Boulder Community Honors and Awards

Boulder has been consistently recognized over the years as one of the best places in the nation to live, work, play, visit and start a business.

2020 Community Honors

• Best Place to Live (No. 1) - US News & World Report
• Safest Place to Live (No. 7) - US News & World Report
• Most Fitness-Friendly Places: SmartAsset, December 2020
• Outstanding Achievement in Local Government Innovation - Alliance for Innovation, July 2020
• What Works Cities Silver Certification 2020 - What Works Cities, June 2020
• America's 10 Best Small Cities for 2020 - Travel Pulse, June 2020
• Gold-level Walk Friendly Community - Walk Friendly Communities, May 2020
• America's Best Bike Networks - People for Bikes, May 2020

2019 Community Honors

• Most Fitness-Friendly Places - SmartAsset, December 2019
• Best Small City in the World (No. 2) - Monocle, November 2019
• USA Organization of the Year - International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) USA, September 2019
• College Football’s Greatest College Towns - Sports Illustrated, August 2019
• Best Arts Communities for Mid-Size Cities - August 2019
• America’s Best Bike Cities - People For Bikes, May 2019

2018 Community Honors

• Top 20 Tech Towns - CompTIA, October 2018
• America's Best Bike Cities - People For Bikes, May 2018
• Happiest Cities in U.S. for Software Engineers (No. 1) - Codementor, March 2018
• Most Underrated Cities in America (No. 1) - Jetsetter, March 2018
• Greenest City Awards, Colorado (No. 1) - Insurify, March 2018
• America's Most Artistic Towns - Expedia, February 2018
• 20 Best Small Cities in the U.S. - National Geographic Traveler, January 2018

2017 Community Honors

• Happiest Cities in America (No. 1) - National Geographic, October 2017
• Best City to Rase a Family in Colorado (No. 10) - Wallethub, September 2017
• Least-Stressed Cities in America (No. 4) - SmartAsset, September 2017
• Best Cities for Women (No. 4) - The Wall Street Journal, September 2017
• Best College Town (No. 1) - American Institute for Economic Research, July 2017
• Fittest U.S. Cities (No. 4) - FitBit, May 2017
• Top Green Cities for Families (No. 9) - SmartAssest, April 2017
• Community Well-being Rankings (No. 10) - Gallup-Healthways State of American Well-Being, March 2017
• Best Cities to Start a Business (No. 21) - HeroPay, February 2017
• Best Cities for Small Business Owners (No. 1) - ValuePenguin, January 2017
• Most Recession-recovered Small Cities (No. 12) - Wallethub, January 2017
• Most Underrated Food Cities in America (No. 9) - Buzzfeed, June 2017

2016 Community Honors

• Best College Town (No. 1) - American Institute for Economic Research, December 2016
• Brain-Concentrated Metro Areas (No. 1) - Bloomberg, December 2016
• America's Craft Beer Capitals (No. 2) - Forbes, November 2016
• The Best College Towns to Live In (No. 2) - SmartAssest, September 2016
• The Healthiest Cities in America (No. 1) - Niche, August 2016
• The Best Cities for Entrepreneurs (No. 1) - Livability, July 2016
• The Best Cities for New College Grads (No. 7) - Zumper, May 2016
• The Most Walkable Cities in Colorado (No. 2) - Walkscore, May 2016
• The Best Places to Live in Colorado - Livability, May 2016
• The Best Green Cities for Families (No. 6) - SmartAssest, April 2016
• The Best Places for STEM College Graduates (No. 3) - NerdWallet, April 2016
• Most Educated Metro Areas in the Nation (No. 2) - ValuePenguin, March 2016
• The Best Communities for Physical Well-Being (No. 1) - Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, February 2016
• The 10 Most Active Cities in U.S. (No. 1) - trulia, February 2016
• The 10 Fastest Growing Startup Business Cities in U.S. (No. 5) - Mattermark, January 2016

