# 25

2023 rank: 24

Central Park—which used to house the airport and underwent a name change in 2021—has benefited from an influx of home buyers who were priced out of the urban core and are now seeking a suburban neighborhood that’s still got some perks to savor. If you find yourself fleeing to this family-friendly ’burb, you won’t be going alone. For the third year in a row, it recorded the most sold properties of any neighborhood.

Central Park is one of the few locales on our top 25 list where average home prices dropped last year, falling to around $725,000. So, now could be the time to snatch up one of those new energy-efficient builds, A-line townhomes, or charming cottages. Plus, its 12 schools score mostly A’s. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park—home of the Colorado Rapids—lies just beyond the northern border. Even more enticing: the mixed-use community’s myriad green spaces and trails and proximity to plentiful shops and eateries.

Population 31,377
2023 Average Sale Price $725,191

Neighborhood Rankings

Real Estate Rank 36
Schools Score 3.8
Safety Rank 56
X Factor Score 8

How we got these numbers: We utilized the city’s official list of 78 neighborhoods (only 73 had enough data to be included), and ranked them using four variables: home prices, crime data, school rankings, and an X factor score that accounts for things like access to open space, proximity to public transportation, and restaurant and shopping options. For more on our methodology, return to the main page.

Your Itinerary

Eat and Drink

Well-known Denver chefs are making the trek east, too. Case in point: Elise Wiggins’ Cattivella and Troy Guard’s Hashtag and recently revived Tag Burger Bar. And there’s more to look forward to: Gastamo Group has announced a new outpost of trendy taqueria Lady Nomada coming to the Town Center at Central Park next year.

Central Park is also home to Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria, breakfast and lunch spot Four Friends Kitchen, wing-slinger Waldo’s Chicken & Beer, and Ike’s Love and Sandwiches. For an after-dinner treat, head to Little Man Central Park.

Head just beyond the neighborhood’s southern boundary to taste whatever Caroline Glover, a James Beard Award winner, is cooking at Annette and her new seafood-forward cocktail bar Traveling Mercies, both inside Stanley Marketplace.

FlyteCo Tower is a cool brewery/restaurant/entertainment venue built into the base of the former air traffic control tower. Dirty Laundry is a neighborhood bar with a, er, laundry list of cocktails.

Shop

Central Park is anchored by two open-air shopping centers: the Shops at Northfield and Eastbridge Town Center. You’ll find some reliable boutique fitness studios like Endorphin and Lagree Luxe within them, too. Eastbridge is more restaurant-centric, but among the eateries you will find Datura Home and its fantastic selection of house plants, succulents, and gifts.

The Stanley Marketplace is also home to a smart mix of boutiques. Among our go-tos: Friend Assembly for cute planters; June Ruby for women’s fashions; Zero Market for clean home supplies; and decor at Industrial Luxury Home.

Play Date

Kids live the good life in Central Park. They can expend plenty of energy at the area’s seven outdoor pools, TOCA Soccer and Fitness Center, or Bounce Gymnastics at the Stanley Marketplace. Expand their brains at nearby Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Bluff Lake Nature Center, and Tattered Cover’s just-for-kids bookstore (inside the Stanley). Plus, the neighborhood hosts an outdoor movie series between June and July that’s ideal for family outings.

Spots to Eat

Cattivella

Hashtag

Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria (Central Park)

Little Man Ice Cream

View All Restaurants in Central Park

About This Neighborhood