THE 10 WORST Neighborhoods In Denver For 2020


We used science and data to determine which Denver neighborhoods are the real pits.

Editor’s Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don’t freak out we updated this article for 2020. This is our fifth time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Denver.
Worst Neighborhoods In Denver

Denver’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.

It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Denver.

And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Denver. Some neighborhoods aren’t as great as others.

So the question arises, which Denver neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?

Today, we’ll use science and data to determine which Denver hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Denver area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Cherry Creek ranks way above the rest.

We examined 22 of Denver’s neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Denver’s reputation.

So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Denver for 2020? According to the most recent census data, Central West Denver looks to be the worst neighborhood in Denver.

Read on to see how we determined the places around Denver that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.

Once you’re done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best.

Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Denver.

For more Colorado reading, check out:

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The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Denver For 2020

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 50,475
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $245,607 (5th worst)
Median Income: $49,508 (3rd worst)
More on Central West Denver:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 21,726
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 10)
Median Home Value: $208,972 (1st worst)
Median Income: $47,736 (1st worst)
More on Capitol Hill:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 25,549
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 2)
Median Home Value: $226,148 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $53,074 (4th worst)
More on Northern Denver:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 8,202
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 4)
Median Home Value: $363,680 (11th worst)
Median Income: $48,674 (2nd worst)
More on City Park:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 5,554
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 2)
Median Home Value: $355,862 (9th worst)
Median Income: $62,129 (9th worst)
More on Jefferson Park:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 5,795
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $355,880 (10th worst)
Median Income: $57,941 (8th worst)
More on Baker:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 30,609
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 4)
Median Home Value: $293,687 (7th worst)
Median Income: $62,992 (10th worst)
More on Northwestern Denver:  Data

Alamo Placita Denver, CO

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 11,380
Rank Last Year: 17 (Up 9)
Median Home Value: $325,227 (8th worst)
Median Income: $54,018 (5th worst)
More on Alamo Placita:  Data

The Alamo Placita neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, United States, is named after Alamo Placita Park which is located on the north side of Speer Boulevard between Ogden and Emerson Streets.

Five Points Denver, CO

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 16,264
Rank Last Year: 15 (Up 6)
Median Home Value: $395,167 (14th worst)
Median Income: $57,107 (7th worst)
More on Five Points:  Data

Five Points is one of Denver, Colorado’s oldest neighborhoods. It is on the northeast side of Downtown Denver’s central business district with a small portion wrapping around Coors Field and encompassing the Union Station North neighborhood Citation. It is where the downtown street grid meets the neighborhood street grid of the first Denver suburbs. The five points in the district name are the vertices formed where four streets meet: 26th Avenue, 27th Street, Washington Street, and Welton Street. Five Points was the shortened name for the street car stop at this intersection.

Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 35,927
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 3)
Median Home Value: $222,990 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $68,544 (12th worst)
More on Gateway-Green Valley Ranch:  Data

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How we determined the worst Denver hoods in 2020

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Denver:

  • High unemployment (Less jobs)
  • Low median income (Less pay)
  • Low population density (No things to do)
  • Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
  • High crime (Estimated)

Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Denver, Colorado for each of these criteria from worst to best.

Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a “Worst Score”.

The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the worst neighborhood of Denver.

Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Denver to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 22 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.

The ‘hoods around Denver that are really hoods

Well there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Denver with Central West Denver landing at the bottom of the pack.

As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Denver aren’t all bad. Cherry Creek takes the cake as the best place to live in Denver.

We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.

For more Colorado reading, check out:

Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Denver For 2020?

Rank Neighborhood Population Home Value Median Income
1 Central West Denver 50,475 $245,607 $49,508
2 Capitol Hill 21,726 $208,972 $47,736
3 Northern Denver 25,549 $226,148 $53,074
4 City Park 8,202 $363,680 $48,674
5 Jefferson Park 5,554 $355,862 $62,129
6 Baker 5,795 $355,880 $57,941
7 Northwestern Denver 30,609 $293,687 $62,992
8 Alamo Placita 11,380 $325,227 $54,018
9 Five Points 16,264 $395,167 $57,107
10 Gateway-Green Valley Ranch 35,927 $222,990 $68,544
11 Auraria 799 $450,000 $85,521
12 Southwestern Denver 123,093 $227,605 $54,762
13 Highland 15,265 $382,556 $81,071
14 Park Hill 28,587 $366,040 $82,311
15 Southeastern Denver 123,683 $277,859 $64,624
16 Stapleton 19,385 $469,300 $120,028
17 University 17,164 $546,855 $74,201
18 Central East Denver 64,393 $416,967 $88,432
19 Lodo 8,519 $441,900 $71,476
20 Golden Triangle 1,873 $418,600 $83,929
21 Washington Park 14,825 $537,873 $104,384
22 Cherry Creek 6,586 $663,500 $124,277