Community Guides
Denver Commute Guide
Denver’s sprawl means commute times vary wildly — from 10 minutes in central neighborhoods to over an hour from the plains. We sorted every community by off-peak drive time to downtown Denver so you can find the sweet spot between distance and affordability.
Comparing 61 communities across 9 regions
Rankings
Community Comparison
| # | Community | Off-Peak | Rush Hour | Walk Score | Bike Score | Transit Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baker Central Denver | 5–10 min | 10–20 min | 78 | 89 (protected Broadway bikeway) | 56 (Alameda Station nearby) |
| 2 | Centennial South Metro | 5–15 min | — | 30 (car-dependent overall) | 40 | 25 (some transit — RTD light rail stations nearby) |
| 3 | Five Points Central Denver | 5–10 min | 10–20 min | 90 (Walker's Paradise — 2nd most walkable in Denver) | Strong infrastructure, Welton corridor | L Line light rail + RTD bus network |
| 4 | Greenwood Village South Metro | 5 min | — | 13 (car-dependent — residential areas are spread out) | 35 | 30 (some transit — 3 RTD light rail stations within city) |
| 5 | RiNo Central Denver | 5–10 min | 10–20 min | 78–79 (Very Walkable) | 89 (South Platte Trail connectivity) | 56 (A-Line + ART Connector + RTD bus) |
| 6 | The Highlands Central Denver | 5–10 min | 10–20 min | 85–96 (Highland 85, 8th most walkable; LoHi 90+; individual addresses up to 96) | High — Cherry Creek Trail, Platte River Trail, Highland Bridge pedestrian/cyclist crossing | Union Station walkable from LoHi; RTD bus coverage solid |
| 7 | Cherry Creek Central Denver | 10–15 min | 20–35 min | 77–82 (Very Walkable) | 73 (Denver metro 5th nationally) | R Line light rail + bus network |
| 8 | Edgewater West Metro | 10–15 min | 20–30 min | High for the metro — most errands walkable along Colfax/20th Ave corridors | — | — |
| 9 | Manitou Springs Colorado Springs | 10–15 min | — | 84 (Very Walkable — Manitou Avenue core); residential hillside areas are car-dependent | — | — |
| 10 | Park Hill Central Denver | 10–15 min | 20–30 min | 64 (Somewhat Walkable — 34th most walkable Denver neighborhood) | Denver citywide: 73 (5th nationally) | RTD bus network on Colfax, Colorado Blvd, 23rd Ave; A Line at Central Park station nearby |
| 11 | Platt Park Central Denver | 10–15 min | 20–30 min | 76–82 | Strong (Broadway bikeway, Pearl corridor) | Two light rail stations (Evans + I-25/Broadway) |
| 12 | Pueblo West Pueblo | 10–15 min | — | Low — car-dependent suburban community | — | — |
| 13 | Superior Boulder Area | 10–12 min | — | 54 (Somewhat Walkable — some errands on foot, 4 sq mi town) | Moderate — Rock Creek Trail spine, flat terrain for cycling | Low — Flatiron Flyer BRT via nearby Park-n-Ride |
| 14 | Washington Park Central Denver | 10–15 min | 20–35 min | 61–76 (East Wash Park 61, West 76) | 72 (Denver metro 5th nationally, designated bike lanes) | D, H, L lines at University of Denver Station; bus lines 11, 12 |
| 15 | Englewood South Metro | 12–18 min | 25–40 min | 61 (somewhat walkable) | 62 (bikeable) | 39 (some transit — RTD light rail + bus) |
| 16 | Wheat Ridge West Metro | 12–20 min | 25–40 min | 45 (car-dependent overall) | 60 (bikeable — 6th most bikeable city in CO) | 32 (some transit — G Line to Union Station) |
| 17 | LoDo Central Denver | 14–20 min | 30–45 min | 95 (Walker's Paradise) | 73+ (Cherry Creek Trail, South Platte Trail, protected lanes) | Highest in Denver — Union Station is THE regional hub |
| 18 | Castle Pines South Metro | 15–20 min | — | 8 (car-dependent — almost all errands require a car) | Minimal infrastructure | Minimal (no fixed-route transit; car-dependent) |
