Thinking about moving to Lakewood, or want to know your area better? Neighborhood Nurturers connects you with real, verified Lakewood neighbors who share honest, current insight on the best neighborhoods, whether Lakewood is safe, the cost of living, the commute, and everyday local life — the stuff you can only learn from people who actually live here, in a real neighborhood community, not a noisy or anonymous free-for-all.
New to Lakewood? Meet your neighbors.
Join free to ask real, verified Lakewood neighbors about the best blocks, safety, the commute, and local recommendations — in a welcoming local community of real neighbors, not a toxic feed.
Lakewood neighborhoods, block by block
Lakewood includes several distinct neighborhoods, each with its own character and price:
- Belmar — a walkable, mixed-use downtown district
- Green Mountain — residential with foothills access
- The Union corridor — a growing commercial and residential area
- Eiber & Applewood — established residential neighborhoods
Which one fits you depends on budget, commute, and vibe. Neighbors on Neighborhood Nurturers can tell you what each block is really like — better than any listing site.
Is Lakewood safe?
Lakewood is generally considered a safe, residential Denver suburb. The most accurate, current picture comes from residents. Join your Lakewood community to ask neighbors what a specific street or building is really like.
Cost of living in Lakewood
Lakewood is moderately priced, a bit more affordable than Denver proper. Real neighbors can give you an honest, current read on rent and everyday costs by neighborhood.
Getting around Lakewood
The Denver light rail W Line runs through Lakewood, connecting to downtown Denver.
Local life, recommendations & news in Lakewood
From trusted local pros and small businesses to events, deals, and neighborhood news, Lakewood neighbors share it all on Neighborhood Nurturers. Need a plumber, a cleaner, or a great coffee spot? Your neighbors have answers. Find local Lakewood pros →
About Lakewood
Lakewood is a city of roughly 155,000 people in Jefferson County, Colorado, sitting directly west of Denver at the point where the plains meet the Front Range foothills. That position is the whole story: Denver is fifteen to twenty-five minutes east, and the mountains start about the same distance west.
It is a driving suburb with one genuine exception – Belmar, a purpose-built walkable town centre whose plaza hosts concerts in summer and becomes an ice rink in winter. Its real appeal, though, is outdoor: Green Mountain and Bear Creek Lake Park sit inside the city limits, and Red Rocks and the Jefferson County Open Space network are minutes away.
Lakewood local guides
Everything we have written about the city, sorted by what you are actually trying to do.
Food and drink
- Restaurants in Lakewood – 240 Union, Casa Bonita, Belmar and where locals actually eat.
- Mexican restaurants – Colorado green chile, Casa Bonita and the best food in the city.
- Brunch – Belmar, the smothered breakfast burrito and the pre-hike breakfast.
- Coffee shops – Belmar, West Colfax and the coffee-before-the-trail ritual.
- Bars – Belmar, Great Divide, and an honest word about Denver.
- Farmers markets – The short Colorado season, Pueblo chiles and what is actually local.
Things to do
- Things to do in Lakewood – Bear Creek, Green Mountain, Belmar and Casa Bonita – the overview.
- Belmar guide – Lakewood’s walkable downtown, the cinema and the winter ice rink.
- Parks – Bear Creek Lake Park, Green Mountain and the trailhead timing.
- Events – Belmar concerts, the rink and the seasonal calendar.
- Things to do with kids – The swim beach, rec centers and Casa Bonita.
- Date ideas – Sunset on Green Mountain, Belmar and 240 Union.
- Free things to do – The trails, the parks and Red Rocks – a full day for the price of petrol.
Living in Lakewood
- Best neighborhoods – Belmar, Green Mountain, Bear Creek and where the value is.
- Moving to Lakewood – The honest case for and against, plus the altitude adjustment.
- Cost of living – Home prices, rent and what it really costs.
- Schools – Jeffco ratings, D’Evelyn and the school choice deadlines.
- Is Lakewood safe? – The crime numbers stated honestly, and how to read them.
- Dog-friendly Lakewood – Trails, altitude rules and the wildlife worth knowing about.
Getting around
You will drive. Outside Belmar, Lakewood is a car city – budget for two vehicles if there are two working adults. The W Line light rail runs through Lakewood into Denver and is genuinely useful for a downtown commute, so check it against any address. ★ Drive your actual commute at rush hour before committing – the east-west corridors carry real traffic.
