Lakewood is a vibrant city in Jefferson County, Colorado. Surrounded by the picturesque Green Mountains, Lakewood is a home rule municipality that is the most populous in Jefferson County. Incorporated in 1969, the city of Lakewood is one of the principal cities of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and a major city of the Front Range Urban Corridor. 

What is the community of Lakewood like?  

Home to around 158,000 residents, Lakewood is a bustling community that is blessed with an abundance of gorgeous Colorado scenery. The city is the fifth-most populous city in Colorado and the 172nd-most populous city in the United States.  
Ranked by Niche as the 8th best place to live in Jefferson County, Lakewood offers plenty of opportunities to residents and visitors alike to enjoy its picturesque surroundings and other exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities. The city plays home to over 99 different parks to choose from, as well as greenbelts and nature trails, many of which are overlooked by the stunning Green Mountains in the background. 
Home to around three different lakes in Lakewood’s foothills, the Bear Creek Lake Park is the place to be if you are looking for spending an active day and enjoying various kinds of activities. The Park is known for its 15 miles of trails, which take you all over the local area and offer you some breathtaking views as well as ample exercise. Should you feel like doing something different, you can head to the park’s archery range where you can practice shooting a target, or you can also take advantage of the equestrian trails and imbibe the picturesque landscape from the vantage point of a horse. 
If history interests you or if you are curious about the history of Lakewood, you can head to the Lakewood Heritage Center, which informs visitors about how Lakewood evolved over the years. Nestled in the center of the gorgeous Belmar Park, the Lakewood Heritage Center has more than 30,000 items in its collection and offers more than 10 buildings of historical importance to see. There is also an amphitheater and a festival area that hosts seasonal events, and a museum shop that makes the perfect place to pick up a souvenir called the 20th Century Emporium. 
If you love night-outs, the vibrant Belmar Downtown District of Lakewood is the place to come for. Founded in 2004, this newly developed area has now more than 80 businesses including restaurants, cafes, shops, live music venues, and whatnot. Ask locals and they will tell you that the downtown is the place to see the true colors of the city of Lakewood. 

What is Real Estate like in Lakewood?     

Real estate in Lakewood has shown an average growth of 3.73% per year since the year 2000. since 2000, the prices of homes in Lakewood have overall appreciated by a strong 115.98%. National real estate firm RE/MAX categorizes Lakewood’s housing market as ‘most competitive.' The sale prices of homes in Lakewood have experienced strong growth of more than 18.2% since May last year.   
The median home price in Lakewood is $475,000. Currently, there are 468 active homes for sale in Lakewood, and normally it takes just 34 days for a listed home to sell. Moreover, the average cost to rent a house in Lakewood is $1,877 per month. At present, there are 66,274 homes and apartments in the city, 57.4% of which are owned, and the remaining 42.6% are rented.     

How is the economic landscape of Lakewood?    

Over the last year, Lakewood’s job market has grown by 2.8%, while its unemployment rate stands at 7.2%. The US average is 6%. Also, the city’s job market is expected to grow by a staggering 44.1% over the next ten years.  
On average, a Lakewood resident earns around $31,600 per annum, modestly higher than the US average of $28500. The city’s median household income of almost $56,100 per resident is also decently than the US average of approximately $53000. Most of the residents of Lakewood work in construction, manufacturing, retail, finance, educational services, accommodation, public administration, professional and technical services, and healthcare.   

How are the schools in Lakewood?     

Lakewood is covered by Jefferson County School District, which encompasses 164 schools and 86,011 enrolled students. Lakewood also lies in proximity to many colleges including, among others, Red Rocks Community College, Colorado School of Healing Arts, and Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design.  
When it comes to higher education, Lakewood lies in the vicinity of many universities prominent among them being the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder). The CU Boulder is the flagship university of the University of Colorado system and was founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state. The university comprises nine colleges and schools, offers over 150 academic programs, and enrolled almost 35,528 students in 2018. 
In addition, five Nobel Laureates, nine MacArthur Fellows, and 20 astronauts have been affiliated with CU Boulder as students, researchers, or faculty members in its history. CU Boulder has been called a Public Ivy, a group of publicly funded universities considered as providing a quality of education comparable to those of the Ivy League. 

Lakewood in a nutshell        

To sum up, Lakewood is a major city in the state of Colorado offering the highest quality of life and top-notch outdoor recreational opportunities. From almost a hundred parks and a myriad of prolific museums to a charming downtown area and easy access to the best educational facilities, Lakewood has everything to be an excellent place to live or raise a family. If you are mulling over moving to Colorado, Lakewood is the place to be.