2015 Community Honors

• The Seven Best Cities to Launch a Startup in 2016 (No. 4) - Small Business Trends, November 2015
• The Best Cities for Outdoor Recreation Enthusiasts (No. 1) - Storage, November 2015
• The Top 10 Metro Areas for Female Entrepreneurship (No. 1) - Fast Company, October 2015
• The Best College Towns to Live In (No. 3) - SmartAsset, October 2015
• Great Places in America: Public Spaces (Pearl Street Mall) - American Planning Association (APA), October 2015
• 10 Best Cities for Millennial Entrepreneurs (No. 3) - Thumbtack, September 2015
• The 100 Best Places to Live (No. 5) - Livability, September 2015
• Top 10 Places to Do Business (No. 3) - Business Review USA, August 2015
• Top 10 Cities in the U.S. for Small Business Friendliness (No. 9) - Thumbtack, August 2015
• Healthiest City in Colorado - USA Today, August 2015
• Best Farmers Market in the U.S. - USA Today 10 Best, August 2015
• The Best Places in the U.S. for Physicians and Surgeons (No. 14) - GoodCall, June 2015
• The Best Housing Markets for Growth and Stability (No. 1) - SmartAsset, July 2015
• The Country's Best July 4 Celebrations (No. 4) - Travel + Leisure, June 2015
• The Best Places for EMTs and Paramedics (No. 29) - GoodCall, June 2015
• The Most Fitness-Friendly Cities in America (No. 1) - Huffpost Healthy Living, July 2015
• The 10 Best Cities For Starting A Business In 2015 (No. 1) - Forbes, April 2015
• Top 50 College Towns in America (No. 1) - City Described, March 2015

2014 Community Honors

• 2014′s Best & Worst College Cities & Towns in America (No. 1 Medium-size City) - Wallethub, December 2014
• The 10 Best Places to Open a Small Business (No. 10) - Talent Tribune, December 2014
• Best Places to Live in America 2014 (No. 23) - Money, September 2014
• These Are America's Best Cities For Cycling (No. 6) - Fast Company Co.Exist, September 2014
• The 50 Best College Towns In America (No. 1) - Best College Reviews, August 2014
• Watch These 10 U.S. Cities for Big Growth (No. 9) - Urbanful, July 2014
• 10Best: Bike-friendly Cities (No. 2) - USA Today, July 2014
• America’s Best Towns for July 4th (No. 5) - Travel + Leisure, June 2014
• Top 10 Foodie Cities 2014 (No. 7) - Livability, June 2014
• The Best College Towns in America – GQ, June 2014
• Street Smarts: 5 College Towns That Offer Way More Than Education - FlipKey, May 2014
• These Are The 10 Most Exciting Places In Colorado (No. 1) - Movoto, May 13, 2014
• What are Colorado's Best Cities for Jobs? (No. 1 Medium-sized City) - Denver Business Journal, May 2014
• The Best Small And Midsize Cities For Jobs 2014 (No. 1 Midsize City) - Forbes, May 2014
• The 10 Greenest Mid-Size Cities (No. 9) - MyLife, May 2014
• Tree City USA (30th Consecutive Year) - National Arbor Day Foundation, April 2014
• Most Compact, Connected Small Metro Areas (No. 16) - Smart Growth America, March 2014
• America's Fittest Cities - The Active Times, March 26, 2014
• Top 10 Mid-size Communities for Well-being (No. 2) - Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, March 2014
• Six Small Cities with Big Food Scenes - USA Today, March 2014
• The Dozen Regional Powerhouses Driving the U.S. Economy (Denver-Boulder Mega-region) - The Atlantic Cities, March 2014
• 9 Fittest Towns of the West - Yahoo! Shine , February 2014.
• The Best-Paying Cities For Women 2014 (No. 9) - Forbes , February 2014
• Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in 2014 (No. 3) - Movie Maker, January 2014
• Five Secret Foodie Cities - Forbes Travel Guide Blog, January 2014

