Community Guides
Best Schools & Parks
Choosing where to live often starts with schools. We ranked all 61 Denver metro communities by their top school district’s Niche grade, then layered in parks, safety, and childcare data so you can see the full family picture.
Comparing 61 communities across 9 regions
Rankings
Community Comparison
| # | Community | District | Grade | Violent Crime | Parks | Childcare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aurora East Metro | Cherry Creek School District | A | 947.8 per 100K (elevated but trending down) | 5 | — |
| 2 | Boulder Boulder Area | Boulder Valley School District | A | 3.2 per 1,000 residents | 5 | 40+ |
| 3 | Centennial South Metro | Cherry Creek School District | A | Low — safe suburban city | 4 | 47+ providers (centers + home daycares) |
| 4 | Erie Boulder Area | St. Vrain Valley School District (RE-1J) | A- | 0.2–0.3 per 1,000 residents (one of lowest in CO) | 6 | — |
| 5 | Greenwood Village South Metro | Cherry Creek School District | A | 4.0 per 1,000 (DTC commercial activity inflates stats — residential areas very safe) | 4 | 15+ (KinderCare, La Petite Academy, Primrose School at DTC, The Village Child Development Center, The Garden Preschool) |
| 6 | Lafayette Boulder Area | Boulder Valley School District | A | 0.6 per 1,000 residents (well below national average) | 3 | 28–60 (centers + home-based providers) |
| 7 | Littleton South Metro | Littleton Public Schools | A | 4.3 per 1,000 | 4 | 97+ providers (centers + home daycares) |
| 8 | Louisville Boulder Area | Boulder Valley School District | A | 1 in 800 — well below national average | 5 | — |
| 9 | Monument Colorado Springs | Lewis-Palmer School District 38 | A | Very low — small town, El Paso County Sheriff + Monument PD | 5 | 9+ preschool/daycare programs in Monument area |
| 10 | Nederland Boulder Area | Boulder Valley School District | A | Very low — 1 in 1,497 chance of violent crime | 5 | Very limited — mountain town of 1,500 |
| 11 | Palmer Lake Colorado Springs | Lewis-Palmer School District 38 | A | 4.9 per 1,000 — low | 5 | 1 in Palmer Lake (YMCA at Palmer Lake Elementary, capacity 50); additional options in Monument (5-10 min) |
| 12 | Superior Boulder Area | Boulder Valley School District | A | 1.2 per 1,000 residents (one of lowest in CO) | 4 | Limited in Superior proper — small town of 13,400 |
| 13 | Arvada North Metro | Jefferson County R-1 | A− | 3–4.4 per 1,000 residents | 4 | 35+ |
| 14 | Broomfield North Metro | Four school districts serve Broomfield | A- | 4.0 per 1,000 residents | 4 | 37+ |
| 15 | Castle Pines South Metro | Douglas County School District RE-1 | A- | 1.0 per 1,000 | 4 | 10+ (HighPointe Academy, KinderCare, DCS Montessori) |
| 16 | Castle Rock South Metro | Douglas County RE-1 | A− | 2.7 per 1,000 | 4 | 42+ |
| 17 | Conifer West Metro | Jefferson County School District R-1 | A- | Very low — rural mountain community | 5 | Very limited — significant childcare shortage in mountain communities |
| 18 | Edgewater West Metro | Jefferson County School District R-1 | A- | Moderate — small city with some elevated property crime | 3 | 5–8 in Edgewater/immediate area |
| 19 | Evergreen West Metro | Jefferson County School District R-1 | A- | Very low — rural mountain community | 6 | — |
| 20 | Fort Collins Northern Colorado | Poudre School District | A- | 3.2 per 1,000 | 5 | 50+ |
| 21 | Golden West Metro | Jefferson County R-1 | A− | 4.7 per 1,000 (AreaVibes/NeighborhoodScout) | 4 | 10–15 in Golden area |
| 22 | Highlands Ranch South Metro | Douglas County RE-1 | A− | 2.3 per 1,000 | 4 | 30+ (KinderCare, The Nest Schools, Primrose, The Learning Experience, Kid City USA) |
