South Denver suburbs-why are they wealthier than others? (Aurora, Lakewood: houses, income)

[AllenSJC]

Not a Denver resident, just someone interested in demographics here.

I've noticed when studying Denver that the suburbs south of Denver are considerably wealthier than many of the suburbs north, east, and west.

Places in Douglas County, parts of Jefferson County, etc.

Is there a historical reason for this?

[EscapeCalifornia]

Because that's where wealthier people from California settled.

[davidv]

The southern area was wealthy long before the Californians moved in.

Denver was originally settled at the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek. The early city grew north along the South Platte. In the early 1900s, a group of wealthy investors bought a wheat farm south of Denver along Cherry Creek, and turned the area into the Denver Country Club. As the city grew around them, many of the wealthy bought land and built "country cottages" even further south in an area that eventually became Cherry Hills Village. These settlements gave southern part of the metro area an air of exclusivity.

Meanwhile, the northern parts of the city became more industrialized with slaughterhouses and other undesirable types of business.

Like many things, it is the early history that developed the patterns (South = Exclusive, North = working class). We are just extending the patterns of those who came before us.

[GoneNative]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Because that's where wealthier people from California settled.

As Denver goes more upscale, a lot of the low-income and minority residents are moving into older, inner-ring suburbs like Lakewood, Aurora, etc. And the wealthier residents of those suburbs are moving into Douglas and Weld counties. So the growth of wealthier residents in Douglas County is not just Californians, but also Coloradans moving into the exurbs.

[Scott5280]

Originally Posted by davidv

The southern area was wealthy long before the Californians moved in.

Denver was originally settled at the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek. The early city grew north along the South Platte. In the early 1900s, a group of wealthy investors bought a wheat farm south of Denver along Cherry Creek, and turned the area into the Denver Country Club. As the city grew around them, many of the wealthy bought land and built "country cottages" even further south in an area that eventually became Cherry Hills Village. These settlements gave southern part of the metro area an air of exclusivity.

Meanwhile, the northern parts of the city became more industrialized with slaughterhouses and other undesirable types of business.

Like many things, it is the early history that developed the patterns (South = Exclusive, North = working class). We are just extending the patterns of those who came before us.

Spot on post..Denver's geographical wealth pattern was established by wealthy locals.. The Polo Fields, Denver Country Club, Cherry Hills ect. are generally people from older Colorado money. Many Californian's are just following an existing firmly entrenched pattern.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by GoneNative

As Denver goes more upscale, a lot of the low-income and minority residents are moving into older, inner-ring suburbs like Lakewood, Aurora, etc. And the wealthier residents of those suburbs are moving into Douglas and Weld counties. So the growth of wealthier residents in Douglas County is not just Californians, but also Coloradans moving into the exurbs.

For the 30 years that I have lived here, Aurora has always had a low-income section, ditto Lakewood. I live near Erie now and I don't see Weld County as a home for the wealthy, though there are some upper middle class types there.

[Willy702]

The high-paying job growth is heavily tilted to DTC and the southern suburbs so this shouldn't be a surprise.

[tfox]

I'm not sure I agree with the OP.

Not all of the south metro suburbs are wealthy; west of the south platte river there are some more working class parts of the south metro, and east of the Cherry Creek, in Aurora/Centennial definitely has its working class as well. I'll grant you that the area between the South Platte and the Cherry Creek is mostly wealthy, the city of Englewood and parts of Littleton being the main exceptions to that.

In the north, the NW metro is similarly wealthy to the south metro, and Boulder is generally wealthier than the South Metro if you subtract the student population from the equation. If you take the section of the metro area west of Wadsworth and north of I-70 (northern Jeffco, Broomfield, and Boulder Counties), it's similarly wealthy to the south metro.

[JohnHAdams]

Originally Posted by tfox

I'm not sure I agree with the OP.

Not all of the south metro suburbs are wealthy; west of the south platte river there are some more working class parts of the south metro, and east of the Cherry Creek, in Aurora/Centennial definitely has its working class as well. I'll grant you that the area between the South Platte and the Cherry Creek is mostly wealthy, the city of Englewood and parts of Littleton being the main exceptions to that.

In the north, the NW metro is similarly wealthy to the south metro, and Boulder is generally wealthier than the South Metro if you subtract the student population from the equation. If you take the section of the metro area west of Wadsworth and north of I-70 (northern Jeffco, Broomfield, and Boulder Counties), it's similarly wealthy to the south metro.

Cherry Hills is in Englewood. North of I-70 is nothing special for the most part...until one gets to certain areas of Boulder.

Do you live here? Sounds like you are reading some literature.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by JohnHAdams

Cherry Hills is in Englewood.

CHV is its own incorporated city.