Arvada is a city located 11 miles northwest of Denver in the Rocky Mountain foothills and historic for being the site of the first documented discovery of gold in the state. The city was founded as a settlement and became a hub for the agriculture and railroad industries. Today, Arvada is Colorado’s seventh most populous city, with around 124,000 people. The city’s leading industries include manufacturing and industrial, retail and healthcare.
Olde Town Arvada is a throwback to the early days with brick-and-mortar storefronts and a walkable downtown area. Farther north and west, contemporary subdivisions are located close to shopping centers and parks.
Arvada is a city nestled in the Rocky Mountain Foothills, located northwest of Denver.
Leyden Rock residents bask in Colorado's natural beauty without feeling removed from Denver.
CommonSpirit Emergency & Urgent Care Arvada is the closest medical care center to Leyden.
A-frame and mountain contemporary homes can be spotted in Coal Creek Canyon.
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Condos in Olde Town to Craftsman by the foothills
Jefferson County’s average home prices dropped between 2023 and 2024 to roughly $775,000, a decrease of 7.5%, while Arvada’s average rose to approximately $670,000. The median price in Arvada for a single-family home in October 2024 was $675,000. Lamar Heights and Scenic Heights have a mix of housing styles from the 1960s, including one- and two-story traditionals and ranch-style homes. Single-family homes average between $500,000 and $1.2 million, increasing in price the farther west they go toward planned foothills communities, such as Leyden Rock. Urban residential neighborhoods like Olde Town and Arvada Plaza blend single-family and multifamily houses, including condos, apartments and townhouses, which can cost between $200,000 and $770,000, throughout the city. The median price for a townhouse in October 2024 was $460,000.
Ongoing development projects in Northwest Arvada and New Town will create mixed-use communities of various housing styles and commercial spaces. “We are nearing completion of some of our urban renewal projects. One site was a K-Mart that had been closed for many years and is now going to be a mixed-use residential area,” says Rachael Kuroiwa, the Director of Communications & Engagement for Arvada.
Homes on the west side of Scenic Heights are larger and mostly traditional.
Craftsman-style home are popular in Leyden Rock.
Craftsmen homes in Olde Town Arvada can go for around 600 thousand to 900 thousand dollars.
Northwest Arvada has newly constructed townhomes available for those not yet ready to buy.
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Top-performing Jeffco Schools
Jefferson County Public Schools is Arvada's primary district. According to Kuroiwa, it’s also one of the largest school systems in Colorado. Jefferson County Public Schools—referred to locally as “Jeffco Public Schools”—earns an A-minus grade from Niche, which also ranks it the fifth-best district in Denver. The district serves 155 schools,15 charters, two outdoor laboratories and one career and technical education school. Red Rocks Community College’s Arvada campus is the site of all its health sciences programs.
Vanderhoof Elementary School is a public school where Rainbow Ridge students can attend.
Drake Junior High School offers an outstanding education to students in Spring Mesa.
Arvada West High School received a B rating from Niche.
Students can take concurrent enrollment classes through Red Rocks Community College.
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Outdoor recreation, wildlife refuges and Apex Center
Arvada is situated east of the Rocky Mountains and along Clear Creek. The city has over 4,200 acres of parks and open space, plus over 150 miles of trails through the grasslands, while a few are bike- and equestrian-friendly. “Some of our trail systems connect to regional trail systems, so people can also adventure outside our community and into the mountains,” Kuroiwa says. Nearby natural areas include the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge and Standley Lake Regional Park. Additionally, the Arvada parks system maintains over 90 neighborhood parks, including 70 playgrounds, many athletic fields, skate parks, pools and golf courses. “We have a park within a 10-minute walk or less for almost every resident living in our city,” Kuroiwa says. Arvada’s Apex Center is an indoor recreational facility with a water park, ice rinks and three multi-purpose gyms. Stenger Sports Complex is the site of the Arvada Kite Festival, held each April.
Test your stills at the Arvada Skatepark.
The Apex Rec Center in Arvada offers many activities such as swimming and rock climbing.
Practice your swing at the Indian Tree Golf Club south of Meadowglen.
Memorial Park is popular amongst cyclists, walkers, and runners in Olde Town Arvada.
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Shops and restaurants in Olde Town Arvada
Olde Town Arvada is a popular shopping and dining district in the city. Urban renewal efforts have turned the historic district into a pedestrian-friendly, open-air mall. “Olde Town has been revitalized over the past 25 to 30 years, so now it’s a fun place to get some ice cream or a drink and walk around. It’s a thriving area with restaurants and boutiques; they even do festivals throughout the year,” Kuroiwa says. There are over 30 local businesses in Olde Town, including clothing, vintage, home goods and novelty shops, like florists and vinyl records sellers. Olde Town’s locally owned restaurants include casual eateries, bistros with outdoor patios, seafood restaurants, taverns and international spots. Arvada Marketplace along the I-70 Corridor has various name-brand retailers and grocery stores, in addition to chain restaurants and fast-food options.
Try some craft beers at Homegrown Tap and Dough in Olde Town Arvada.
Residents of Scenic Heights love shopping in nearby Olde Town Arvada.
Arvada Ridge Marketplace is comprised of retail staples like Super Target.
A fun atmosphere can be found inside and out at Mardi Gras in Olde Town Arvada.
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Arvada’s center for visual and performing arts
Arvada’s artistic scene is centered at the Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities, a multidisciplinary art venue with an outdoor amphitheater, free art galleries, a sculpture field and a history museum. Concerts and both theater and dance performances are held at the center year-round. “They have a summer music period where they bring in professional, well-known musicians from all over,” Kuroiwa says. There are also hundreds of public art pieces and installations on display, including murals and outdoor exhibits throughout the city, which hosts several annual festivals, such as Winterfest, with live ice sculpting and carriage rides through the streets of Olde Town Arvada.
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities in Scenic Heights is a gathering point.
Enjoy a stroll through the sculpture garden by Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities.
The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is a nonprofit, multi-use cultural facility.
Enroll in a pottery class at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
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Commutes, medical campuses and Denver’s Central Business District
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) provides public bus services with 13 fixed routes in the city to go along with a light rail system. The G Line commuter rail has three stations throughout Arvada and connects to the Denver Union Station, granting direct access to the Central Business District, about 10 miles southeast. Interstates 70 and 76 travel east and west, connecting the city with nearby metropolitan areas, like Commerce City and Aurora.
State Route 121, locally known as Wadsworth Boulevard, and state Route 95, also known as Sheridan Boulevard, connect the city with Broomfield in the north and Lakewood in the south. The League of American Bicyclists designated Arvada a Silver Level Bicycle Community as it has many bike repair stations, bike loops, dedicated bike lanes and training courses. The Denver International Airport is about a 30-mile drive for domestic and international commercial flights. The Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, around 10 miles north in Broomfield, provides charter flights.
Arvada crime trends
After trending upward for years, crime in Arvada has started to see a decline. According to the Arvada Police Department’s 2023 Annual Report, Arvada’s number of violent crimes reported decreased to 615 reports, a 7.2% change between 2020 and 2023, while property crimes dropped 9.2%, about 5,489 reports. Over the same span, statewide reports for both property crimes and violent crimes increased.
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