| 19 | Commerce City North Metro | 15–20 min | 30–45 min | 30 (car-dependent) | 35 (minimal bike infrastructure) | Minimal — RTD bus routes, no light rail (but near 40th/Colorado and Peoria stations) |
| 20 | Federal Heights North Metro | 15–20 min | 25–40 min | 42 (car-dependent) | 40 (some bike infrastructure) | 28 (RTD bus routes along Federal Blvd) |
| 21 | Fountain Colorado Springs | 15–20 min | 25–35 min | 19 (car-dependent; some commercial corridors score 47–63) | — | — |
| 22 | Lakewood West Metro | 15–20 min | 30–45 min | 68 city-wide (Belmar area 74+, south Lakewood 31) | Moderate — PeopleForBikes city rating improving | — |
| 23 | Littleton South Metro | 15–20 min | 25–40 min | 40 (car-dependent overall; downtown walkable) | 45 | 33 (some transit — RTD D Line) |
| 24 | Northglenn North Metro | 15–20 min | 30–45 min | 47 (car-dependent) | 44 (some bike infrastructure) | 28 (RTD bus routes; N Line nearby at 124th/Eastlake station) |
| 25 | Thornton North Metro | 15–20 min | 30–50 min | 53–78 (varies by neighborhood) | 46 (bikeable in some areas) | Improved with N Line commuter rail |
| 26 | Watkins East Metro | 15–20 min | — | 12 (car-dependent — almost all errands require a car) | N/A — no bike infrastructure; gravel roads | 0 — no public transit of any kind |
| 27 | Westminster North Metro | 15–20 min | 35–55 min | 35 (car-dependent) | 60 (bikeable) | 32 (some transit — B Line, Flatiron Flyer BRT) |
| 28 | Arvada North Metro | 18–25 min | 40–60 min | 35 (car-dependent) | 54 (bikeable) | 26 (some transit — G Line commuter rail) |
| 29 | Aurora East Metro | 20–25 min | 35–55 min | 43 (car-dependent city-wide; Del Mar Parkway area 85+) | 34 (PeopleForBikes City Rating) | — |
| 30 | Broomfield North Metro | 20–25 min | 40–60 min | 33 (car-dependent overall; Broomfield Gardens area scores 77) | 56 (bikeable — 8th most bikeable city in Colorado) | 24 (some transit — Flatiron Flyer BRT on US-36) |
| 31 | Golden West Metro | 20–30 min | 35–55 min | 42 (car-dependent overall) | 38 | 14 |
| 32 | Longmont Boulder Area | 20–25 min | — | 39 (Car-Dependent — most errands require a car) | 58 (Bikeable — #7 most bikeable city in CO) | Low — RTD BOLT bus to Boulder, limited local routes |
| 33 | Monument Colorado Springs | 20–25 min | 30–40 min | Low — car-dependent, though downtown is walkable | — | — |
| 34 | Highlands Ranch South Metro | 24–30 min | — | 28 (car-dependent) | 38 | 7 (minimal transit) |
| 35 | Beulah Pueblo | 25–30 min | — | Very low — unincorporated mountain community with no commercial core; car required for all errands | Not applicable — rural mountain roads without bike infrastructure | — |
| 36 | Lafayette Boulder Area | 25–30 min | 45–60 min | 42 (Car-Dependent — most errands require a car) | Moderate — trail connectivity good, on-street infrastructure developing | — |
| 37 | Louisville Boulder Area | 25–30 min | 45–65 min | Downtown highly walkable; residential areas moderate | — | — |
| 38 | Morrison West Metro | 25–30 min | 40–55 min | — | — | — |
| 39 | Nederland Boulder Area | 25–30 min | — | Low — mountain town, car essential for most errands | Low — mountain terrain, recreation-focused riding | Minimal — RTD N Route bus to Boulder on limited schedule |
| 40 | Palmer Lake Colorado Springs | 25–30 min | — | Very low — car-dependent small mountain town; no commercial core for errands | Limited — no dedicated bike infrastructure | — |
| 41 | Peyton Colorado Springs | 25–35 min | — | 2–4 (almost all errands require a car; rural/exurban community) | 24 — minimal bike infrastructure | 0 — no public transit |
| 42 | Woodland Park Colorado Springs | 25–30 min | 35–45 min | 70 (Very Walkable — US-24 commercial core); outlying residential areas are car-dependent | — | — |