2013 Community Honors

• Volunteering and Civic Life in America 2013 (No. 3 volunteer rate for mid-size cities) - Corporation for National and Community Service, December 2013
• Best-Performing Cities 2013 (No. 9 Overall) - Milken Institute, December 2013
• Why Do Entrepreneurs Love Boulder? Inc., December 2013/January 2014.
• 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge (North America) - Rockefeller Foundation, December 2013
• The Top 75 College Cities and Towns in America (No. 1 among "The Top 20 Small Metros") - American Institute for Economic Research (AIER), November 2013
• Digital Cities Survey, 8th Place (75,000 - 124,999 population category) - November 2013
• America's Best College Towns (No. 6) - Travel+Leisure, November 2013
• Top 100 Best Places to Live (No. 2) - Livability.com, October 2013
• America's Most Productive Metros (No. 17) - The Atlantic Cities, October 2013
• Pinnacle Award and Member's Choice Award for bouldercolorado.gov - National Association of Government Web Professionals, September 2013
• Boulder Named No. 1 City in Country for Technology Startups - FOX31 Denver KDVR-TV, September 2013
• Best Urban Green Spaces in North America - USA Today, August 2013
• The 25 Best U.S. Cities for Tech Startups (No. 1) - Entrepreneur, August 2013
• Most Popular City for Tech Startups - The Wall Street Journal, August 2013
• The Most Start-up 'Dense' Area in the U.S. - Inc., August 2013
• 2013 eCity Award: Colorado's Digital Capital - Google, August 2013
• The Best Places for Business and Careers (No. 26 overall and No. 1 in education) - Forbes, August 2013
• Top 10 College Towns 2013 (No. 1) - Livability, August 2013
• Top Urban Bike Paths Across the USA (Boulder Creek Path: No. 2) - USA Today, July 2013
• The Top 3 Cities for Startups: Austin, Seattle and Boulder - GeekWire, July 2013
• Best Places for Work-Life Balance - NerdWallet, July 2013
• Smartest Cities in America (No. 16) - Lumosity, June 2013
• Top 25 Brainiest Metros (Core-based Statistical Areas) (No. 16) - The Atlantic Cities, June 2013
• Top Vegan-Friendly Cities of 2013 (No. 9) - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), June 2013
• Most Patent-intensive Metro Areas (No. 6) - The Daily Beast, June 2013
• 10 Best U.S. Cities for Young Adults (No. 3) - MSN Money, May 2013
• 10 Fittest and 10 Fattest Cities in America (No. 1 Fittest) - MSN Healthy Living, May 2013
• Free Things to Do in 10 Great Cities (No. 7) - USA Today, May 2013
• The Best Midsize Cities For Jobs 2013 (No. 1) - Forbes, May 2013
• The Best Cities For Jobs 2013 (No. 7) - Forbes, May 2013
• The 2013 Best Cities for Job Growth (No. 1 Medium-sized City and No. 7 Overall) - New Geography, May 2013
• 2012 Least-obese Metro Areas (No. 1) - Gallup, April 2013
• Dynamic Locales For Walkable Living - Where to Retire, April 2013
• Tree City USA (for the 29th consecutive year) - National Arbor Day Foundation, April 2013
• Top 10 Mid-size Communities for Well-being (No. 2) - Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, March 2013
• Top 10 Metros for Female Executives (No. 1) - Avalanche Consulting, February 2013
• The 20 Most Innovative Cities in the U.S. (No. 5) - Business Insider, February 2013
• Patenting Prosperity: Invention and Economic Performance in the United States and its Metropolitan Areas - Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, February 2013
  • Metropolitan Areas with the Highest Percentage of Workers with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math): 2011 (No. 1).
  • Metropolitan Areas with the Highest Percentage of Workers in Technology: 2011 (No. 2)
  • Annual Productivity Growth in the 20 Metropolitan Areas with the Largest Increase in Patents per Worker: 1980–2010 (2.3 Percent, Tied for No. 4)
  • Metropolitan Areas with the Most U.S. Patent Applications Per Capita: 2007-2011 (No. 5)
  • Metropolitan Areas with the Highest Number of Patents per Thousand Jobs: 2007-2011 (No. 6)
  • Metropolitan Areas with the Highest Number of Annual Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Awards: 2007-2011 (No. 9)
• Best-Performing Cities 2012 (No. 15) - Milken Institute, January 2013

