Where Should I Live?

The first question regarding location is: should I live on the “Hill” or off the “Hill”? Students who decide to live on the “Hill” do so for two reasons: a) the buzz, action and party scene is there and it is b) close to campus. Within Boulder there are many neighborhoods from which to chose, each with its own personality, amenities, pros and cons. For simplification, the student housing locations can be divided into three areas: 

 

    1.  Next to Campus - 5 to 10 minute walk or bike ride to campus.

  • “The Hill” - Bounded by Broadway, Baseline, 9th and Boulder Creek. Older condos and single family homes. Many upscale non-student homes are on the southern and western boarders of the “Hill”. The financial premium to living on the “Hill” is an additional 10% to 20% compared to other locations in Boulder.
  • North of Campus – Bounded by CU, the mountains, Pearl and Folsom. This area consists of many new/newer upscale condos in downtown Boulder, older condos and early Boulder Victorian style , single family homes. It is near Pearl Street shops, restaurants and night life.
  • East of Campus – Bounded by CU, Arapahoe, 30th and Baseline. Nice selection of newer condo/town homes on the east side of 28th offering a short walk to CU.
  • South of Campus – Chautaugua and lower Chautaugua area bounded by Baseline, the foothills, Broadway and public land/buildings on the south. Single family homes mostly in the medium to upper price range. Many have been remodeled or scraped and rebuilt.

    2.  Beyond the Campus – 10-20 minute by bus or car ride to campus

  • North to City Limits – North of Pearl to Boulder’s north Boundary. Condo, town homes and single family homes in all styles - medium to high prices. Trendy, new Dakota Ridge and Holiday mixed-use, neo-urban communities are popular. Easy bus access to CU down Broadway and 28th Street.
  • East to City Limits – East of 30th to Boulder’s city boundary. Condos, town homes and single family homes in all styles - lower to medium price ranges.
  • South to City limits – 28th to foothills, south of Chautaugua to Boulder city boundary. Some condos and town homes, but mostly single family homes – lower-medium to upper price ranges. Highest concentration of student owned single family homes. Easy bus access to campus.

    3.  Outside Boulder City Limits – 20-30 minute car/bus ride

  • Gunbarrel – 5 miles north-east of Boulder on the Boulder-Longmont Highway (Route 119). Nice selection of medium priced condos and town homes in a country setting. Easy bus access down Route 119 to campus.
  • Louisville, Superior and Lafayette – These three towns are east and south-east of Boulder. Easy bus and car access to Boulder. They offer condos, town homes and single family homes at 15%-30% less than comparable properties near the campus. Superior is the newest community, Louisville is the oldest and Lafayette has older sections and a number of recently built communities.