Lakewood, CO
What Lakewood is actually like
Lakewood began as a farming community from 1859, on land earlier used by the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho; after 1864 flooding damaged Denver-area orchards, farmers moved west to higher ground here. The "Lakewood" name was given to the area's first subdivision in 1889 by railroad developers who envisioned a streetcar suburb (electrified streetcar service followed by 1909). Early tuberculosis sanitoria drew health-seekers in the early 1900s; the WWII-era Denver Ordnance Plant (1941-45) spurred major population growth. The community incorporated in 1969 -- voters rejected the placeholder name "Jefferson City" in favor of Lakewood.
Today it's Colorado's fifth-largest city (155,984 residents, 2020 Census), with nearly a quarter of its land in parks or open space. Housing spans post-WWII/mid-century ranch homes, 1960s-80s multifamily along major corridors, and newer redevelopment such as Belmar (built 2004 on the razed Villa Italia mall site) plus foothill-adjacent newer construction to the west. Casa Bonita, the Mexican restaurant/entertainment complex made famous by South Park, opened here in 1973.
Home values in Lakewood
Redfin's median sale price for Lakewood was $559,720 for the three-month period ending July 2026, down 4.6% year-over-year (Zillow's home value index for Lakewood could not be independently re-confirmed in this research pass, so a Redfin figure -- a different, sale-price-based metric -- was used instead).
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Lakewood is one of the better-connected suburbs for transit -- the W Line runs its full length with six stations in city limits, putting Union Station about 13 minutes away by train or car. Belmar and the areas around each W Line station are walkable; foothill-adjacent western neighborhoods are more car-dependent.
Lakewood FAQ
Is Lakewood on the light rail?
Yes -- the RTD W Line runs through Lakewood with six stations in city limits, connecting directly to Union Station in about 13 minutes.
Does Lakewood have wildfire risk?
The city has been actively mapping wildland-urban-interface zones and, as of 2026, was finalizing a wildfire resiliency building code covering under 500 currently identified properties, concentrated in foothill-adjacent neighborhoods.
What's Lakewood known for?
Casa Bonita, the Belmar mixed-use district, and being Colorado's fifth-largest city by population.
What era is most of the housing?
A mix of post-WWII/mid-century homes, 1960s-80s multifamily, and 2000s-era redevelopment (Belmar) plus newer construction near the foothills.
Nearby alternatives*
Golden
About 15-20 minutes west along the same W Line to its terminus -- a meaningfully higher typical value (around $866,000 versus Lakewood's $560,000) and a small, historic foothills-town character built around Colorado School of Mines.
Arvada
A comparable Jefferson County suburb to the north, on the separate G Line rather than the W Line -- a somewhat higher typical value (around $605,000) and a historic Olde Town core.
Littleton
About 20-25 minutes southeast on a different light rail line (the D Line) -- a somewhat higher typical value (around $626,000) and a historic Main Street downtown along the South Platte.
*We're not ranking these — every neighborhood has real trade-offs, and which ones matter is up to you.