2012 Community Honors

• Cities Where Startups are Thriving (No. 1) - CNNMoney, November 2012.
• Bicycle Friendly Community (Platinum) - League of American Bicyclists, October 2012.
• 10 Incredible and Underrated Cities To Live In (No. 6) - BuzzFeed, October 2012.
• Top 10 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas Ranked by Percentage of Workers 16 Years and Over Who Worked From Home (No. 1) - American Community Survey (2010 U.S. Census), October 2012.
• Top 20 Small Metros for College Students (No. 3) - American Institute for Economic Research, October 2012.
• The Fittest U.S. Cities for Baby Boomers - Spry, September 2012
• America's Best Places to Live (No. 60) - Money, September 2012
• Top Cities for Technology Start-ups (No. 9 Boulder/Denver) - USA Today, August 2012
• Five Happiest Cities in America - AARP, August 2012
• Summer in the U.S.A.: 20 Best Vacation Destinations - Frommer's, June 2012
• America's Foodiest Town - CoutureColorado.com, June 2012
• Nine Fittest Towns of the West (No. 3) - Sunset, June 2012
• America's Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities (No. 3) - Bicycling, May 2012
• Most Well-Read Cities in America (No. 5) - Amazon.com, May 2012
• Top 10 Cities for Affordable Vacations (No. 7) - Livability.com, April 2012
• Tree City USA - National Arbor Day Foundation (for the 28th consecutive year)
• Best Restaurant Neighborhood - 2012 (Pearl Street Mall) - Westword, March 2012
• Skinniest City in America - Gallup, March 2012
• Top 10 Cities for Well-being (No. 5) - Gallup, March 2012
• Most Bike-friendly Vacation Cities (No. 4) - Virgin Vacations, March 2012
• Top 10 Foodie Cities (No. 3) - Livability.com, February 2012
• Top 10 College Towns, 2011 (No. 1) - Livability.com, February 2012
• America's Healthiest Metros (No. 3) - The Atlantic Cities, January 2012

2011 Community Honors

• Top 10 Travel Destinations for 2012 (No. 7) - Lonely Planet, December 2011
• America's Best Adventure Towns - National Geographic, November 2011
• Happiest City in America - Gallup , Healthways Well-Being Index
• Best Towns 2011 (No. 4) - Outside Magazine, October 2011
• America's Most Economically Vibrant College Town - The Atlantic Cities, September 2011
• America's Best Town for Startups - Bloomberg Businessweek, April 2011
• Tree City USA - National Arbor Day Foundation (for the 27th consecutive year)
• IBM Smarter Cities Challenge Winner
• Top 10 Winter Towns (No. 9) - National Geographic Traveler, January-February 2011

2010 Community Honors

• Top 10 Winter Towns - National Geographic, December 2010
• America's "Brainiest" City - Portfolio.com, December 2010
• America's Top 25 Arts Destinations, AmericanStyle magazine. Boulder ranked ninth among smaller cities
• Savvy Award from 3CMA for best interview/talk show, Inside Boulder News
• Sustainability Award from Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association for the city's 75th Street Wastewater Treatment Facility
• Grand Award for Engineering Excellence from the Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers for the Elmer's Two-mile Creek Greenways project
• "America's Foodiest Town" (Ranking No. 1) - Bon Appétit, October 2010
• Best Quality of Life for Mid-Sized US Cities - Portfolio.com, June 2010
• "Ten best cities for the next decade" (Ranking No. 4) - Kiplinger's Personal Finance, May 2010
• America's Best Town for Startups - Bloomberg BusinessWeek, April 2010
• Top 25 Destinations in the US (Ranking No. 19) - TripAdvisory.com
• Top 100 Places to Live: including Top 10 Overall Cities (Ranking No. 9); Top 10 Recovery Cities (Ranking No. 10); Top 10 Earth Friendly Cities (Ranking No. 4); Top 10 Recreation Cities (Ranking No. 1) - RelocateAmerica.com
• "Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index" (Ranking No. 1) - USA Today, February 2010
• "Healthiest Town in U.S." (Ranking No. 2) - Men's Health, January 2010
• Traveler's Choice 2010 Best Destinations "Top 25 Destinations in the United States" (Ranking No. 19) - www.tripadvisor.com

2009 Community Honors

• "Strongest U.S. Housing Markets" (Boulder ranked No. 1) - Business Week, August 2009
• "The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid: The Winning 25" (Boulder ranked No. 1) - Backpacker, August 2009
• "Top 25 Arts Destinations" (Small city category; Boulder ranked No. 8) - AmericanStyle, June 2009
• "Best Places to Live- The 30 Coolest Neighborhoods in America" - Men's Journal, June 2009
• "America's Top 25 Towns to Live Well" (Boulder ranked No. 1) - Forbes.com, May 2009
• "Top Ten Best Midsize Metropolitan Areas" (Boulder ranked No. 2) - Bizjournals.com, March 2009
• "The West's 20 Best Small Towns" (Boulder ranked as a favorite eco-friendly small town) - Sunset, March 2009
• "Best Places for Business and Careers" (Boulder ranked No. 20) - Forbes, March 2009
• "Eleven Most Bicycle Friendly Cities in the World" (Boulder ranked No. 4) - Virgin Vacations website, December 2009
• Digital Cities Survey, 9th Place , 75,000 - 124,999 population category
• Digital Cities 2009 Best of the Web Awards Finalist
• Boulder Public Library was named a four-star public library by Library Journal, one of the nation's premiere professional publications - February 2009

