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These Are The 10 Smartest Cities In Colorado

By John McLean
Feb. 2, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on:

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Top 10 Intelligent Cities in Colorado for 2026

When choosing a place to live or work, the intellectual caliber of the surrounding community is a significant factor for many individuals. A city’s intellectual environment can profoundly influence an employee’s experience and satisfaction at work, making it essential for both companies and job seekers to consider.

This brings us to the role of Zippia, which provides insights into the most intellectually vibrant cities in Colorado.

How do we measure the intelligence of a city? The answer lies in demographic data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. We analyzed various educational criteria to identify cities that demonstrate a high level of educational attainment.

To determine which cities stand out in terms of intelligence, we focused on the percentage of adults (over 25) with at least a high school diploma and the percentage of high school dropouts (ages 16-20) across Colorado’s 79 largest cities. After analyzing the data, we compiled a list of Colorado’s brightest cities:

  1. Estes Park
  2. Castle Pines
  3. Louisville
  4. Cherry Hills Village
  5. Erie
  6. Greenwood Village
  7. Superior
  8. Monument
  9. Frederick
  10. Parker

Continue reading to discover the educational strengths that earned these cities their esteemed rankings, or scroll to the end for a comprehensive chart of all analyzed locations.

How We Identified Colorado’s Most Intelligent Cities

Before diving into our rankings, we established criteria for selecting cities to analyze. We focused on locations with a population exceeding 5,000 and comprehensive data available for our chosen metrics.

This analysis encompassed 79 cities throughout Colorado.

We evaluated the following criteria based on the latest American Community Survey data:

These criteria reflect the current educational landscape and the potential for future improvements in educational attainment. Notably, high school graduation rates are robust, with approximately 80% of students graduating in recent years.

To rank the cities, we assigned a score from 1 to 79 for each criterion, with 1 being the highest ranking. We then calculated an average rank across all metrics, awarding the title of “Smartest City in Colorado” to the city with the highest overall score.

If your city isn’t featured in the top 10, scroll down for a detailed chart. Otherwise, let’s explore the educational achievements of the leading cities!

1. Estes Park

Population: 6,022
Adults Without High School Diploma: 0.8%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Estes Park has achieved the top spot as Colorado’s smartest city, boasting nearly no high school dropouts and only 0.8% of its adult population lacking a high school diploma.

2. Castle Pines

Population: 10,626
Adults Without High School Diploma: 1.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Castle Pines, with just over 10,000 residents, secures the second position with minimal high school dropouts and only 1.5% of adults without a high school diploma.

3. Louisville

Population: 19,171
Adults Without High School Diploma: 1.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Louisville claims the third spot with a population of 19,171 and an impressively low dropout rate, reflecting the community’s dedication to education.

4. Cherry Hills Village

Population: 6,234
Adults Without High School Diploma: 0.7%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 1.5%

Ranked fourth, Cherry Hills Village showcases its intellectual prowess with just 1.5% high school dropouts and only 0.7% of adults lacking a diploma.

5. Erie

Population: 19,305
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.5%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Erie shines with a low percentage of high school dropouts and only 2.5% of adults lacking a diploma, making it a smart choice for families.

6. Greenwood Village

Population: 14,546
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.4%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 1.3%

Greenwood Village ranks sixth with only 1.3% of high school students dropping out and 2.4% of adults without a diploma.

7. Superior

Population: 12,716
Adults Without High School Diploma: 1.6%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 1.6%

Superior, ranked seventh, has a solid educational standing with a dropout rate of 1.6% and the same percentage of adults lacking a diploma.

8. Monument

Population: 6,226
Adults Without High School Diploma: 3.8%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Monument earns the eighth spot with impressive statistics, including a low dropout rate and only 3.8% of adults lacking a diploma.

9. Frederick

Population: 9,636
Adults Without High School Diploma: 3.8%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 0.0%

Frederick, with a population of over 9,000, achieves the ninth position with a very low dropout rate and a strong focus on education.

10. Parker

Population: 47,515
Adults Without High School Diploma: 2.4%
Teenage High School Dropouts: 2.5%

Parker rounds out the top ten, with only 2.5% of high school students not graduating and 2.4% of adults lacking a high school diploma.

Conclusion: Celebrating Colorado’s Smartest Cities

These ten cities represent the intellectual backbone of Colorado, showcasing their commitment to education and community growth. If you’re looking for an environment that prioritizes learning and development, consider visiting or relocating to one of these cities. For further insights into cities and states across the U.S., visit www.zippia.com.

