If you are moving to Denver permanently, you might as well pick a good neighborhood so you don’t have to move again soon. Here is our starting lineup with the five strongest competitors.
Are you scouting for the best neighborhoods in Denver? Since the city and the county have 78 official (and who knows how many unofficial), communities, you can spend your time between Nuggets home games wisely. We hand-picked some of the most livable areas here that rank high in different categories.
If you are moving to Denver permanently, you might as well pick a good neighborhood so you don’t have to move again soon. Here is our starting lineup with the five strongest competitors.
If you want to be close to the center, all the shops, and restaurants, while paying less for your monthly rent, Capitol Hill is the place to be when moving to this big city. In comparison to the North Capitol Hill, rents here are more affordable, and as many as two-thirds of residents rent their residence. There are not a lot of families with children, though, but this neighborhood is a favorite among young adults who are either studying or working. When you are looking for a job this is where you should start. Also, it’s a perfect place for those who are moving alone to another state or moving with dogs and enjoy strolling around charming streets.
With new, hip places and historical ones, such as beautiful mansions, old churches, and Margaret Molly Brown’s house, it’s no wonder that this area attracts so many people of all backgrounds. It’s actually the most densely populated neighborhood in the capital of Colorado. Hence, the biggest problem when living here is finding a free parking space. But it’s still a pretty cool district, a place where many like to hang out and explore new quirky cafes and pubs.
Are you and your partner moving in together? If so, there are many places where you can go on a date, celebrate anniversaries, and have parties, while enjoying tasty food. Whether you are searching for a veggie lunch, cocktails, or a cup of coffee, you can find it all in the foodies’ paradise, Cap Hill. When you unpack after the move, a brief walk around this district should be enough to get a sense of how many places for hanging out can be found here. If you’re a newbie looking for recommendations, here are some of our favorite spots in the area:
Here, downtown is divided into two areas. The first one is an isle of skyscrapers and business offices, while the other one, lower downtown, also known as LoDo, is a more residential part of it. Here you can find lower buildings made of brick with cute lofts, lots of restaurants, and bars. Ten years ago, LoDo was still a popular place to settle down in, but it did not have much to offer in terms of entertainment. But Riverfront Park changed it all, and today this is the favorite spot for hanging out, organizing picnics, and having barbeque.
In case you’re looking to relieve all that moving stress, Larimer Square is a trendy shopping area, but also the place where you will find some of the best places for nights out. The majority of residents here are renters, mainly young professionals, entrepreneurs, and those who work nearby. There are not a lot of families with kids, but nevertheless, this is not a bad place to raise a family. You can still find a quiet street and, with the help of tips to prepare your kids for the move, avoid getting relocation depression and settle down in this popular area.
When you were deciding where to move, choosing LoDo was a great decision. This is the oldest district in the Mile-High-City, and here you can find some scenic, historic buildings, the best restaurants in Denver, plenty of art galleries and cultural events, live music venues, etc. Another great thing is that there are so many breweries here, and even the first one in Colorado, Wynkoop Brewery, is in this district.
You are probably wondering how to check whether your neighborhood is safe, but here, you shouldn’t worry too much. LoDo is a safe place for living. If you are into sports, Nuggets’ Pepsi Center is right by LoDo, as well as Coors Field, home to MLB’s Colorado Rockies. The district is well-connected to other parts of the town with public transportation, and it is a great place for those who prefer walking instead of driving.
You will hardly find a more colorful district than RiNo in the entire state of Colorado. RiNo stands for River North Art District, but its abbreviation became so popular that the community even uses a rhino for its official logo. This evolving hippy neighborhood is home to some awe-inspiring street art and events. You will also find a lot of eclectic galleries here, breweries, old bars, and food markets. People who come here are usually creatives, artists, gallerists, and those who live for art.
RiNo is located north of South Platte River, and it has gone through a rebirth during the past several years. Old factories and warehouses were turned into industrial and eclectic bars and restaurants, offering a blend of old and new. Although there are plenty of galleries, street walls here reign supreme. Take a good look at those murals, because some of them change weekly.
In comparison to the early 2000s, the population has almost doubled, and the rents are going up above the national average, so make sure to check out some moving tips on how to reduce costs when moving to RiNo. The vast majority of residents here are people in their twenties and thirties, and there are not many families with small children. It’s is more of a place for urban and young creatives looking to move into a smaller home.
