Top Five Suburbs of Boulder Colorado
Boulder proper is not the only game in town.
There are other towns/areas that have their own unique identities and that are definitely worth considering before making your decision on where to live in Boulder County. Here are the five best areas surrounding Boulder:
1. Louisville
Louisville used to be an afterthought to Boulder, now it is a show stopper. Historic Downtown Louisville is made up of five square blocks of creme-of-the-crop restaurants, small art galleries and coffee/wine/beer establishments – all housed in modernized 100-year-old buildings. This charming old coal mining town is brimming with town pride and many town events.
The housing inventory is a mix of old homes that have been expanded and modernized and small bungalows close to downtown. As you get further from Louisville’s epicenter the housing inventory becomes mostly subdivision homes built in the 70s, 80s and 90s.
2. Lafayette
Lafayette has been on the mind of more and more buyers lately as home prices are rising in Boulder and Louisville.
Lafayette is a small town with a big personality 20 to 30 minutes away from Downtown Boulder. Mom and Pop shops and locally owned restaurants fill the old buildings in Old Town Lafayette, a downtown steeped in coal mining history.
Some of the old properties around the heart of town could use some love while other homes have been polished to make the old charm shine through. New builds/developments have been and are continuing to sprout up along the outskirts of Lafayette including the coveted Indian Peaks community.
3. Longmont
Longmont is more than a “suburb” of Boulder with a population of about 90,000, over 300 businesses and organizations and 29 square miles of sprawl. There are many diverse neighborhoods within the vast city limits of Longmont. Depending on where in Longmont you live determines what town/city center you frequent, as parts of Longmont are actually closer to downtown Boulder than they are to Longmont’s historic downtown.
Longmont has the least expensive housing market of Boulder’s surrounding areas made up of historic, old and new developments.
4. Niwot
Niwot looks and feels like a quaint, charming, close-knit, artsy, small town straight out of a feel-good movie – with parades and all.
An old railroad town, located halfway between Boulder and Longmont, Niwot regrettably sometimes gets overlooked by outsiders but the locals are loyal to Niwot.
Niwot’s two block downtown – Second Street – has a handful of locally owned restaurants, art galleries and a local market where you can get all the groceries you need.
Homes rarely hit the market in Niwot – as of the date of this article only 73 homes have been come up for sale since December 2019. There are suburban developments built in the 80s and 90s and then some very large homes built more recently on the outskirts of “town” (technically Niwot is not a town – though it feels very town-like).
5. Lyons
Snuggled into the Foothills with the St. Vrain River weaving through it, Lyons, which sits ~25 minutes from Boulder in one directions and ~ 30 minutes to Rocky Mountain National Park in the other, is more than just drive-thru town. It is a small town with grit and funk and tons of outdoor recreation.
Lyons has amazing mountain biking options, many hiking trails and places to kayak, tube, canoe and/or just dip your feet in the river.
And though the historic town sometimes can appear sleepy – the options are endless for some after activity cocktails and grub – Oskar Blues, Spirit Hound Distillers, Julie’s Thai Kitchen, etc.
There are many varying housing options in Lyons – from rustic log cabins, to mountain estates, to new development living.
Check out our Good Good Map for more details about these neighborhoods and other neighborhoods. You may also want to read our Moving To Boulder article if you’re new to the area and considering Boulder as your new home and our article below, Top 15 Boulder Colorado Neighborhoods.
Good Good is a Boulder area real estate agency. We specialize in helping good people find the perfect Boulder home. We’re low pressure but high touch. If you’re looking for a real estate guide in the Boulder area, we may be a good fit. Give us a call if you’d like to chat. We’re always happy to answer any questions you have about the Boulder area or give you a tour.
Thanks,
Katie (Good Good Founder) | 720.415.4914 | Katie@goodgoodrealty.com