# 18

2024 rank: 6

This energetic, tree-covered neighborhood boasts low crime and a continuously high-performing school (Asbury Elementary). Although it’s one of the most affordable ’hoods in our top 25, it’ll still cost you nearly $800,000 to put down roots here.

But don’t let the data deceive you; this is no sleepy suburb. With the University of Denver (DU) within the neighborhood boundaries, residents benefit from all of the coffeeshops, bars, and fast-casual eateries that college students require. Housing stock ranges from apartments and townhomes to bungalows and Craftsman-style homes.

Population 9,389
2024 Average Sale Price $792,032

Neighborhood Rankings

Real Estate Rank 56
Schools Score 4
Safety Rank 11
X Factor Score 7.5

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

The neighborhood’s dining offerings are clustered along South University Boulevard and East Evans Avenue. The Pioneer may have started as a hangout for college students, but its stellar tacos and rooftop patio appeal to the masses. Newcomer Sawa brings the vibrant cuisine of Sudan to the streetscape, while Jerusalem Restaurant continues to sling reliably delicious Middle Eastern dishes. University vegans can lean on Next Level Burger for plant-based grub.

For breakfast (or to put a dent in that hangover), head to Greek diner Pete’s University Park Cafe or retro eatery Jelly Cafe. Kaladi Coffee Roasters is a long-standing java spot, while Insomnia Cookies satisfies sugar cravings from midday until after midnight.

As for bars, DU students hang out at the Stadium Inn and Illegal Pete’s. Find a slightly more mature crowd (and a certified sommelier) at La Belle Rosette espresso and wine bar. For a pub with grub, hit up Spanky’s Roadhouse, which has an expansive tap list, great wings, and a roster of juicy burgers.

Get Cultured

On campus, the striking Newman Center for the Performing Arts hosts a packed calendar of multidisciplinary events, from modern dance performances and operas to keynote lectures and student productions. The Chamberlin Observatory is a popular scientific and historical landmark, but you’ll have to plan ahead to get inside the Romanesque sandstone building; public tours often sell out a year in advance.

Get Outside

The DU campus is actually a 125-acre arboretum, lined with more than 2,100 trees and thousands of plants representing more than 427 species. Another option to commune with Mother Nature: DeBoer Park, which has a playground and sits on the five-mile-long East Harvard Gulch Trail.

The university’s outdoor Stapleton Tennis Pavilion is also open to drop-ins.

Spots to Eat

Jerusalem Restaurant

Spanky’s Roadhouse

Jelly Cafe (University Hills)

Sawa

View All Restaurants in University

About This Neighborhood