# 11

2025 rank: 45

In all 11 years of pulling together Denver’s best neighborhoods, Baker has never managed to make the list. Despite its high density of restaurants, bars, shops, and entertainment, there was always something holding this ’hood back (often subpar school performance, high crime, or devaluing real estate). But not this year.

Situated between the posh Washington Park West neighborhood and the industrial I-25 corridor, Baker burst into our top 25 at number 11, vaulting 34 spots from 2025. Driving this rapid ascent was a nearly seven percent jump in home prices year over year. Now if you want to secure one of its Queen Anne Victorians, Craftsman bungalows, or updated rowhomes, you’ll need to shell out around $650,000.

The area is anchored by Broadway, which is lined with everything from fine-dining establishments and swanky cocktail bars to thrift stores and storied watering holes. A new protected two-way bike lane runs along Baker’s stretch of Broadway and connects to the Cherry Creek Trail. Two RTD stops and a bus route can deliver you to downtown.

Both schools within Baker’s borders received top marks, but it’s still one of the more crime-ridden neighborhoods in our top 25 (ranking 66 out of 78 for safety). If you’re looking for great access to downtown, an urban feel, and lots to do, keep Baker in your sights.

Population 6,604
2025 Average Sale Price $651,095

Neighborhood Rankings

Real Estate Rank 11
Schools Score 4
Safety Rank 66
X Factor Score 8.5

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 & Drink

Breakfast heavyweights Snooze, an A.M. Eatery and Denver Biscuit Co. anchor the morning scene, but those in the know might head to La Forêt, where the team recently soft launched a new brunch offering (as well as a downstairs, afterhours speakeasy called Vaultaire) or Rebel Bread, where the new test kitchen and cafe space features coffee drinks made with Huckleberry Roasters beans and fresh pastries made daily.

Later in the afternoon, stop into neighborhood sweetheart MAKfam for an Asian lunch or dinner dreamt up by Kenneth Wan, a 2026 James Beard semifinalist in the Best Chef: Mountain category. Punch Bowl Social is an ideal place to spend a rainy day in Baker. The indoor entertainment venue (kid-friendly in the a.m.) is complete with bowling, karaoke, darts, arcade games, and plenty of booze. Chubby Cattle Hot Pot Denver serves soup and all-you-can-eat sushi you can actually trust, and Sweet Action scoops funky ice cream flavors until midnight.

Broadway was made for bar crawling. These are the stops we’d add to our list: Adrift Tiki Bar, Roxy on Broadway, Adventure Time Bar, Historian’s Ale House, the Irish Rover Pub, Skylark Lounge, Sputnik, and BurnDown.

Shop

Baker is a treasure trove for secondhand shoppers. The Goodwill Archer Store has two floors with lots of furniture, Crossroads Trading Post will buy your trendy clothes to make room for new finds, and Goldmine Vintage has a solid inventory of well-loved denim.

We love FM for its highly curated inventory of men’s and women’s apparel, but the real gem is the record store tucked in the back, which boasts a hi-fi sound system and vinyl DJ booth for listening sessions. Electric Dream’s brick-and-mortar boutique is filled with all things frilly, while the Wizard’s Chest is 16,000 square feet of toys and costumes.

Creative Pursuits

Catch a flick at the Landmark Mayan Theatre, which originally opened in 1930 and still retains its historic charm while showing today’s blockbusters. Or, head to the Cookie Factory, a new free-to-the-public gallery where renowned global artists create original, site-specific works.

Spots to Eat

MAKfam

Rebel Bread

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Punch Bowl Social

Sputnik

View All Restaurants in Baker

About This Neighborhood