| 23 | Lakewood West Metro | Jefferson County School District R-1 | A- | Moderate — higher than Jefferson County average but below Denver | 5 | — |
| 24 | Longmont Boulder Area | St. Vrain Valley School District (RE-1J) | A- | 3.5 per 1,000 residents | 4 | 40+ |
| 25 | Morrison West Metro | Jefferson County School District R-1 | A- | 1 in 10,000 — virtually no violent crime (tiny population) | 5 | Very limited in Morrison proper — 2-3 home-based providers |
| 26 | Parker South Metro | Douglas County RE-1 | A− | 2.7 per 1,000 | 4 | 55+ centers, 63 total providers |
| 27 | Timnath Northern Colorado | Poudre School District | A- | <1 per 1,000 — very low | 4 | 5–10 (limited in-town) |
| 28 | Wellington Northern Colorado | Poudre School District | A- | Very low — rural community | 4 | 3–5 (limited) |
| 29 | Westminster North Metro | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | B+ | 4.18 per 1,000 residents | 4 | 30+ |
| 30 | Wheat Ridge West Metro | Jefferson County R-1 | A− | 4.8 per 1,000 — near Colorado average | 4 | 15–20 in Wheat Ridge area |
| 31 | Baker Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B+ | 9.95 per 1,000 residents; 14th of 78 Denver neighborhoods | 4 | — |
| 32 | Berthoud Northern Colorado | Thompson School District (R2-J) | B+ | <1 per 1,000 — very low | 5 | 5–8 (limited) |
| 33 | Cherry Creek Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B+ | 4.5 per 1,000 (about avg for US) | 4 | — |
| 34 | Federal Heights North Metro | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | B+ | — | 3 | 8+ |
| 35 | Five Points Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B+ | 17.9 per 1,000 (814% above national avg) | 5 | — |
| 36 | LoDo Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B+ | 30.5 per 1,000 (elevated — downtown urban core dynamics) | 4 | — |
| 37 | Loveland Northern Colorado | Thompson School District (R2-J) | B+ | 2.5 per 1,000 | 5 | 30+ |
| 38 | Manitou Springs Colorado Springs | Manitou Springs School District 14 | B+ | Low — small town with tourism-related petty crime | 6 | Very limited in Manitou Springs proper — most families use Colorado Springs providers (10 min) |
| 39 | Northglenn North Metro | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | B+ | — | 3 | 22+ |
| 40 | Peyton Colorado Springs | Falcon School District 49 | B+ | Low — rural area, El Paso County Sheriff | 4 | Limited — Falcon Day Care & Pre-K (licensed in-home, 6 mo–5 yr + school age); Falcon Kids Corner programs at Falcon Elementary, Meridian Ranch Elementary, and Woodmen Hills Elementary (capacity 60 each) |
| 41 | Platt Park Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B+ | 5.7 per 1,000 | 4 | — |
| 42 | RiNo Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B+ | Denver central: 1 in 14 crime risk | 4 | — |
| 43 | Severance Northern Colorado | Weld RE-4 School District | B+ | Very low — rural community feel | 4 | 5–8 (limited, growing with population) |
| 44 | The Highlands Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B+ | 3.0 per 1,000 (1 in 77 chance) | 4 | — |
| 45 | Thornton North Metro | Adams 12 Five Star Schools | B+ | 1 in 368 chance of violent crime | 5 | 40+ |
| 46 | Washington Park Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B+ | 0.7/month avg (2025); one of Denver's safest neighborhoods | 4 | — |
| 47 | Windsor Northern Colorado | Weld RE-4 School District | B+ | <1 per 1,000 — one of safest in NoCo | 5 | 15+ |
| 48 | Woodland Park Colorado Springs | Woodland Park School District RE-2 | B+ | Low — small mountain city | 5 | 5+ providers — Kid City USA (2 locations, 6 weeks–12 yrs), Preschool in the Pines (312 S West St), Woodland Park Cooperative School (play-based nonprofit) |
