1st Advantage MortgageJefferson County households have a median income of $110,656 and median rent of $1,861 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Who lives in Jefferson County
- Work, industries and travel time in Jefferson County
- Paychecks and income spread in Jefferson County
- What it costs to live in Jefferson County
- Jefferson County next to its neighbors
- The communities that make up Jefferson County
- Who lives in Jefferson County, in numbers
- Reading the Jefferson County data as a borrower
- What a median Jefferson County budget can carry
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Jefferson County
- More guides for Jefferson County
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Jefferson County
With an estimated 579,377 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Jefferson County ranks 4th of 64 in Colorado for population. It covers 764 square miles of land, or about 758 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan area. Lakewood is the biggest of its 25 Census places, at roughly 156,583 people (27% of the county total).
Work, industries and travel time in Jefferson County
By the Census industry count, 20% of employed Jefferson County residents work in education and health care and 18% in professional and administrative services. The sharpest difference from the state is in professional and administrative services, at 18% locally and 16% for Colorado. The survey's unemployment rate for Jefferson County averages 3.9% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.6%). Long commutes are the exception here: 14% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 4.0% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Jefferson County | Compared with Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.2% | -1.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 18.0% | +2.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.9% | -0.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.9% | -0.1 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.6% | +0.4 pts |
| Construction | 7.5% | -0.5 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Paychecks and income spread in Jefferson County
At $110,656, the typical Jefferson County household income is 68% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Income band | Share in Jefferson County | Difference from Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 12.3% | -4.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 33.0% | -2.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 33.9% | +3.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 20.8% | +3.8 pts |
About 12% of households earn under $35,000, while 55% clear $100,000. 6.7% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.4%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.434 (0 is perfect equality). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Jefferson County median.
What it costs to live in Jefferson County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,861 in Jefferson County versus $1,761 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 53% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $637,600, about 5.8 times the median household income. Owners occupy 71% of homes.
| Housing | Jefferson County | Colorado statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,861/mo | $1,761/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $637,600 | $539,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 53% | 53% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 27% | 30% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 0.8% | 3.5% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 5% | 8% | n/a |
Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
Jefferson County next to its neighbors
Distances run center to center, from Denver County at 23 miles out to Boulder County at 37. Douglas County leads the group on income ($149,594), Clear Creek County trails ($94,577), and Jefferson County out-earns 4 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | - | $110,656 | $1,861/mo | 71% |
| Denver County, CO | 23 mi | $94,718 | $1,831/mo | 49% |
| Clear Creek County, CO | 24 mi | $94,577 | $1,467/mo | 82% |
| Douglas County, CO | 24 mi | $149,594 | $2,193/mo | 77% |
| Gilpin County, CO | 25 mi | $95,361 | $1,658/mo | 88% |
| Broomfield County, CO | 28 mi | $123,874 | $2,126/mo | 63% |
| Boulder County, CO | 37 mi | $103,994 | $1,966/mo | 62% |
The communities that make up Jefferson County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 25 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 100% of Jefferson County residents live in one of the 25. Bow Mar has the highest median household income on the list ($241,583) and Edgewater the lowest ($76,591), counting places with at least 500 residents. 3 of them have a separate city guide (linked). For the rest, this is the local guide.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood | city | 156,583 | $89,792 | $1,806 | 11 mi |
| Arvada | city | 122,634 | $117,348 | $1,888 | 18 mi |
| Westminster | city | 115,484 | $100,272 | $1,882 | 23 mi |
| Littleton | city | 44,710 | $98,839 | $1,819 | 12 mi |
| Dakota Ridge | CDP | 33,753 | $120,822 | $2,176 | 6 mi |
| Ken Caryl | CDP | 33,233 | $118,269 | $2,127 | 7 mi |
| Wheat Ridge | city | 32,070 | $90,564 | $1,579 | 15 mi |
| Columbine | CDP | 25,478 | $131,232 | $2,448 | 9 mi |
| Golden | city | 20,417 | $98,582 | $1,953 | 11 mi |
| Fairmount | CDP | 9,902 | $163,600 | $2,679 | 15 mi |
| Evergreen | CDP | 8,602 | $150,417 | $1,959 | 6 mi |
| Applewood | CDP | 8,350 | $130,545 | $2,211 | 12 mi |
| West Pleasant View | CDP | 5,051 | $95,817 | $1,966 | 11 mi |
| Edgewater | city | 4,932 | $76,591 | $1,652 | 15 mi |
Who lives in Jefferson County, in numbers
College graduates make up 52% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 5.3%, against 7.7% for Colorado.
| People and households | Jefferson County | Colorado | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 37.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 52.0% | 45.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 4.2% | 7.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.3% | 7.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.0% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 25.4% | 21.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.9% | 4.6% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 21.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 38.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 25.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.4% |
| 60+ min | 5.9% |
Reading the Jefferson County data as a borrower
What the Jefferson County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Six-figure budgets. For the 55% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Renters under pressure. When 53% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
What a median Jefferson County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Jefferson County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $9,221 a month: gross income for a household at the Jefferson County median
- Less median rent of $1,861, which is 20% of it
- Under a 40% cap, $3,689 total minus rent leaves $1,828
If your rent is above $1,861, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Before you sign
A short checklist for Jefferson County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Jefferson County-area credit union.
- A Colorado license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask a Jefferson County credit union about member loans.
Licensing and complaints for Jefferson County
Jefferson County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Colorado Division of Banking. Colorado also has the Colorado Attorney General's office, which administers the state's Uniform Consumer Credit Code for consumer credit. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Colorado guide.
More guides for Jefferson County
More local guides:
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Jefferson County earn?
The median is $110,656; 55% earn $100,000 or more and 12% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Jefferson County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,861 a month; 53% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Jefferson County?
By population: Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Littleton, Dakota Ridge. The county has 25 Census places in all.
Can Jefferson County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Colorado county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Is there a Jefferson County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Colorado it is the Colorado Division of Banking.