Denver's Best Family Neighborhoods

A New Family Home

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Picking a new place that is good for the whole family can be incredibly difficult. There are so many considerations: commute time to work, personal safety, area history, home prices and nearby schools. These concerns only touch the surface of what must be factored in. While our diverse city has many neighborhoods good for families with children of all ages, the places on this list are some of the best in the city and its nearby suburbs that might fit the need.

1. Washington Park

Named for the 165-acre park inside its boundaries, Wash Park's predominance of comfortably large single-family homes makes it one of our city's most in-demand neighborhoods. Brick houses built in the early 1900s stand alongside more modern homes, interspersed with some multi-family complexes. This combination of old and new is reflective of the whole experience of Wash Park, where neighborly impulses survive even in the heart of our booming city.

Children are the future, and some of the top schools in the Denver Public School system are located in the Wash Park area. Lincoln Elementary School, the Expeditionary Learning School and South High School have all garnered multiple awards from influential educational groups. When school isn't in session, children have a safe, fun environment right around the corner at the neighborhood's namesake park.

Parents need a break too, and for a relaxing hour or two of shopping, the boutique shops and tiny restaurants along South Gaylord and South Pearl Streets are perfect: easy to reach and offering great items. Need a place to eat? Dine at the Wash Park Grille for a fancy evening out, at the Devil's Food Bakery for a family brunch or at Dino's Soda Bar for a funky retro lunch. In true Denver fashion, Wash Park even has the pet gift shop, the Lil' Angel Pet Boutique & Gallery where you can get custom painted portraits of the family pet and overindulge your four-legged loves with treats and toys.

2. Park Hill

Divided into three smaller neighborhoods, the large northeastern neighborhood of Park Hill is beloved by families, from young couples just entering the real estate market to empty nesters looking for a comfortable place to settle in the city. Homes in Park Hill cover the whole spectrum of architectural styling, from the ornate look of Queen Anne Victorian homes to the geometric asymmetry of contemporary design.

The main schools that serve Park Hill are part of the Denver Public Schools system and include Park Hill K-8 School, Stedman Elementary School, Smiley Middle School, East High School and George Washington High School. South Park Hill also holds the highly exclusive Denver School of the Arts, though admission is determined by application and acceptance, not residential address.

After-school activities in Park Hill range from gymnastics and ballet classes to music and theater classes, along with a variety of programs that take place in the neighborhood branch of the Denver Public Library system. In addition to small community parks like Skyland Park and King Park located within the neighborhood, the gigantic City Park, home to the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, is a short walk or drive away.

3. Highlands Ranch

A healthy, active community is the goal of Highlands Ranch, reflected in its schools and parks system, shopping centers and neighborhood organizations. An unincorporated community in Douglas County, Highlands Ranch sits about 12 miles south of downtown and is one of our city's most desirable suburbs for well-off families. Strong parental involvement and funding has created excellent schools including Arrowwood Elementary School, Fox Creek Elementary School, Cresthill Middle School and Highlands Ranch High School. The district manages 22 parks and 2,000 acres of open space for a total of around 25 acres of available recreation space for every 1,000 residents.

Only converted from farm land into an active suburb in the late 20th century, Highlands Ranch consists primarily of single-family homes with moderately large yards, kept quiet by miles intersecting roads and cul-de-sacs. While many people who live in Highlands Ranch commute up to the Tech Center or downtown for work, the suburb has plenty of businesses and shops of its own. Grocery stores and clothing boutiques, restaurants and cafes fill the little shopping centers scattered about the area, creating a strong sense of local community.

4. Stapleton

Built on the spot where the Stapleton International Airport once stood east of Park Hill, Stapleton is typified by relatively new single-family homes. Stapleton offers less of a historic community feel than its western neighbor but offers a neighborhood where green living and social involvement are emphasized. Bike and pedestrian trails, along with Stapleton's numerous small shopping areas and its safe environment, make it easy to cut down on car commutes and start living greener and healthier.

Beyond the convenient layout of the neighborhood, Stapleton has instituted construction standards that benefit all residents. All homes built since the middle of 2006 are Energy Star certified, cutting down on the cost of owning a home. Part of the Denver Public School system, Stapleton's schools provide an excellent academic grounding for local children. Neighborhood schools include Westerly Creek Elementary School, William R. Roberts K-8 School and George Washington High School.

Nearly a third of the land in Stapleton has been reserved for public parks and open spaces, providing a huge variety of options for group play and family recreation. Innovative playgrounds at Stapleton's Central Park and Puddle Jumper Pool attract families with young children. Miles of recreation trails and fields for sports including tennis, soccer and baseball help keep locals of all ages fit and active.

5. Louisville

Twenty miles northwest of Denver, Louisville has an old town charm that is supplemented by modern cultural amenities, high-tech businesses and an excellent education system. While the coal mining roots of the town are all but gone, the downtown area retains a quaint early 20th century appearance and now the buildings are filled with boutique shops and independent restaurants.

Offering an easy commute to both Boulder and Denver, Louisville is slated to soon become a hub along Denver's Light Rail system. This expansion builds off of the RTD's already respectable bus system, with many routes passing through Louisville on the way to Denver. Situated just miles from the foothills, Louisville has abundant recreational offerings for the athletically inclined, such as biking paths, swimming pools and hiking trials.

Schools in Louisville are under the governance of the Boulder Valley School District. Ample funding and strong parent groups have created top-notch schools like Coal Creek Elementary School, Monarch K-8 School, Louisville Middle School and Monarch High School. Abundant parks, like Lake Park and Dutch Creek Park, help keep children entertained on sunny days. Golf courses, a cinema, shops, restaurants and more offer plenty of local distractions throughout the year. Add to that a short drive to the Flatiron Crossing mall in Broomfield and you've got a town that the whole family can enjoy.