DENVER — Despite a dip in overall home sales, Denver’s housing market currently offers high inventory, making it a strong spot for new buyers. A recent report highlights several cities in the metro area as among the best in the U.S. for first-time home buyers.
However, not all Colorado cities fared well—Boulder landed among the worst in the nation for those entering the market.
Nationally, first-time buyers made up 32% of the housing market in 2023, but that number dropped to 24% in 2024.
WalletHub’s 2025 report on the best and worst U.S. cities for first-time home buyers ranked 300 cities based on affordability, housing market strength, and quality of life. Metrics included cost of living, taxes, crime, property appreciation, education, and recreation.
Many Colorado cities made it into the better half of the rankings. Here’s how they placed overall:
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Thornton: 16
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Arvada: 23
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Colorado Springs: 37
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Longmont: 43
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Centennial: 48
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Westminster: 57
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Pueblo: 69
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Fort Collins: 70
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Greeley: 77
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Aurora: 119
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Lakewood: 140
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Denver: 148
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Boulder: 235
In rankings by city size, most Colorado cities did well:
Large Cities (out of 68):
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Colorado Springs: 10
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Aurora: 22
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Denver: 30
Midsize Cities (out of 99):
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Fort Collins: 26
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Lakewood: 53
Small Cities (out of 133):
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Thornton: 7
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Arvada: 10
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Longmont: 15
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Centennial: 19
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Westminster: 24
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Pueblo: 29
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Greeley: 33
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Boulder: 100
Colorado Springs stood out in individual categories, boasting the third-lowest home energy costs and the third-lowest property tax rate nationwide.
This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.
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