Lakewood Guide

Overview

With a population of just over 158,000 people and a median age of 38.8 years old, Lakewood is the fifth largest city in Colorado. Located between the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and 7 miles from downtown Denver, the 100+ parks and miles of trails located within city limits, easy access to public transportation and a multitude of job opportunities makes this Denver suburb a hugely desirable place to visit and settle down.

The climate is relatively mild with over 200 days of sunshine per year and average temperatures in the winter hovering around 40 degrees with a few days in summer reaching 90+ degrees.

The average household income as of 2020 is approximately $83,800 with a 96.4% employment rate. The average monthly rental price is $1,450 and the median home value is $419,000.

Green Mountain has been providing high quality landscaping in Lakewood for over 30 years.

History

Development began in 1889 with an area encompassing 13 blocks along Colfax Avenue west of Denver. For many decades, Lakewood did not have a traditional downtown area and only started expanding by the 1950’s to include grocery stores, gas stations, motels, restaurants, banks and movie theatres.

Prior to 1969, it did not have its own municipal government and was instead governed by Jefferson County, which also provided services from several water and fire districts. By the time Lakewood became incorporated, the population had already reached 90,000 and had been named Jefferson City.

he name was changed soon thereafter to Lakewood to avoid any confusion with communities in Colorado and Missouri with similar sounding names.

Education

Schools in Lakewood belong to the Jefferson County (JEFFCO) School District. Here is a list of nearby schools:

Elementary Schools

Devinny Elementary
Emory Elementary
Molholm Elementary
Lasley Elementary
Stober Elementary
Bear Creek K-8
Foothills Elementary
Belmar School of Integrated Arts
Rooney Ranch Elementary
Dennison Elementary
Glennon Heights Elementary
Patterson International School
Eiber Elementary
South Lakewood Elementary
Green Gables Elementary
Deane Elementary
Slater Elementary
Rose Stein Elementary
Westgate Elementary
Hutchinson Elementary
Kendrick Lakes Elementary
Vivian Elementary

Middle Schools

High Schools

Housing in Lakewood

Single Family Homes

There is a mixture of an urban and suburban feel here where a majority of the city’s residents own their homes. Home prices range from $300,000 on upward.

Apartments

There are many apartment complexes that offer desirable amenities such as swimming pools, fitness centers and clubhouses. Here is a list of some with location and contact information:

Downtown Belmar Apartments

445 S. Saulsbury Street
(720) 399-0403

Waterfront Apartments

10555 W. Jewell Avenue
(303) 988-0866

Windsor at Pinehurst

3950 S. Wadsworth Boulevard
(833) 863-0633

Oak Street Station

1420 Oak Street
(720) 513-6531

Glen at Lakewood

453 Van Gordon Street
(303) 988-1330

Windsor Townhomes & Apartments

8153 W. Eastman Place
(844) 563-9953

Arts & Culture

Lakewood Cultural Center

Considered to be the artistic hub of Lakewood, the Cultural Center provides a wide array of events and activities throughout the year such as art classes, camps and performances. There is a 320-seat theater, art galleries, meeting & event spaces and dance studios available for visitors. Located at 470 S. Allison Parkway.

Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park

Consists of 15 historic buildings which house more than 40,000 artifacts from the 20th century. An outdoor amphitheater is a popular space for hosting local community events. Located at 801 S. Yarrow Street.

Washington Heights Arts Center

Offers a menagerie of arts and cultural opportunities for adults and children in a renovated schoolhouse built in the early 1900’s. The Arts Center is located at 6375 W. 1st Avenue.

This park was opened in 2012 and is the 3rd largest skate park in the country with over 40,000 square feet of pure skating bliss. It is also the host of several large-scale skating events throughout the year and is located at 12920 West 72nd Avenue.

Nearby Attractions

In addition to the cultural attractions both in Lakewood and the surrounding area, there is a multitude of options within the city limits, or just outside, to keep any visitor busy for weeks. Some examples are listed below:

Bear Creek Lake Park
Colorado Mills Shopping Mall
Dinosaur Ridge
Colorado Railroad Museum
Sloan Lake
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

Golf Clubs

With so many area golf courses available to visitors and locals alike, here are just a few located within Lakewood city limits:

Dining

Lakewood offers a wide variety of dining choices ranging from seafood & steak to wood fired pizza, ethnic foods such as Italian, Nepalese and Chinese to Mexican cantinas and much more.

Visiting Lakewood

There are a multitude of hotels and other lodging options which allow visitors close proximity to the area attractions, as well as downtown Denver, hiking & biking in the Foothills, local ski areas, Rocky Mountain National Park and Pikes Peak. Below is a list of a few lodging options:

Holiday Inn

7390 W. Hampden Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80227
(303) 980-9200

Courtyard by Marriott

7180 W. Hampden Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80227
(303) 985-9696

Hyatt House Denver/Lakewood at Belmar

7310 W. Alaska Drive
Lakewood, CO 80226
(303) 922-2511

Fairfield Inn & Suites

140 S. Union Boulevard
Lakewood, CO 80228
(303) 233-3133

Comfort Suites

7260 W. Jefferson Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80235
(303) 988-8600