Best counties to raise a family in Colorado
For people looking to find a home to raise a family in, choosing a county is an important decision. Most families place affordable homes, safe neighborhoods, a quality school system, and family-friendly activities at the top of their wish lists.
Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in Colorado using 2025 data from Niche. Niche ranks counties based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather.
The list features counties that boast some of the top schools and fun, family-friendly activities for every season. Keep reading to explore the best counties to raise a family. Maybe you’ll find one that suits your brood.
#25. Saguache County
– Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (C+)
– Population: 6,511
– Median household income: $54,283
– Median home value: $200,000
– Top places to live: Center (B-), Saguache (B-), Moffat (unavailable)
#24. Grand County
– Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B), cost of living (D+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 15,794
– Median household income: $84,558
– Median home value: $507,200
– Top places to live: Fraser (B), Grand Lake (A-), Winter Park (B+)
#23. Adams County
– Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (C+), cost of living (D+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
– Population: 524,408
– Median household income: $91,387
– Median home value: $458,400
– Top places to live: Westminster (A-), Thornton (B), Todd Creek (B)
#22. Prowers County
– Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (B-), weather (C+), outdoor activities (C)
– Population: 11,931
– Median household income: $57,601
– Median home value: $150,900
– Top places to live: Lamar (B+), Granada (B), Wiley (B)
#21. Clear Creek County
– Niche grades: good for families (B-), public schools (B-), cost of living (C-), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 9,358
– Median household income: $96,667
– Median home value: $572,800
– Top places to live: Idaho Springs (B), Georgetown (B), Silver Plume (C+)
#20. Weld County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B-), cost of living (D+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A-)
– Population: 340,711
– Median household income: $93,287
– Median home value: $444,500
– Top places to live: Erie (A), Severance (A-), Windsor (A-)
#19. Pueblo County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (C-), weather (B+), outdoor activities (B+)
– Population: 168,726
– Median household income: $62,250
– Median home value: $271,800
– Top places to live: Pueblo West (B), Pueblo (B-), Vineland (B-)
#18. Chaffee County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B+), cost of living (D+), weather (B+), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 19,876
– Median household income: $70,909
– Median home value: $598,500
– Top places to live: Salida (A-), Buena Vista (B-), Poncha Springs (B)
#17. Ouray County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (A-), cost of living (C-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
– Population: 5,024
– Median household income: $84,556
– Median home value: $670,100
– Top places to live: Ouray (A), Ridgway (A), Loghill Village (B+)
#16. Lake County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (C), cost of living (C-), weather (B), outdoor activities (B)
– Population: 7,411
– Median household income: $93,655
– Median home value: $401,300
– Top places to live: Leadville (A-), Twin Lakes (B-)
#15. Gilpin County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B+), cost of living (D+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 5,877
– Median household income: $88,654
– Median home value: $512,600
– Top places to live: Black Hawk (B), Central City (C+)
#14. Conejos County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B-)
– Population: 7,536
– Median household income: $47,209
– Median home value: $162,100
– Top places to live: Manassa (B+), Sanford (B), Romeo (B-)
#13. Gunnison County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B), cost of living (C-), weather (D+), outdoor activities (B+)
– Population: 17,158
– Median household income: $77,358
– Median home value: $597,200
– Top places to live: Gunnison (B+), Crested Butte (A-), Mount Crested Butte (A-)
#12. Pitkin County
– Niche grades: good for families (B), public schools (B+), cost of living (D), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
– Population: 17,119
– Median household income: $100,318
– Median home value: $1,131,200
– Top places to live: Aspen (A), Snowmass Village (A-), Woody Creek (B-)
#11. Summit County
– Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (B+), cost of living (D+), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 30,857
– Median household income: $106,255
– Median home value: $850,700
– Top places to live: Breckenridge (A), Keystone (A), Frisco (A-)
#10. La Plata County
– Niche grades: good for families (B+), public schools (A-), cost of living (D+), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B+)
– Population: 56,088
– Median household income: $85,296
– Median home value: $549,100
– Top places to live: Durango (A-), Bayfield (B-), Ignacio (B-)
#9. San Miguel County
– Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A-), cost of living (C-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
– Population: 8,026
– Median household income: $80,117
– Median home value: $613,100
– Top places to live: Telluride (A+), Mountain Village (A), Ophir (B+)
#8. Larimer County
– Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (D), weather (C), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 363,561
– Median household income: $91,364
– Median home value: $532,200
– Top places to live: Timnath (A), Fort Collins (A), Johnstown (B+)
#7. El Paso County
– Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B+), cost of living (D+), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
– Population: 736,008
– Median household income: $87,470
– Median home value: $431,000
– Top places to live: Gleneagle (A), Woodmoor (A-), Monument (A-)
#6. Eagle County
– Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (B), cost of living (D), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 55,374
– Median household income: $103,174
– Median home value: $814,700
– Top places to live: Vail (A), Minturn (B+), Eagle (B+)
#5. Routt County
– Niche grades: good for families (A-), public schools (A), cost of living (D+), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 24,990
– Median household income: $104,803
– Median home value: $756,200
– Top places to live: Steamboat Springs (A-), Oak Creek (B), Phippsburg (C+)
#4. Douglas County
– Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (C-), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 368,283
– Median household income: $145,737
– Median home value: $674,000
– Top places to live: Castle Pines (A+), Highlands Ranch (A+), Lone Tree (A+)
#3. Jefferson County
– Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (D+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 579,715
– Median household income: $107,800
– Median home value: $604,400
– Top places to live: Evergreen (A), Golden (A), Applewood (A)
#2. Arapahoe County
– Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A-), cost of living (D), weather (B), outdoor activities (A)
– Population: 655,709
– Median household income: $97,215
– Median home value: $526,000
– Top places to live: Holly Hills (A+), Cherry Creek (A+), Inverness (A+)
#1. Boulder County
– Niche grades: good for families (A), public schools (A), cost of living (D), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A+)
– Population: 328,317
– Median household income: $102,772
– Median home value: $713,900
– Top places to live: Louisville (A+), Superior (A+), Boulder (A+)