2008 Community Honors

• "Most Educated City in America" (Boulder ranked No. 1) - Forbes, November 2008
• "8 Fabulous Winter Wonderlands" - Where to Retire, November/December 2008
• "America's Best Healthy Places to Retire" - U.S. News & World Report, October 2008
• "Bicycle Friendly Community" (platinum level) - League of American Bicyclists, September 2008
• "Top 25 Arts Destinations" - (small city category; Boulder ranked No. 8) American Style, August 2008
• "Top 10 Healthiest Cities to Live and Retire" - (Boulder ranked No. 6) AARP, July 2008
• "Cities with the Highest Ratio of Artists in the Country" - (Boulder ranked No. 6) National Endowment for the Arts, July 2008
• "Best Cities for Cycling" - Bicycling, July 2008
• "Cities With a High Percentage of Workers Employed in High-Tech Work" - (Boulder ranked No. 2) American Electronics Association, June 2008
• "Top 10 Jewish Neighborhoods in North America," - Jewish Living, June 2008
• "America's Top 5 Cities for Cycling" - Bicycling, June 2008
• "Top 25 Small Cities and Towns for Art" - (Boulder ranked No. 8), American Style, June 2008
• "Top Heart Friendly Cities" - (Boulder ranked No. 1 for cities with a population less than 560,000), American Heart Association, May 2008
• "The 10 Brainiest Places to Retire" - U.S. News and World Report, May 2008
• "Top 10 Cities for Masters Runners" - (Boulder ranked No. 3), Masters Athlete, May 2008
• "Top 100 Destinations in the World" - Trip Advisor, April 2008
• "Top 25 Destinations in the U.S." - Trip Advisor, April 2008
• "Top 10 World's Greener Cities" - Urban Land Green, Spring 2008
• "Best Green Places to Live in America" - (Boulder ranked No. 5), Country Home, March 2008
• "Smartest Cities in America" - (Boulder ranked No. 1), Forbes, February 2008
• Digital Cities Survey, 8th Place, 75,000 - 124,999 population category
• 2008 Colorado/Wyoming Chapter of the American Concrete Pavement Association Award for Concrete Pavement Excellence- Municipal Streets and Intersections

2007 Community Honors

• "11 Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities in the World" - (Boulder ranked No. 4), Virgin Vacations.com, November 2007
• "Top Small-City College Destination" - (Boulder ranked No. 1), Denver Business Journal, October 2007
• "Best Places to Retire" - US News and World Report.com, August 2007
• "Top 10 Farmer's Markets" - (Boulder ranked No. 6), Eating Well, August 2007
• "Best Cities for Empty-Nester" - (Boulder ranked No. 5), Kiplinger.com, August 2007
• "Best Sports City" - (Denver/Boulder ranked No. 7), Sporting News, August 2007
• "Top 25 Small Cities and Towns for Art" - (small cities category; Boulder ranked No. 8), American Style, June 2007
• "Top Ten Greenest Cities" - (Boulder ranked No. 4), Yahoo Real Estate, May 2007
• "Best Green Places to Live in America" - (Boulder ranked No. 7), Country Home, April 2007
• "Top Triathlon Town" - (Boulder ranked No. 1), Inside Triathlon, March 2007
• "Top 10 Cities for Artists" - (Boulder ranked No. 8), Business Week, February 2007
• Digital Cities Survey, 10th Place , 75,000 - 124,999 population category
• The City of Boulder's economic vitality program was presented with an award for its flexible rebate incentive program by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) - October 2008
• The Keep it Clean Partnership (KICP) was recognized nationally by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for outstanding water quality achievements - October 2008
• 2007 American Concrete Pavement Association Award for the concrete paving efforts of the Foothills Parkway (SH 157) and Arapahoe Avenue (SH 7) Transportation Improvements Project. Transportation Division received the Gold Award in the Municipal Streets and Intersections Category (for projects less than 30,000 square yards)
• 2007 Officer of the Year - Master Police Officer John Smith by the Colorado Law Enforcement Officers' Association
• 2007 Law Enforcement Partner of the Year - Detective Nathan Vasquez by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
• Gold Award for Bicycle Friendly Communities program annually evaluated and awarded by the League of American Bicyclists
• 2007 Colorado Award for Engineering and Construction Management for Medium-Sized Communities for the Transportation Division for its engineering and construction management efforts for the Foothills Parkway (SH 157) and Arapahoe Avenue (SH 7) Transportation Improvements Project. Given by the American Public Works Association (APWA).
• 2007 Exemplary Human Environment Initiative National Award from Federal Highway Administration for 28th Street Project Baseline to Arapahoe
• 2007 CPRA (Colorado Parks and Recreation Association) Columbine Award for Education for "Creating Vibrate Communities in Which We All Age Well" - awarded to John Riggle and Sarah Rebman in the Senior Services Division
• 2007 Local Government Award - Silver Award Planning with Vision for "Creating Vibrant Communities in Which We All Age Well - awarded to John Riggle and Sarah Rebman in the Senior Services Division
• "America's Most Digital Cities" for the Information Technology Department from the The Center for Digital Government. Boulder placed 10th in its population category.
• "3CMA Savvy Award - Best Educational Training Video" for the City of Boulder's voice and sight control dog video, produced by Municipal Channel 8 and Open Space and Mountain Parks
• "Ambassador City for Affordable Housing" designation by the National Association of Realtors and the U.S. Converence of Mayors
• "Tree City USA" designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the 23 nd consecutive year
• "Environmental Achievement Award" from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8's for the "Keep it Clean Partnership," formerly known as the Watershed Approach to Stream Health (WASH) Project

