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Living in
Parker.
About
Life in Parker
If you're considering Parker, understand upfront that this is suburban Denver living—you'll need a car for almost everything, and your commute to the metro area will likely run 25-30 minutes depending on where you work. That said, the schools here are genuinely strong (Douglas County consistently scores 12-19% above state averages), and the median household income of $133,000 reflects a stable, educated population with 53.7% holding college degrees. The community is family-heavy with nearly half of households including children, and you'll find decent recreation options including the Parker Recreation Center, extensive trail networks along Cherry Creek, and various sports facilities.
Parker at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Foreign-Born
10.7%
Broadband Internet
98.3%
of households
Population Growth
+13.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.7% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Parker: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Parker, the largest foreign-born group is from India (26.7%), and 4.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.7%
of residents
65 and Older
10.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
19.8%
of households
Married Couples
61.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.82
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 19% above CO average
Rent, home values, and income in Parker
In Parker, rent runs 19% above the CO average, and home values are 20% above the CO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
105.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,568
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2004
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $672,792 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below CO average
Unemployment in Parker and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Parker is 0.5 percentage points lower than the CO average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Parker Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO metro area
Commute26.1 min avg
How Parker residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Parker, most residents drive alone to work (65%), and 59% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 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 42% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Parker runs 42% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
191.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,076.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Parker Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 29 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
88.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Douglas County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Douglas County, which includes Parker, the most common type is winter weather, with 29 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 40 | Winter Weather | $20,000 |
| 2023 | 38 | Winter Weather | $25,000 |
| 2022 | 34 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 28 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2020 | 22 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 28 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 24 | Hail | 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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Douglas County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Douglas County, which includes Parker, is typically good — 247 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
247
per year
Moderate Days
111
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Douglas County, county-wide
Climate84°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Parker has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
18.8"
Annual Snowfall
64.0"
Hot Days/Year
35
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
177
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
84
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 19°F | 0.41" |
| Feb | 46°F | 20°F | 0.43" |
| Mar | 54°F | 27°F | 1.04" |
| Apr | 60°F | 34°F | 1.94" |
| May | 69°F | 43°F | 2.04" |
| Jun | 81°F | 52°F | 1.98" |
| Jul | 87°F | 59°F | 1.76" |
| Aug | 85°F | 57°F | 2.25" |
| Sep | 77°F | 49°F | 1.29" |
| Oct | 64°F | 36°F | 1.00" |
| Nov | 52°F | 26°F | 0.53" |
| Dec | 44°F | 19°F | 0.35" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Parker
Parker has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Adventhealth Parker
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Adventhealth Parker · 9395 Crown Crest Blvd
- Emergency department: AdventHealth Meridian Emergency Room · 9949 S Oswego St Ste 200, Parker
- Emergency department: AdventHealth Meridian Emergency Room · 9949 S Oswego St Ste A212, Parker
- Emergency department: AdventHealth Southlands Emergency Room · 6069 S Southlands Pkwy Ste 100, Aurora
- Emergency department: AdventHealth Southlands Emergency Room · 6069 S Southlands Pkwy, Aurora
- Emergency department: AdventHealth Southlands Emergency Room · 6159 S Southlands Pkwy, Aurora
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Denver Springs
Psychiatric · 4.4 mi away · Englewood
Sky Ridge Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.4 mi away · Lone Tree
Highlands Behavioral Health System
Psychiatric · 7.9 mi away · Highlands Ranch
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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education18.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Parker
Parker's student/teacher ratio is 18.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 56.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
56.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Parker (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 3,250 students · in-state tuition $4,622 · 19% graduate · median earnings $48,949 (10 yrs after entry)
Arizona College of Nursing-Aurora
11 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 336 students · in-state tuition $25,667 · median earnings $41,223 (10 yrs after entry)
Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology
13.4 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 139 students · in-state tuition $13,819 · 46% graduate · median earnings $44,298 (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: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, 49 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Parker
Parker has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (49 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
49 mi awayRocky Mountain National Park
National Park
76 mi awayPublic Libraries in Parker
Parker Library
20105 East Main Street, Parker
Cities Near Parker
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Parker?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Parker FAQ
Is Parker, Colorado affordable?⌄
Parker's median rent is $2,096/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $133,369/year. Median home value is $646,300.
Is Parker, Colorado safe?⌄
Parker's violent crime rate was 192 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 1077 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Parker, Colorado?⌄
Parker has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Parker, Colorado?⌄
The cost of living in Parker is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,096/month and median household income is $133,369/year. The median home value is $646,300. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Parker, Colorado?⌄
The average commute in Parker is 26 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