National Center for Healthy Housing

Denver, CO

	Overall Rankings
	Metro Area (out of 45):
	Healthy Housing: 24th
	Prior Rank: 16th
	Central City (out of 44):
	Healthy Housing: 9th
	Prior Rank: 21st
	Click here for comparison to prior report.
	Data source: 2011 American Housing Survey

Location Summary

Positive Findings: Compared to the national average, the Denver area had fewer homes with open cracks and holes in walls and floors, broken plaster or peeling paint, signs of rats, water leaks from outside, and room heaters without a flue. The central city had fewer homes with open cracks and holes in walls and floors, broken plaster or peeling paint, evidence of rats or mice, water leaks from outside, room heaters without a flue, and siding problems when compared against the national average. Areas outside the central city also had fewer units with signs of rats, water supply stoppages, and room heaters without a flue. Compared to the national average, Denver-area rental properties were less likely to experience problems with open cracks or holes in walls or floors, broken plaster or peeling paint, evidence of rats or mice, room heaters without the flue, and siding problems. Owner-occupied homes in the Denver area were less likely to have broken plaster or peeling paint, signs of rats, water leaks from outside, water supply stoppages, and room heaters without a flue, compared to the national average.

Areas for Improvement: Compared to the national average, Denver-area homes had more problems with water leaks from inside, sewage disposal and heating equipment breakdown, lack of kitchen facilities, and foundation problems. The central city had more units with cracks in the walls, water leaks from the inside, water supply stoppage, sewage disposal breakdown, heating equipment breakdown, and a lack of complete plumbing. Compared to the national average, units outside the central city had more signs of mice, water leaks from the inside, sewage disposal and heating equipment breakdown, exposed wires, kitchens lacking adequate facilities, and foundation problems. Rental homes were more likely to have water leaks from the inside, water supply stoppage, a lack of complete plumbing, and heating equipment breakdowns. Owner-occupied homes had more issues with water leaks from inside, water supply stoppage, sewage disposal and heating equipment breakdown, exposed wiring, and foundation problems.

Community Information: The Denver MSA includes Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties, Colorado. In 2011, the MSA included 992,756 occupied dwelling units, 26.8% of which were located in the central city of Denver. Rankings of the housing stock of the Denver MSA showed an average age and average percentage of rental units of the cities surveyed. The percentage of pre-1940 homes ranked 17th-youngest (7.4%) for the MSA and 22nd-youngest (23.3%) for the central city. The median age in the Denver MSA was 1979. The percentage of rental units ranked 15th-most heavily rental (37.6%) for the MSA and 14th-most heavily rental (55.0%) for the central city. Compared to other locations, Denver had a lower poverty rate. Its poverty rate ranked 8th (10.1%) for the entire MSA and 15th (17.0%) for homes in the central city.