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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 Washington Park 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.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Denver For 2021
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Denver for 2021? 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:
- Best Places To Live In Colorado
- Cheapest Places To Live In Colorado
- Most Dangerous Cities In Colorado
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Denver For 2021
/10
Population: 50,475
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $245,607 (5th worst)
Median Income: $49,508 (3rd worst)
More on Central West Denver: Data
/10
Population: 21,726
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $208,972 (worst)
Median Income: $47,736 (worst)
More on Capitol Hill: Data
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Population: 25,549
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $226,148 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $53,074 (4th worst)
More on Northern Denver: Data
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Population: 8,202
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $363,680 (11th worst)
Median Income: $48,674 (2nd worst)
More on City Park: Data
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Population: 5,554
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $355,862 (9th worst)
Median Income: $62,129 (9th worst)
More on Jefferson Park: Data
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Population: 5,795
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $355,880 (10th worst)
Median Income: $57,941 (8th worst)
More on Baker: Data
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Population: 30,609
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $293,687 (7th worst)
Median Income: $62,992 (10th worst)
More on Northwestern Denver: Data
/10
Population: 35,927
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $222,990 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $68,544 (12th worst)
More on Gateway-Green Valley Ranch: Data
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Population: 11,380
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
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.
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Population: 16,264
Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
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.
How we determined the worst Denver hoods in 2021
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. Washington Park 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 2021?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central West Denver | 50,475 |
| 2 | Capitol Hill | 21,726 |
| 3 | Northern Denver | 25,549 |
| 4 | City Park | 8,202 |
| 5 | Jefferson Park | 5,554 |
| 6 | Baker | 5,795 |
| 7 | Northwestern Denver | 30,609 |
| 8 | Gateway-Green Valley Ranch | 35,927 |
| 9 | Alamo Placita | 11,380 |
| 10 | Five Points | 16,264 |
| 11 | Auraria | 799 |
| 12 | Park Hill | 28,587 |
| 13 | Southwestern Denver | 123,093 |
| 14 | Highland | 15,265 |
| 15 | Southeastern Denver | 123,683 |
| 16 | Stapleton | 19,385 |
| 17 | University | 17,164 |
| 18 | Central East Denver | 64,393 |
| 19 | Lodo | 8,519 |
| 20 | Golden Triangle | 1,873 |
| 21 | Cherry Creek | 6,586 |
| 22 | Washington Park | 14,825 |