| 49 | Johnstown Northern Colorado | Weld RE-5J (Johnstown-Milliken) | B | Low — growing community | 5 | 5–10 (limited, growing) |
| 50 | Park Hill Central Denver | Denver Public Schools | B | 9.1 per 1,000 (varies significantly by sub-neighborhood) | 3 | 8+ (The Goddard School Park Hill, Montessori Children's House of Denver, Park Hill Preschool & Child Care, The Children's Center at Park Hill UMC) |
| 51 | Strasburg East Metro | Strasburg School District 31J | B | 11 per 1,000 (significantly below national average of 22.7) | 3 | 3–4 (Just Plains Kids Childcare, Discovery Time Preschool via Parks & Rec, Hometown Kids Daycare, Prairie Learning Center) |
| 52 | Bennett East Metro | Bennett School District 29J | B- | 13.4 per 1,000 (below national average of 22.7) | 2 | 2–3 (Discovery Time Kids Early Learning Center, Little Blessings Daycare) |
| 53 | Beulah Pueblo | Pueblo County School District 70 | B- | Very low — rural mountain community with minimal crime | 5 | None in Beulah proper — nearest licensed providers are in Pueblo (25 min). A few licensed home-based providers in the Beulah Heights area. |
| 54 | Brighton North Metro | School District 27J | B- | — | 3 | 15+ |
| 55 | Englewood South Metro | Englewood Schools (Englewood 1) | B- | — | 4 | 17+ (KinderCare, Jump Start, Bright Horizons, Honey Bear Tree Preschool) |
| 56 | Fountain Colorado Springs | Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 | B- | Moderate — Niche Safety grade: C | 5 | 11+ licensed providers (centers and home-based) |
| 57 | Greeley Northern Colorado | Greeley-Evans School District 6 | B- | 5.5 per 1,000 (above state avg) | 5 | 40+ |
| 58 | Pueblo West Pueblo | Pueblo County School District 70 | B- | Lower than Pueblo proper — suburban community served by County Sheriff | 5 | Limited in Pueblo West — Kid City USA (north side of E Spaulding Ave, 6 weeks–12 yrs); Kinderkirk preschool/childcare |
| 59 | Watkins East Metro | Bennett 29J or Strasburg 31J | B- | Low — unincorporated area with very low population density (~680 residents, 2020 Census) | 3 | 0–1 in Watkins proper (Kids At Play Day Care); nearest centers in Bennett (10 min) or Aurora (15 min) |
| 60 | Pueblo Pueblo | Pueblo City Schools (D60) | C | ~1,621 per 100K (3.97× national avg) — elevated but trending down | 5 | — |
| 61 | Commerce City North Metro | Adams 14 / School District 27J | C | — | 3 | 20+ |
Common Questions
FAQ — Best Schools & Parks
Which Denver suburb has the best schools?
Monument (Lewis-Palmer D38, Niche A+), Castle Pines, and Parker (Douglas County RE-1, Niche A+) consistently rank among Colorado’s top school districts. Erie’s St. Vrain Valley SD also earns an A+.
How are school districts organized in Colorado?
Colorado uses independent school districts that don’t follow city boundaries. A single community may be split across 2–4 districts. Always verify your district by entering your address on the district’s website.
What is a Niche grade?
Niche.com grades school districts from A+ to F based on academics, teachers, diversity, college prep, and parent reviews. It’s one of the most widely used school comparison tools in the U.S.
Are Denver suburban schools safe?
Most Denver suburbs have low violent crime rates (1–5 per 1,000 residents). Communities like Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, and Timnath report some of the lowest crime rates in the metro.
How do I verify which school district serves my address?
Visit the Colorado Department of Education’s website or enter your address directly on the school district’s enrollment page. District boundaries can change block by block, especially in communities served by multiple districts.