Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in Denver, CO
4 neighborhoods with growth potential — still affordable, increasingly walkable, and showing improving conditions. Ranked by affordability, walkability, employment, safety, and air quality.
Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in Denver, CO — Key Takeaways
Denver has 4 neighborhoods showing growth potential. The most affordable up-and-coming area is RiNo with a median home value of $475,000. The most walkable is Highlands with a Walk Score of 94/100. The strongest job market is in Highlands with an unemployment rate of 3.9%.
Denver has a population of 715,522, a median household income of $72,661, an unemployment rate of 3.9%. The median home value citywide is $530,000, which is 88% above the national average of $281,900.
Data sourced from the US Census Bureau, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA AirNow, Walk Score, and FEMA. Last updated: March 2026.
Top 3 Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods
| # | Neighborhood | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands | 53 | ||
| LoDo | 53 | ||
| Cherry Creek | 52 | ||
4 | RiNo | 51 |
Rankings by Category
Top 5 up-and-coming neighborhoods in Denver for each growth-potential metric.
Lowest median home value
Highest Walk Score
Lowest unemployment rate
Lowest violent crime rate
Lowest Air Quality Index
Lowest median rent
Highest median household income
Up-and-coming neighborhoods are identified using a Growth Potential Score that evaluates five weighted categories. These areas are still affordable relative to the city average but show strong fundamentals that suggest improving conditions and future appreciation.
- Affordability vs City Average
- 30% weight
- Walkability & Transit
- 25% weight
- Job Market (Unemployment)
- 20% weight
- Safety
- 15% weight
- Environment (Air Quality)
- 10% weight
Neighborhoods that are priced below the city median home value score higher on affordability. Walkability reflects the Walk Score, indicating access to amenities on foot. A low unemployment rate signals a strong local economy. Safety is measured by violent crime rates per 1,000 residents. Air quality uses the EPA Air Quality Index (AQI), where lower values indicate cleaner air.
Data Sources: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR), EPA AirNow, Walk Score, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer. All data is updated on a rolling basis as new government releases become available.