Denver’s school landscape is complex — DPS (Denver Public Schools) serves the city proper with significant school-by-school variation, while the suburban districts provide more consistent quality. The choice and magnet programs within DPS add options for families willing to navigate the system. Here are the best neighborhoods.
Cherry Creek Area (Cherry Creek School District)
Cherry Creek Schools are consistently ranked among Colorado’s best — the combination of community wealth, district investment, and programmatic depth creates one of the state’s premier educational environments. Cherry Creek High School is one of Colorado’s largest and highest-performing.
Homes in the Cherry Creek school zone range from $500,000 to over $2 million. Greenwood Village and the Cherry Creek neighborhoods provide the family infrastructure.
Douglas County (Douglas County School District)
Douglas County Schools serve Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Parker, and the surrounding communities — the district consistently ranks among Colorado’s top performers. The suburban communities provide newer facilities and comprehensive programming.
Homes range from $450,000 to $900,000+. The community recreation facilities, open space, and family infrastructure add lifestyle depth.
Littleton (Littleton Public Schools)
Littleton Public Schools — a smaller district — provides focused educational quality with strong community engagement. The walkable downtown, Platte River access, and community-scale schools create a village-scale family environment.
Homes range from $500,000 to $900,000+. Littleton’s charm and school quality create consistent family demand.
Highlands Ranch (Douglas County Schools)
Highlands Ranch provides the master-planned-community family experience with Douglas County Schools access. The community’s extensive recreation facilities, pools, and trails create a comprehensive family environment. Homes range from $450,000 to $800,000+.
DPS Choice Schools (Denver Proper)
Within Denver Public Schools, the choice and magnet system provides high-quality options. The Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) network, Slavens K-8, and other high-performing DPS schools are accessible through the choice process. Families in desirable DPS neighborhoods (Stapleton/Central Park, Wash Park, Hilltop) access strong options. Homes range by neighborhood from $400,000 to over $1.5 million.
For more, explore our best neighborhoods guide and school guide.