Golden is a city about 15 miles west of downtown Denver with a population of over 21,000 people, situated where the plains meet the Rocky Mountains. Founded in the 1850s as a gold rush town, the city was a supply center for miners and the original capital of Colorado until Denver took over in the 1870s. Today, the city’s vibrant history can still be seen, alongside modern urban comforts and an outdoor lifestyle. “Golden is known for being its own little nook, tucked away in the foothills,” says Real Estate Agent Sean Murphy with The Moxie Property Group within eXp Realty, who has almost 10 years of experience. “It’s got historical character, but then it has a nice young vibe.”
Golden’s major industries include advanced manufacturing, education and beverage production, among others. As the largest single-site brewery in the world, the Coors Brewery is the leading employer in the area. Other notable employers are Spyderco and The Colorado School of Mines.
Downtown Golden is a vibrant community with plenty of activities, indoors and out.
Downtown Golden is a historic western town settled along the base of the foothill mountains.
Live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Downtown Golden.
Adolph Coors started his now famous beer company right in the heart of Downtown Golden.
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Northern Colorado’s natural recreation and city parks
Golden’s natural landscape includes North Table Mountain, which has over 15 miles of trails. The “Golden Cliffs” area is a prime spot for rock climbing. “A lot of paragliders use Lookout Mountain as their jumping-off point,” Murphy says. To the northwest, Golden Gate Canyon State Park has aspen forests, rocky cliffs and lakes, all carved with 35 miles of trails and dotted with over 130 campsites. Clear Creek meanders through downtown.
The city also maintains 19 parks. Of these, there are three sports complexes, two dog parks, two skate parks, a community garden and multiple golf courses. The Golden Community Center in Downtown Golden has indoor facilities, including a pool, and offers fitness classes.
North Table Mountain in Golden is a popular spot for mountain biking.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park in Gilpin County has hiking and fishing spots.
Cyclists love the Clear Creek Trail that spans miles through Downtown Golden.
Golfers enjoy the Fossil Trace Golf Club in Jefferson County Government Center.
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A variety of housing types throughout Golden
The city is split into five unique areas: Historic Downtown, Gateway Village, North Golden, South Golden and Lookout Mountain. Ranch-style homes, split levels and multi-story townhouses are common for neighborhoods in South Golden, such as Golden Ridge and Eagle Ridge , while central communities like Welchs also have a mix of townhouses and manufactured homes. Housing prices increase the farther north, or west properties are from downtown. Lookout Mountain has the highest listing prices in the area, ranging from $780,000 to $2.5 million. Traditional and modern farmhouses and mountain estates are common in the area as well. Single-family homes in Golden carry a median sales price of about $940,000, while townhouses are around $635,000.
Rows of brick ranch homes are common in West Pleasant View.
Luxury homes of varying styles line the edge of Green Mountain in Mesa View Estates.
Custom mountain homes in Beverly Heights start at $1.3 million and reach $1.7 million.
Townhouses in West Pleasant View can be found for 250,000 to 650,000 dollars.
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Shops and restaurants lining Downtown and Golden Road
Downtown Golden serves as the city’s main commercial hub, lined with locally owned boutiques, outdoor gear shops and novelty stores. Local eateries include casual bistros, pizza places, fine dining and farm-to-table restaurants. “It’s a cute area with great walkability,” Murphy says. Coors Brewery is adjacent to downtown and offers public tours, in addition to beer tastings. The Golden Farmers Market operates every Saturday in the summer.
Golden Road has multiple shopping centers with chain restaurants and service-oriented businesses. Colorado Mills is an outlet mall about 4 miles south of downtown with dozens of department stores, name-brand retailers and big-box stores. “Most people don’t do their day-to-day shopping in Golden, they go to the mall,” Murphy says. “There are a lot of new developments coming in. A lot of big-box stores popping up in that area.”
There are plenty of boutique shops to explore along Washington Ave in Downtown Golden.
Buffalo Rose in Downtown Golden offers live entertainment inside as well as out on the patio.
Meet up with friends at the Downtown Golden Farmers Market.
Choose from hundreds of retailers at the outlet mall Colorado Mills near West Pleasant View.
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Golden blends history, art and community
Downtown Golden’s Historic 12th Street neighborhood has over 50 historic buildings. The Golden History Museum provides a walking tour that explores a handful of these properties. Additionally, Golden History Park features performers reenacting life in the 1800s. Buffalo Bill Days is a popular event in Golden that celebrates the Wild West with rodeos, shows and a parade.
There are also numerous art galleries and performance venues downtown. The Foothills Art Center showcases visual art exhibits while the Miners Alley Performing Arts Center hosts plays and musicals. Red Rocks Amphitheater is another iconic venue nearby, known as a geological phenomenon with naturally occurring acoustics. The Golden Fine Arts Festival kickstarts Artsweek Golden with art displays and live performances.
Visit the Golden History Museum's outdoor replica of Downtown Golden during the 1800s.
Come see horses march through town at the Buffalo Bill Days event in Downtown Golden.
Downtown Golden is a vibrant community with plenty of activities, indoors and out.
The best place to catch a show is at the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre in Morrison.
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Jeffco public schools and higher education
Golden is served by the Jefferson County R-1 School District, or Jeffco, which is the second-largest school in Colorado. Jeffco enrolls over 69,000 students across 155 public schools, earning an A-minus grade from Niche. Of these, four elementary, one middle and one high school are located in the city.
The Colorado School of Mines, with about 8,000 students, is in Golden as well and is the state’s oldest public university. “Most college towns can get real rowdy, but here it stays pretty calm. The students bring a nice young energy though,” Murphy says. Niche ranks it as the No. 1 college in the state and it is also the headquarters of the National Earthquake Information Center.
Bell Middle School is an above average, public school in Golden.
Golden High School is a highly rated school with an A minus on Niche.
The Colorado School of Mines campus brings a college-town feel to Downtown Golden.
The Colorado School of Mines near Beverly Heights teaches math, engineering & science.
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Traveling in and out of Golden
Colorado’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) has several bus lines that run throughout the city. It also has light rail service — the W line starts at Jefferson County Government Center-Golden Station and ends at Union Station in Denver.
The city’s cyclist-friendly infrastructure includes bike lanes, racks and the C-470 Bikeway.
Drivers can access Interstate 70 and Colorado state Highway 58 to travel east or west. U.S. Route 6 travels north to south throughout Golden, then cuts east, heading into downtown Denver. The Denver International Airport is roughly 35 miles away.
Average weather and lower crime
Golden sees all four seasons, including an average annual snowfall of 72 inches. During the dry season, the city may be at risk of potential wildfires. All firefighters working for the Golden Fire Department are cross-trained in wildland firefighting.
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, the Golden Police Department reported a violent crime rate significantly lower than the state and national averages. The rate decreased by 45% compared to 2022. The reported property crimes in 2023 were on par with state and national averages.
Written By
Brittany Bell
Photography Contributed By
Laurel Turton
Video By
Mike Dunleavy
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
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GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Golden, CO sell after 41 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Golden, CO over the last 12 months is $860,000, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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