Boulder, CO Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Boulder, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Boulder →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Boulder, Colorado runs approximately 106,598. Median household income sits at $80,243, landing above the benchmark median we track across cities (+11%).
For renters and buyers alike, Boulder offers a median home value of $919,700 (above the tracked median, +182%) and median rent of $1,853 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Home prices in Boulder run about 11.5× median household income — a stretched ratio that puts real pressure on affordability for local buyers. Year-over-year, home prices near Boulder have eased by about 0.1%, a mild cooldown rather than a sharp drop. Climate and natural-hazard risk in Boulder runs on the lower side, per FEMA's Relatively Moderate rating.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,853/mo in Boulder would take 27.7% of your income.
$153/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($919,700) would take 73.4% of your income toward principal & interest.
$3,038/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Boulder
Median home value is $919,700 and median gross rent is $1,853/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Boulder fell 0.1% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $2,124/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Boulder's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Boulder reported a violent crime rate of 354.2 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Boulder
Planning a move to Boulder? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Boulder, CO?
- For a quick read on Boulder: homes carry a median value of $919,700, rent runs a median $1,853 monthly, and household income is a median $80,243, all from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Boulder?
- Comfortably affording rent in Boulder — where the median runs $1,853/month — typically means earning about $74,120 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Boulder.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Boulder?
- Boulder's median rent of $1,853/month translates to about $74,120 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $210,423 a year for principal and interest on the $919,700 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Boulder safe?
- In 2025, Boulder reported 354.2 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for Boulder →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Boulder's.