2024 rank: 21
Don’t sleep on Hampden South. This southern neighborhood saw an 8.5 percent jump in home prices over the past year, and those rising real estate prices are responsible for its appearance on the top 25 for the second year running (it placed 66th back in 2023.) Other contributing factors: high marks for Southmoor Elementary School and fairly low crime.
Like Hampden—its northern neighbor, which fell to 52nd this year—Hampden South lures individuals who work in the nearby Denver Tech Center with sub-$580,000 home prices and foothills views. But the range of housing, from 1980s-era two-story homes to high-rise condo buildings and townhouses, as well as the nearby Belleview Station light-rail stop mean you’ll have neighbors of all ages. Of course, it’s not all about work: The neighborhood has some appetizing eateries and plenty of green spaces.
Neighborhood Rankings
How we got these numbers: We utilized the city’s official list of 78 neighborhoods (only 73 had enough data to be included), and ranked them using four variables: home prices, crime data, school rankings, and an X factor score that accounts for things like access to open space, proximity to public transportation, and restaurant and shopping options. For more on our methodology, return to the main page.
Your Itinerary
Eat & Drink
It’s a Denver rite of passage: patiently waiting for a seat so you can gobble up Snooze’s pancakes. (Trust us, it’s worth it.) Midday, enjoy a shawarma bowl at Felfel Mediterranean or a meatball hero from Zane’s Italian Bistro. In the evenings, Shanahan’s Steakhouse—owned by former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan—serves all the classics you’d expect, and Darcy’s Bistro & Pub dishes out impressive Irish fare.
Get Outside
It may seem as though there’s a park around every corner in Hampden South. That’s not quite accurate, but there are four open spaces within the neighborhood’s boundaries: George M. Wallace (bike or run the Goldsmith Gulch trail that encircles it), Rosamond, Eastmoor, and Southmoor parks. The Eastmoor Swim & Tennis Club offers two outdoor pools and six tennis courts—but only to members, and the waitlist is a few years long. Anyone can grab their clubs to enjoy 27-hole Kennedy Golf Course, which also features a kid-friendly putt-putt option.
Spots to Eat
About This Neighborhood
- Berkeley
- Hilltop
- Country Club
- Wellshire
- Southmoor Park
- Congress Park
- University Park
- South Park Hill
- Belcaro
- West Highland
- North Park Hill
- Regis
- Cheesman Park
- Washington Park
- Capitol Hill
- Washington Park West
- Central Park
- University
- Rosedale
- Speer
- Sloan’s Lake
- Hampden South
- Platt Park
- Cory-Merrill
- Highland