population: The population in Erie is approaching 20,000 and steadily growing with new developments under construction all the time. The city has seen a population boom of over 200% since the year 2000. With a total size of about 10 square miles, Erie has a population density of about 2,000 people per square mile.
Age and family status: The median age here is 36 years old and two-thirds of adults are married. About 20% of adults here have never been married and less than 10% are divorced.
Race: Close to 90% of residents are Caucasian, 7% are Hispanic, 6% are Asian and 0.5% are African American.
Education: The impressive high school graduation rate of 96% makes Erie a great place to send your kids to public school. More than half of adults here have a bachelor's degree while more than 20% have a master's degree or higher. With such a highly educated population, you're correct to assume that many residents hold "white collar" jobs in cities surrounding Erie.
Income and employment: The median income here is nearly $110,000, which is close to twice as high as Colorado on the whole. The unemployment rate is also impressively low, at just 2.7% compared to 5.5% for the rest of Colorado.
The most common type of housing in Erie is the single-family home. Many have three or four bedrooms and just as many baths. With new construction popping up across Erie CO, home sales have been steadily on the rise since 2011. The median sale price for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $400,000, a nearly 10% increase from the same period one year ago. The average price per square foot is about $200. This is an increase of more than 8% compared to the fourth quarter 2014.
Erie is known for being a quiet bedroom community where families can retreat after a long day at work and school. The city is very family-friendly with recurring events held throughout the year such as Independence Day fireworks, summertime Movie in the Park, Halloween Trunk or Treating, Holiday CookieFest and much more.
Families can enjoy these fun activities close to home, but the heart of Downtown Denver is just a 40-minute drive away. There you have access to such notable sites as 16th Street Mall, Six Flags Elitch Gardens, Mile High Stadium where the Denver Broncos play, Coors Field where the Colorado Rockies play, the Pepsi Center and the Colorado Convention Center.
The hustle and bustle of the city is great, but the nearby Rocky Mountains present an opportunity to enjoy a different side of Colorado. Just 45 minutes to the west lay opportunities for camping, skiing and hiking in the mountains.
Since many residents are actually employed outside of Erie, the average commute time hovers around 25 minutes. A majority of people commute to surrounding cities such as Lafayette, Boulder and Broomfield for work.
One of the best parts about living in Erie is the low crime. In fact, the city's crime rate is far lower than the national average, making it safer than 90% of cities in the United States. Consider this: only 114 crimes are reported in the city each year, meaning you have only a 1 in 173 chance of becoming a victim of any crime if you live in Erie. Feeling safe about where you live is a very important consideration when deciding where to move.
You'll also agree Erie boasts beautiful weather if you like the idea of enjoying all four seasons. Summer highs reach about 80 degrees while winter temperatures average 35 degrees. The semi-arid climate here means humidity is low, which is a benefit in both summer and winter. Extreme weather patterns including tornadoes and ice storms are virtually nonexistent here.
One place where Erie gets a negative grade is the cost of living. Homes are costlier here than in other areas of Colorado, and some services such as doctor visits cost more on average as well. Still, most residents agree the slightly higher cost of living is worth the chance to enjoy low crime and a close proximity to Denver.
If you enjoy taking your kids to the park or walking the dog on a scenic trail, Erie has what you're looking for. The Thomas Reservoir Trail, Longs Peak Park, Country Fields Park, Erie Community Park and several others dot the neighborhoods in this city, giving residents plenty of chances to enjoy the great outdoors right in their own back yard.
Erie is perfectly positioned to give you the best of everything. It's far enough away from Denver that you escape the high crime and noise of big city life, yet close enough that you can easily enjoy a concert or day at a ball park with your family without traveling too far. This could certainly be the city you've been seeking to settle down and raise a family.
