Denver has been one of America’s fastest-growing metros in recent years, thanks to its diverse economy, beautiful mountainous geography, and diverse range of recreation and entertainment.
Such growth and benefits make the Mile High City a great real estate market. Some popular neighborhoods include:
- Congress Park
- Elyria-Swansea
- Glenwood Springs
- Rosedale
- Sun Valley
- West Colfax
But each community offers different potential investment returns. Some neighborhoods are better for certain investors than others. Picking the right Denver neighborhood can influence your success substantially.
We’ll provide a brief overview of each neighborhood and examine multiple critical data points for each, including:
- Population
- Median Sale Price
- Change in Sale Price (year-over-year)
- Days on Market
- Median Rent
- Renter Occupied Households
- Median Household Income
Rosedale
Rosedale is in the middle of South Denver. It’s relatively quiet, despite its dense suburban location. This upscale neighborhood has bars and restaurants on the east and west edges of the neighborhood, causing Niche.com to give its nightlife an A+. In the middle are several large parks offering plenty of green space. The Porter Adventist Hospital is a relatively large employer in the area.
Population: 3,071
Median Sale Price: $543,038
Change in Sale Price (year over year): 5.6%
Days on Market: 36 days
Median rent: $1,629
Renter Occupied Households: 47%
Median Household Income: $103,546
Chaffee Park
Adjacent to Federal Boulevard and I-70 is Chaffee Park. It appears to be a hot neighborhood, given the sale price and days on market trends. Tenants can enjoy a dense suburban feel, with green space at 51st and Zuni park. Most tenants own here, but there is a decent-sized renters population as well. Chaffee Park scored A rankings for nightlife and diversity on Niche.com.
Population: 3,324
Median Sale Price: $333,036
Change in Sale Price (year over year): 13.2%
Days on Market: 28 days
Median rent: $1,333
Renter Occupied Households: 41%
Median Household Income: $60,908
Gateway/Green Valley Ranch
About 30 minutes east of downtown Denver is Gateway/Green Valley Ranch. This neighborhood is more spread out, with several parks and the Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. Denver International Airport is a short drive northeast, and Aurora sits slightly southwest.
Population: 35,104
Median Sale Price: $490,000
Change in Sale Price (year over year): 15.7%
Days on Market: 40 days
Median rent: $1,860
Renter Occupied Households: 21.32%
Median Household Income: $79,827
Villa Park
Villa Park is a short drive down the 6th Avenue Freeway from Denver proper. It’s on the cheaper end of neighborhoods close to the city center, but plenty of amenities are within and next to the area. Most tenants own their homes, but there are some rental opportunities, thanks to the condos dotting the area.
Population: 9,657
Median Sale Price: $308,384
Change in Sale Price (year over year): 11.6%
Days on Market: 32 days
Median rent: $1,194
Renter Occupied Households: 33%
Median Household Income: Â $51,771
West Colfax
West Colfax is just north of Villa Park across the Dry Gulch. West Colfax Avenue, the neighborhood’s namesake, bisects the area. This busy street is lined with plenty of eateries and nightlife. The area is fairly dense, and the numerous apartments mean most tenants rent. Sloan’s Lake Park is across West 17th Avenue from West Colfax, offering plenty of outdoor activities.
Population: 9,985
Median Sale Price: $537,123
Change in Sale Price (year over year): 15.7%
Days on Market: 47 days
Median rent: $1,249
Renter Occupied Households: 61.69%
Median Household Income: $91,787
Hampden South
Hampden South is several minutes south of Denver via I-25, offering a quieter feel than the big city hustle and bustle. Most of the area is suburban. Several restaurants and coffee shops line the north and south edges, and parks are sprinkled throughout. Renters outweigh owners by a slight margin here, signaling rental investing opportunities.
Population: 21,771
Median Sale Price: $411,681
Change in Sale Price (year over year): -3%
Days on Market: 48 days
Median rent: $1,577
Renter Occupied Households: 54.76%
Median Household Income: $74,540
Mar Lee
Mar Lee is a large, dense suburb about 8 miles southwest of downtown Denver. Garfield Lake Park to the north offers recreational sports areas, swimming, and fishing. South Federal Boulevard on the east edge of the neighborhood is lined with several restaurants and shopping. The Sanderson Gulch runs through Mar Lee’s middle, offering a nice hiking trail.
Population: 14,067
Median Sale Price: $488,500
Change in Sale Price (year over year): 12.3%
Days on Market: 32 days
Median rent: $1,359
Renter Occupied Households: 46%
Median Household Income: $56,165
Final Thoughts on Where to Invest in Denver, CO
Did any of these Denver neighborhoods get your attention? Each offers some great benefits, but some may fit what you’re looking for better than others. Investors must weigh the features of each against their resources, goals, and preferences.
Evernest can help you in this process.
If you’re ready to buy your first (or next) investment property in Denver or elsewhere, here are 3 steps to get started today:
- Subscribe to our podcast: The Evernest Real Estate Investor Podcast—for all things real estate investing, being a landlord, growing your portfolio, and more.
- Find a property: Make sure you sign up for our Pocket Listings to get notified of all the deals that come across our desk daily.
- Get an investor-friendly agent: We can help with that—we would love to help you buy your next rental property investment.
Taylor Streitmatter is Evernest’s Director of Brokerage. His diverse expertise includes sales, operations, and brokerage management.
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