Why should you choose to live in Boulder, Colorado?

U.S. News & World surveyed the best places to live in the U.S. for 2020, the places were ranked based on the quality of life and the job market in these metro areas. The city of Boulder in the state of Colorado was ranked number one in the survey.

U.S. News & World Report's Best Places to Live rankings are released with an intention to help its readers make an informed decision when choosing the best place to settle down. The metro areas are ranked based on data received from reliable sources which include the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Labor, the FBI, and U.S. News' internal resources.

This information is categorized based on the following five indexes:

1. Desirability
2. Value
3. Job Market
4. Quality of Life
5. Net Migration

The percentage score for each index for the selected metro areas is based on answers from a public survey conducted in August 2020. The city of Boulder’s score on the five indexes are:

1. Desirability-8.6
2. Value-6.3
3. Job Market-8.7
4. Quality of Life-8.3
5. Net Migration-6.9

The ranking of Boulder on other major criteria include:

• Rank 53- Best Places to Retire-
• Rank 1- Best Places to Live for Quality of Life
• Rank 1 - Best Places to Live in Colorado
• Rank 7 - Safest Places to Live

The U.S. News shared this basic information about Boulder:

Population	321,030
Median age	36.2 years
Average annual salary	64,690 dollars
Unemployment rate	2.4 percent
Median home price	524, 417 dollars
Average monthly rent	1,411 dollars

 Population profile

Boulder is home to young professionals which includes entrepreneurs, and technology professionals. The city is home to the flagship university-University of Colorado-Boulder and naturally has many students.

The majority of the population here is highly educated with more than 75% of the population having a bachelor’s degree or higher educational qualifications.

Job opportunities

The job opportunities in Boulder are plenty in the booming technology sector here which has led to the establishment of several startups here. Technology professionals are attracted to Boulder owing to well-paying jobs and the low cost of housing compared to Silicon Valley.

Google and Apple have set up offices here in the past two years. Aerospace is another major industry here. The city offers job opportunities in areas like biotechnology, bioscience, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, software and IT, renewable energy, and sustainable products and services.

Quality of life

The weather in Boulder is characterized by clear skies and plenty of sunshine. The place offers mild temperatures during late spring and early fall. Summers and winters are generally dry.

There are many outdoor activities to indulge in thanks to the 40,000 acres of land open to the public in Boulder County. This includes more than 60 parks and long hiking trails. The city is a haven for cyclists, trail runners, and hikers.  Cycling is the most popular mode of getting around town. The Rocky Mountain National Park is close by and so are many of Colorado’s famous ski resorts.

The art and culture scene in the city include theatre festivals, musical performances, and display of performing arts. There are numerous galleries and museums to explore.