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Living in
Gunbarrel.
Gunbarrel is an unincorporated community in Boulder County, CO. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Gunbarrel
Gunbarrel is a community of 10,424 people in Colorado. The median household income is $109,407, median rent runs about $1,972 per month, and median home values are around $821,000. The unemployment rate is 4.1%.
Gunbarrel at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.8%
Foreign-Born
8.7%
Broadband Internet
99.6%
of households
Population Growth
+2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.7% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Gunbarrel: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gunbarrel, the largest foreign-born group is from India (18.2%), and 3.1% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
13.3%
of residents
65 and Older
17.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
16.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.2%
of households
Married Couples
41.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 12% above CO average
Rent, home values, and income in Gunbarrel
In Gunbarrel, rent runs 12% above the CO average, and home values are 52% above the CO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
105.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,079
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.4%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CO
Unemployment in Gunbarrel
Unemployment in Boulder County, which includes Gunbarrel, is close to the CO average.
Unemployment rate
Gunbarrel: Boulder County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Boulder County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Gunbarrel is about 3% of Boulder County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Gunbarrel Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.8 min avg
How Gunbarrel residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gunbarrel, most residents drive alone to work (54%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 mi
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Major hub40.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 44% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, which covers Gunbarrel, runs 44% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
183.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
881.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Boulder County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 30 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Boulder County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Boulder County, which includes Gunbarrel, the most common type is winter weather, with 30 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 48 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 42 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 53 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 34 | Winter Weather | $40,000 |
| 2020 | 36 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2019 | 44 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 35 | Winter Weather | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Boulder County, county-wide
Gunbarrel is about 3% of Boulder County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Boulder County, which includes Gunbarrel, is typically good — 213 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
48
Good Days
213
per year
Moderate Days
149
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Boulder County, county-wide
Gunbarrel is about 3% of Boulder County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gunbarrel has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/38°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
17.5"
Annual Snowfall
85.2"
Hot Days/Year
33
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
138
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
86
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 22°F | 0.83" |
| Feb | 48°F | 22°F | 0.99" |
| Mar | 57°F | 29°F | 1.99" |
| Apr | 63°F | 35°F | 3.05" |
| May | 71°F | 43°F | 3.21" |
| Jun | 83°F | 51°F | 1.95" |
| Jul | 88°F | 57°F | 1.83" |
| Aug | 86°F | 56°F | 1.68" |
| Sep | 79°F | 48°F | 2.09" |
| Oct | 66°F | 37°F | 1.62" |
| Nov | 55°F | 28°F | 1.18" |
| Dec | 46°F | 21°F | 0.81" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gunbarrel
Uninsured
4.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Gunbarrel's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Boulder Community Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.2 mi away · Boulder
Longs Peak Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.1 mi away · Longmont
Adventhealth Avista
Acute Care Hospitals · 8.3 mi away · Louisville
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gunbarrel
Gunbarrel's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 70.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
1
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
70.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Gunbarrel (within 15 miles)
University of Colorado Boulder
5.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 31,939 students · in-state tuition $17,513 · 74% graduate · median earnings $77,574 (10 yrs after entry)
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
11.3 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 397 students · in-state tuition $17,826 · 78% graduate · median earnings $64,753 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 339 students · in-state tuition $37,700 · 54% graduate · median earnings $36,917 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Rocky Mountain National Park, 33 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gunbarrel
Gunbarrel has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Rocky Mountain National Park (33 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Rocky Mountain National Park
National Park
33 mi awayFlorissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
80 mi awayCities Near Gunbarrel
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gunbarrel?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gunbarrel FAQ
Is Gunbarrel, Colorado affordable?⌄
Gunbarrel's median rent is $1,972/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $109,407/year. Median home value is $821,000.
Is Gunbarrel, Colorado safe?⌄
Gunbarrel is policed by the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 184 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 881 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gunbarrel, Colorado?⌄
Boulder County, which includes Gunbarrel, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gunbarrel, Colorado?⌄
The cost of living in Gunbarrel is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,972/month and median household income is $109,407/year. The median home value is $821,000. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gunbarrel, Colorado?⌄
The average commute in Gunbarrel is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from