What it costs, and how safe it is
The cost of living runs about 35% above the national average. ⚠️ Home prices are quoted inconsistently – median value $604,686 against a median price of $530,000, an average sale of $548,000 (down 5.6% year on year) and a three-month median of $570,000 – so treat the range as $530K-$605K, currently softening. Rent: median $1,705, average $1,904. ★ Bear Creek is the value area at $360,116 (April 2026 median sale).
On safety, being straight: Lakewood records about 6,137 crimes per 100,000 – roughly 164% above the national average, overwhelmingly property crime (5,324 against 814 violent). ★ Green Mountain and Bear Creek consistently report lower incident concentrations. The single habit that matters: leave nothing visible in a parked car, least of all at a trailhead.
When to visit
Autumn is the best season – stable weather, thin trailheads, aspens turning a short drive west. Summer is peak but brings fast afternoon thunderstorms over the foothills. ⚠️ Colorado gets some of its heaviest snow in March and April, so spring plans need a fallback.
A first weekend in Lakewood
Saturday: Green Mountain early before the lots fill, green chile for lunch somewhere on Colfax, and an evening at Belmar – dinner, a film, and the plaza.
Sunday: Bear Creek Lake Park in the morning, then drive fifteen minutes west to Red Rocks – free outside ticketed events, and world-class.
What are Lakewood neighbors saying right now?
A guide can tell you what is durable. It cannot tell you which trailhead lot is already full, what just opened at Belmar, or how long the Casa Bonita wait is this week. That lives with the people who are here. See what Lakewood neighbors are posting right now, and create a free account to ask them yourself.
How to read Lakewood
A short orientation, because the city is easy to misjudge. Lakewood is not a destination in its own right and it does not try to be – it is a large, comfortable, outdoor-oriented suburb whose entire value proposition is position. Fifteen to twenty-five minutes east is a major American city with everything that implies. The same distance west is Red Rocks, Golden and the front edge of the Rocky Mountains. Living here means having both without paying to be inside either.
The east-to-west gradient explains most of the rest. The eastern edge along West Colfax is the oldest, most urban and cheapest part, closest to Denver, and where the best green chile is. The middle holds Belmar and the established residential neighbourhoods. The western side climbs toward Green Mountain, where the trail access and the views are, and where prices reflect that. Anyone choosing where to live here is really choosing a point on that line, and the honest test is which direction your weekends face.
Who Lakewood suits
The clearest test is which direction your weekends face. If they point west – hiking, biking, skiing, a trailhead ten minutes from the door and the mountains within the hour – Lakewood is genuinely excellent value, because the thing you are paying a Colorado premium for is free once you live here and closer than almost anywhere else with a Denver commute. Families do well here too, given Jeffco schools running above the state average in both maths and reading, and more space per dollar than the city offers.
It suits you less if you want walkability as a default rather than something you buy into at Belmar, if running two cars is unappealing, or if your ideal evening is a dense restaurant and bar scene reached on foot – Denver does that properly and Lakewood does not pretend to. The people happiest here chose it deliberately for the foothills and treat Denver as somewhere they drive to, and that framing is worth testing honestly against your own week before signing anything.
Lakewood questions, answered by neighbors
Is Lakewood safe?
Lakewood is generally considered a safe, residential Denver suburb. Safety varies block by block, and the most accurate picture comes from current residents — not old crime maps. Join to ask Lakewood neighbors what a specific street is really like before you settle in.
What are the best neighborhoods in Lakewood?
Lakewood neighborhoods include Belmar, Green Mountain, The Union corridor, Eiber & Applewood. The best fit depends on your budget, commute, and lifestyle — ask locals who live in each for an honest take.
Is Lakewood expensive to live in?
Lakewood is moderately priced, a bit more affordable than Denver proper. Neighbors on Neighborhood Nurturers can give you a realistic, current read on rent and everyday costs by neighborhood.
How do you get around Lakewood?
The Denver light rail W Line runs through Lakewood, connecting to downtown Denver.
Is Lakewood good for families?
Lakewood is popular with families who want quick access to both Denver and the foothills. Ask Lakewood parents directly about schools, parks, and family-friendly blocks.
What is Lakewood known for?
Lakewood is known for Belmar, easy foothills and mountain access, and being a large, established Denver suburb.