Detailed List of Smartest Cities in Colorado

City Rank Population Adults Without High School Diploma Teenage High School Drop Outs
Estes Park 1 6,022 0.8% 0.0%
Castle Pines 2 10,626 1.5% 0.0%
Louisville 3 19,171 1.5% 0.0%
Cherry Hills Village 4 6,234 0.7% 1.5%
Erie 5 19,305 2.5% 0.0%
Greenwood Village 6 14,546 2.4% 1.3%
Superior 7 12,716 1.6% 1.6%
Monument 8 6,226 3.8% 0.0%
Frederick 9 9,636 3.8% 0.0%
Parker 10 47,515 2.4% 2.5%
Fort Collins 11 149,627 4.2% 1.3%
Wellington 12 6,634 5.0% 0.0%
Steamboat Springs 13 12,044 4.0% 1.5%
Boulder 14 102,002 4.4% 1.3%
Woodland Park 15 7,187 4.0% 2.1%
John 16 11,639 5.7% 0.0%
Centennial 17 104,213 2.6% 3.3%
Eagle 18 6,511 6.4% 0.0%
Golden 19 19,759 5.5% 1.7%
Windsor 20 19,865 3.2% 4.4%
Craig 21 9,092 9.9% 0.2%
Berthoud 22 5,323 3.3% 4.9%
Loveland 23 70,093 6.4% 2.8%
Durango 24 17,268 4.8% 3.7%
Broomfield 25 59,027 5.2% 3.4%
Arvada 26 109,800 5.7% 3.0%
Littleton 27 43,710 5.6% 3.6%
Vail 28 5,280 0.9% 13.8%
Lone Tree 29 12,328 2.0% 10.2%
Fountain 30 26,881 5.4% 4.3%
Glenwood Springs 31 9,668 14.2% 0.0%
Aspen 32 6,700 3.8% 8.0%
Castle Rock 33 51,802 5.1% 5.9%
Gypsum 34 6,587 15.3% 0.0%
Grand Junction 35 59,731 8.6% 3.8%
Lafayette 36 25,812 5.3% 7.0%
Colorado Springs 37 433,547 7.2% 4.8%
Montrose 38 19,018 13.6% 2.7%
Firestone 39 10,908 3.8% 11.4%
Lakewood 40 145,880 9.1% 4.5%
Alamosa 41 9,427 17.0% 0.3%
Westminster 42 109,296 9.8% 4.3%
Trinidad 43 8,657 14.1% 2.6%
Longmont 44 88,547 12.5% 3.2%
Englewood 45 31,298 11.4% 3.6%
Carbondale 46 6,464 18.8% 0.0%
Fruita 47 12,702 11.8% 3.6%
La Junta 48 7,040 19.2% 0.0%
Brush 49 5,493 18.7% 1.5%
Manitou Springs 50 5,175 4.7% 21.0%
Lochbuie 51 5,127 23.8% 0.0%
Greeley 52 95,677 16.1% 3.0%
Thornton 53 124,707 12.7% 6.5%
Gunnison 58 5,927 11.3% 8.2%
Delta 59 8,801 16.3% 4.1%
Northglenn 60 37,075 13.7% 7.0%
Evans 61 19,535 23.1% 3.3%
Salida 62 5,329 10.4% 15.9%
Aurora 63 339,480 13.5% 8.6%
Wheat Ridge 64 30,655 11.8% 11.2%
Denver 65 633,777 14.4% 7.8%
Avon 66 6,384 13.7% 9.5%
Cortez 67 8,515 11.3% 22.9%
Rifle 68 9,397 18.7% 6.2%
Milliken 69 5,837 18.3% 7.0%
Pueblo 70 107,706 14.5% 10.3%
Brighton 71 35,004 16.5% 8.2%
Lamar 72 7,810 18.7% 7.5%
Sterling 73 14,709 16.2% 10.9%
Federal Heights 74 11,835 30.0% 5.0%
Fort Morgan 75 11,397 25.5% 7.1%
Commerce City 76 48,792 21.8% 10.5%
Sheridan 77 5,819 21.5% 31.3%
Edgewater 78 5,217 19.4% 55.2%
Fort Lupton 79 7,595 27.0% 15.6%
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Author

John McLean

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