| 43 | Boulder Boulder Area | 30–35 min | 55–90 min | 56 (Somewhat Walkable — some errands on foot) | 86 (Very Bikeable — #1 in Colorado) | 37 (Some Transit — Flatiron Flyer BRT, 14 bus lines) |
| 44 | Brighton North Metro | 30–35 min | 45–65 min | 36 (car-dependent) | 31 (minimal bike infrastructure) | Minimal — primarily car-dependent, limited RTD bus service |
| 45 | Parker South Metro | 30–45 min | — | 21 (car-dependent) | 36 | 5 (minimal transit) |
| 46 | Bennett East Metro | 35–40 min | 50–70 min | 0–4 (almost all errands require a car) | N/A — no bike infrastructure | 0 — no public transit |
| 47 | Castle Rock South Metro | 35–45 min | 45–75 min | 10 (car-dependent) | 35 | Minimal (no fixed-route transit) |
| 48 | Strasburg East Metro | 35–40 min | 50–70 min | 0 (car-dependent — almost all errands require a car) | N/A — no bike infrastructure | 0 — no public transit |
| 49 | Evergreen West Metro | 37–45 min | 55–75 min | Low — car-dependent mountain community | — | — |
| 50 | Pueblo Pueblo | 39–45 min | 45–60 min | Downtown 68–81 ('Very Walkable'); city-wide average car-dependent (30s–40s) | Limited infrastructure; 30+ mi Pueblo River Trail System for recreational cycling | Low — limited public transit coverage |
| 51 | Conifer West Metro | 40–50 min | 55–75 min | Very low — rural, car-dependent | — | — |
| 52 | Erie Boulder Area | 40–45 min | 50–65 min | Low — car-dependent suburban community | Moderate — 40+ miles of trails for recreation, errands require driving | — |
| 53 | Berthoud Northern Colorado | 45–55 min | 60–80 min | 30 (car-dependent) | 35 | — |
| 54 | Johnstown Northern Colorado | 45–55 min | 60–80 min | 20 (car-dependent) | 25 | — |
| 55 | Loveland Northern Colorado | 50–60 min | 65–90 min | 35 (car-dependent) | 50 | — |
| 56 | Fort Collins Northern Colorado | 55–65 min | 75–100 min | 40 (car-dependent overall) | 72 (Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community) | 25 |
| 57 | Greeley Northern Colorado | 55–65 min | 70–95 min | 38 (car-dependent) | 45 | 15 |
| 58 | Severance Northern Colorado | 55–65 min | 70–90 min | 10 (car-dependent) | 20 | — |
| 59 | Timnath Northern Colorado | 55–65 min | 70–90 min | 15 (car-dependent) | 30 | — |
| 60 | Windsor Northern Colorado | 55–65 min | 70–90 min | 25 (car-dependent) | 40 | — |
| 61 | Wellington Northern Colorado | 65–80 min | 85–110 min | 20 (car-dependent) | 25 | — |
Common Questions
FAQ — Denver Commute Guide
What is the average commute time in Denver?
The Denver metro average is about 27 minutes. Central neighborhoods like LoDo and RiNo are under 10 minutes to downtown, while outer suburbs like Castle Rock or Bennett can be 45–60+ minutes.
Which Denver suburbs have the shortest commute?
Central Denver neighborhoods (LoDo, Baker, Five Points, RiNo) have the shortest commutes at 5–15 minutes. Among true suburbs, Englewood, Edgewater, and Wheat Ridge are closest at 15–20 minutes.
Does Denver have good public transit?
RTD operates light rail, commuter rail (A Line to DIA), and bus service across the metro. Communities along the light rail corridors (Littleton, Englewood, Centennial, Lone Tree) have the best transit access.
What is a Walk Score?
Walk Score measures the walkability of an address on a 0–100 scale based on proximity to amenities. Scores above 70 are “very walkable,” 50–70 is “somewhat walkable,” and below 50 is car-dependent.
How does traffic affect Denver commute times?
Rush hour on I-25, I-70, and US-36 can add 50–100% to drive times. The worst corridors are I-25 through the Tech Center (south metro) and I-70 through the Mousetrap interchange. Off-peak times shown here are the best-case scenario.