If you prefer to walk, this area is somewhat good, as it does not have a bad walkscore: 60, but we have seen far more walkable districts, like LoDo. Bikes are popular around RiNo, and there are dedicated bike lanes and lock-up stations. If you’d rather drive, your highly recommended and reputable Denver cross country movers can transport your vehicle across the country, explain how car shipping works, provide you with door-to-door auto shipping and other much-needed moving services.
Another district that has completely transformed and revitalized over the years is Highland, which is nowadays one of Denver’s trendiest districts. It is positioned on a hill, so it has a great view over the downtown, and three pedestrian bridges connecting them, for those who prefer to walk. Here, you can find those charming Victorian-style houses, but also some modern apartments, which make it suitable for pretty much everyone.
The majority of residents live in their own homes, so if you are here on a house-hunting mission, keep in mind that properties here sell really fast since both prices and rents are on the more affordable side. When relocating to the suburbs, most people seek quiet streets, beautiful houses, friendly neighbors, etc. And that is precisely what you will find here. You will not waste your time wondering how to make new friends, because this is one of those communities where everyone knows each other, and there is a general sense of belonging. It’s just one of the best places to raise a family.
There are so many guides and videos that will show you the variety of all the cool spots Highland has to offer. But they will also put an accent on its ethnic diversity. There are a lot of Italian-Americans here, as well as Hispanic families. So do not be surprised if you spot window signs in Mexican, or hear some seniors chit-chatting in Italian in parks. Besides that, one thing that can be a bit confusing is that there are two Highlands, two separate districts, West Highland and Highland. And West Highland is the one known as LoHi (Lower Highland).
For our fifth and final suggestion, we picked Cherry Creek. After plenty of districts that suit mainly young people, here is a suburban neighborhood perfect for raising a family, where kids can go to the park and attend excellent schools. The majority of the population lives in their own homes, and there are not a lot of renters. For all those who are interested in the cost of living in Denver, the average one-bedroom rent of $1,650, according to Numbeo, corresponds to the prices in this district where the median rent is around $1,400.
Low crime rates, plenty of spots for outdoor activities, kid-friendly park areas, bike stations, and bus routes that connect it to other areas are just some of Cherry Creek’s upsides. Finding a parking space is not a nightmare. It is not so far from downtown, but once you arrive here, you will certainly notice how clean the streets are and how well-maintained everything looks.
An 11.2-mile-long trail is ideal for biking and jogging, and it goes all the way to Confluence Park in Denver’s downtown. The trail goes through several parks, so it is a good option for exploring the surroundings.
If you have not spent all your money on boxes and packing supplies, and among the unwanted items you donated was a ton of clothes, you can allow yourself to splurge a bit at the famous Cherry Creek Shopping Mall. It is the biggest mall you’ll find from Chicago to San Francisco. Home to more than 160 stores, of which 40 are exclusive to this city, meaning no matter if you move during the holidays or in the summer you will have plenty of places where you can shop.
Upscale stores, like Tiffany’s, Hermes, Ralph Lauren, are all settled here, and they attract many shoppers outside of the city, too. On the other hand, there is, of course, a wide variety of more affordable brands and shops. There are even eight movie theaters, and there is always something for the youngest – the Rocky Mountain Play Park, for example. On another location, there is outdoor retail with more than 400 stores, of which 70% are small local businesses. Besides that, there are also around 60 beauty and spa centers, perfect if you are looking to pamper yourself.
Moving to the Mile High City was probably an easy decision to make because of many reasons to move here, but picking the right neighborhood is a bit more challenging even though it surely won’t cause you relocation anxiety. Whether you are moving for a relationship and want to have plenty of date night options, or you are into art or searching for the right park for your pet, you can find it all here, in the capital of Colorado. If you want to reduce your relocation expenses start planning your moving budget and avoid common moving mistakes. Learn some tips and tricks for packing things like clothes, furniture, and breakables, so you don’t miss out on great opportunities waiting for you in case you have not managed to find a job before moving to another state. Remember that you can find free packing materials for moving easily. Denver’s climate with around 250 sunny days per year, numerous restaurants and bars are just some of the perks of living as a true Denverite. The best time of the year to move here would be whenever you’re ready.