Denver Is 3rd Best College Town For Recent Grads, Study Finds

DENVER, CO — University of Colorado Denver alumni and other recent graduates hoping to stay in the area are in luck: A new study has ranked Denver as the third-best American college town for recent graduates.

The study, conducted by real estate marketing company Point2, ranked the 86 cities and towns across the United States that are home to the nation's 100 most successful universities.

College towns were ranked based on 15 factors across four main dimensions – human capital, housing options, economic activity and earning power and equity.

In addition to its No. 3 overall ranking, Denver saw the third-highest increase in average household income in the past decade – from around $45,500 in 2010 to around $68,600 in 2019, according to Point2's data.

Not only has Denver's household income increased, but its population – along with its number of business establishments – has gone up as well.

In 2010, the population of Denver was 578,087. By 2019, it had increased to 705,576. That population growth came alongside an almost 16 percent increase in the number of business establishments – the ninth-highest increase out of any college town Point2 analyzed (tied with Golden).

Factors like household income, home prices and number of businesses and startups are strong considerations to post-grads, as a city's economic and social conditions are important factors in students' decisions to pursue careers and build lives in their college towns, Point2 said in its article announcing the study results.

"The benefits of a great university town do indeed extend beyond the youthful energy and myriad social opportunities a campus provides," Point2 wrote. "In fact, the vibrant, on-campus life is underscored by the entire area’s focus on education, research and development – which can be translated into business opportunities, new jobs and economic growth."

The full study results can be found here.