2006 Community Honors

• "America's Smartest Cities" - (Boulder ranked No. 1), Forbes, December 2006
• "10 Great Biking Cities" - Washington Post , October 2006
• "Heart-Healthiest City" - (Boulder ranked No. 4), Men's Journal, August 2006
• "Top 12 Best Veg-Friendly Places to Live" - Veg News, August 2006
• "Best City for Green Meetings" - (Boulder ranked No. 9), Meetings and Conventions, August 2006
• "Dream Towns" - (Boulder ranked Best All Around), Outside, August 2006
• "Top 20 Greenest Spots in the Country" - Vegetarian Times, July/August 2006
• "Top Places to Retire" - Where to Retire, July/August 2006
• "Best Cities For Singles" - (Denver-Boulder ranked No. 1), Forbes, July 2006
• "Top 10 Favorite Outdoor Dining Spots in the Country" - Bon Appetit, July 2006
• "Top 10 Brainiest Small Cities" - (Boulder ranked No. 3), Bizjournals.com, June 2006
• "Best Places to Retire in Style" - (Boulder ranked No. 1), Fortune, June 2006
• "Top 25 Arts Destinations" (Boulder ranked 10 for small cities) - American Style, June 2006
• "Best Cities for Relocating Families" (Boulder ranked No. 4 for mid-sized metro areas) - Worldwide ERC and Primary Relocation, May 2006
• "Top 10 Greenest Cities" - Homestore.com , April 2006
• "50 Best places to live" (Boulder ranked No. 3) - Men's Journal, April 2006
• "Most Vegetarian-Friendly Cities in the U.S." (Boulder ranked No. 7)- PETA.org, April 2006
• "Best City for Cycling" - Bicycling, March 2006
• "Best City for Teleworking" (Boulder best in small metro area list) - Sperling's Best Places research firm, March 2006
• "America's Top 100 Places to Live in 2006" (Boulder ranked No. 3) - Relocate-America.com, March 2006
• "America's Best Vegetarian-Friendly Small Cities" (Boulder ranked No. 7)- GoVeg.com, March 2006
• "Place you dream of living" - Backpacker, February 2006
• "Top 10 Places to Retire" - Bottom Line Retirement, January 2006
• Digital Cities Survey, 7th Place , 75,000 - 124,999 population category
• "Well Workplace Award" for the City of Boulder's employee fitness program from the Wellness Councils of America for its innovative employee fitness program. 'Well Workplace' awards are driven by a rigorous set of criteria and are designed to recognize excellence in health promotion at the worksite
• "America's Most Digital Cities" for the Information Technology Department from the The Center for Digital Government . Boulder placed 7th in its population category.
• " Project Delivery Award " from the Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association to the City of Boulder and Lafarge West, Inc. for the Downtown Pearl Street Mall Loop Resurfacing Project
• " Tree City USA " designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the 22 nd consecutive year
• " Tree City Growth Award " from the National Arbor Day Foundation to the City of Boulder's Urban Forestry Division
• " 2006 Award for Excellence in Innovation in Parking Operations and Programs" from the International Parking Institute for the City of Boulder's Parking Plus Program
• " Boulder Walkers Golden Shoe Award " for the City of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks Natural Selections hike program

