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201309_BPL_PARKER
Parker, CO
Town of Parker

Top 50 rank: 12

Population: 47,790

Parker, established in 1981, may be young, but it already has more to offer than many older towns. Local favorites include the performing-arts center, which has a 500-seat theater and an outdoor amphitheater, and the H2O'Brien Pool water park.

The housing crash hit Parker hard, but the town's proximity to Denver (30 minutes) has helped the market rally; new construction is up, and entry-level homes priced at under $300,000 are selling quickly. --K.F.

Parker, CO

Town stats

Parker, CO

Town stats

Median family income (per year) $104,625
Job growth % (2010-2012) 7.45%
Median home price (2012) $285,500
Reading test scores (% above/below average) 22.2%
Math test scores (% above/below average) 30.7%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 11

Financials

Median family income (per year) $104,625
Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted) $100,062
Sales tax 8.00%
State income tax rate (highest bracket) 4.63%I
State income tax rate (lowest bracket) 4.63%I
Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state) $1,543
Job growth % (2010-2012) 7.45%

Financials

Housing

Median home price (2012) $285,500
Average property taxes(2011) $2,343

Housing

Education

Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles) 34
Reading test scores (% above/below state average) 22.2%
Test scores math (% above/below average) 30.7%
% students attending public/private schools (located within town limits) 88.9/11.1

Education

Quality of life

Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good) 69.6%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 1
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 11
Median commute time (in minutes) 23.7
% population with commute 45 mins. or longer 14.3%
% population walk or bike to work 2.4%

Quality of life

Leisure and culture

Movie theaters (within 15 miles) 30
Restaurants (within 15 miles) 1,734
Bars (within 15 miles) 143
Public golf courses (within 30 miles) 130
Libraries (within 15 miles) 30
Museums (accredited by AAM; within 30 miles) 6
Ski resorts (within 100 miles) N.A.
Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) 0.3

Leisure and culture

Weather

Annual rainfall (inches) 15.81
% clear days in the area 67%
High temp in July ° F 85.4°
Low temp in Jan ° F 17.8°

Weather

Meet the neighbors

Median age 33.2
Completed at least some college (% of residents) 82.5%
Married % 65.0%
Divorced % 8.3%
Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity) 40.4

Meet the neighbors