Boulder's Priciest Homes Aren't Always Near the Best Schools, Data Shows

Locals know that Boulder housing prices are sky high. That's why so many people who work within the city limits live outside them. But a common assumption about the community — that the pricier the neighborhood, the better the schools in them — doesn't always prove to be the case...

By Michael Roberts

July 22, 2015

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Locals know that Boulder housing prices are sky high.

That's why so many people who work within the city limits live outside them.

But a common assumption about the community — that the pricier the neighborhood, the better the schools in them — doesn't always prove to be the case.

That's the conclusion of the folks at FindTheBest.com — and they've got heat maps aplenty to back up this assertion.

Here, for example, is one that compares public-school ratings with housing prices. As you can see, the 80301 zip code, which sports a median house price of just over $383,000, sports the best school ranking — considerably better than then 80304 zip, where houses cost nearly twice as much.

Below, find additional heat maps for each zip code in the Boulder area, complete with facts and figures about schools, income, education and FindTheBest's "Bang for Your Buck" figures.

And in Boulder, a lot of bucks are at stake. Check out the maps below — and click on them for more information.
80301 Public School Rating: 70/100 Median Sale Price: $383,750 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 5.56% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 88.58/100 80540 Public School Rating: 82/100 Median Sale Price: $360,000 Education "Bang For Your Buck": 87.86/100 80503 Public School Rating: 83/100 Median Sale Price: $415,000 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 5.86% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 85.58/100 80466 Public School Rating: 78/100 Median Sale Price: $220,000 Education "Bang For Your Buck": 85.51/100 80027 Public School Rating: 88/100 Median Sale Price: $485,000 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 5.36% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 85.13/100 80305 Public School Rating: 88/100 Median Sale Price: $542,550 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 5.47% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 84.09/100 80303 Public School Rating: 74/100 Median Sale Price: $338,000 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 5.37% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 82.74/100 80302 Public School Rating: 76/100 Median Sale Price: $550,000 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 5.60% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 62.63/100 80026 Public School Rating: 57/100 Median Sale Price: $370,338 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 5.06% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 60.57/100 80304 Public School Rating: 72/100 Median Sale Price: $722,500 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 5.84% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 57.28/100 80501 Public School Rating: 54/100 Median Sale Price: $250,000 1-Year Home Price Forecast: 3.55% Education "Bang For Your Buck": 44.56/100
Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Westword has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

Follow:

Facebook: 111180895657427

Twitter: @mikerobertscolo