2005 Community Honors

• "Best Place to Live" - (Boulder ranked No. 1), Successful Meetings, 2005
• "The 100 Best Art Towns in America" - (Boulder ranked No. 6), by John Villani
• "50 Best places to live - best overall city" - Men's Journal, March 2005
• "Colorado’s Best Workplaces for Commuters" - United States EPA, April 2005
• "Going to Boulder" - The New York Times, May 2005
• "Top 25 Art Cities" - (Boulder ranked No. 18), American Style magazine, June 2005
• "Top 20 greenest spots in the country" - Vegetarian Times, July/August 2005
• "7th Best Running City" - Runner's World magazine, August 2005
• "Top 10 cities for masters athletes" (Boulder ranked No. 7) - Geezer Jock magazine, September 2005
• "50 fabulous gay-friendly places to live" - book by Gregory A. Kompes, November 2005
• " Project of the Year " in the category of General Public Works in a Large Community from the Colorado Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the City of Boulder's Broadway Street and Bridge Reconstruction Project
• " Concrete Pavement Award " in the Municipal Street and Intersection Category from the Colorado/Wyoming chapter of the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) for the City of Boulder's Broadway Street and Bridge Reconstruction Project
• " Project of the Year " in the category of Utility, Drainage, and Environmental in a Large Community from the American Public Works Association for the City of Boulder's Goose Creek Drainage Improvements Project
• " Excellence in Alarm Management " award to Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner from the Security Industry Alarm Coalition
• " Tree City USA " designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the 21 st consecutive year
• " Climate Protection Award " (one of 25 individuals, teams and organizations from around the world) in the Corporate and Governmental category from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• " 2005 Public Works Project of the Year " from The American Public Works Association (APWA) for the City of Boulder's Broadway Street and Bridge Reconstruction Project
• " Housing Award " from the Colorado National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) for the Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) work on the Holiday Neighborhood
• " Starburst Award " from the Colorado Lottery received by the City of Boulder's Parks and Recreation Department and Public Works Greenways Program
• " Outstanding Achievement Award for Forensic Science " from the Rocky Mountain Division of the International Association for Identification (RMDIAI) to Boulder Police Criminalist Shelli Hisey
• " Best Workplaces for Commuters District " award from the International Downtown Association (IDA) for the City of Boulder's Eco Pass Program for downtown employees
• " First Place " in the Traffic Management Category from the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) for the City of Boulder's Broadway Street and Bridge Reconstruction Project
• Colorado's first " Green Power Community " designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• " 2005 President's Award " from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Colorado North Chapter, to Steve Brown of the City of Boulder's Planning and Development Services Center

2004 Community Honors

• "36 Hours in Boulder, CO" - New York Times, January 2004
• "Top 20 Boom Towns" (Boulder ranked No.1) - Business 2.0, March 2004
• "Yummy" - American Way, March 2004
• "Top 10 cities for Animal Wellness in North American" - Animal Wellness Magazine, March 2004
• "Colorado’s Best Workplaces for Commuters" - United States EPA, April 2004
• "Five Impressive Cities; Making a Difference in the Environment" - Delicious Living magazine, April 2004
• "Bicycle friendly community" (gold level) - League of American Bicyclists, April 2004
• "Nation’s reigning bike friendly community" - The League of American Bicyclists, June 2004
• "Best place in the country for singles (Denver-Boulder)" - Forbes.com, June 2004
• "The Best Small Cities" - Men’s Journal, June 2004
• "Best place to move" (Boulder/Longmont) - Worldwide ERC and Primacy Relocation, September 2004
• " Project of the Year " in the category of General Public Works in a Large Community from the Colorado Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the City of Boulder's Broadway Street and Bridge Reconstruction Project
• " Concrete Pavement Award " in the Municipal Street and Intersection Category from the Colorado/Wyoming chapter of the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) for the City of Boulder's Broadway Street and Bridge Reconstruction Project
• " Project of the Year " in the category of Utility, Drainage, and Environmental in a Large Community from the American Public Works Association for the City of Boulder's Goose Creek Drainage Improvements Project
• " Excellence in Alarm Management " award to Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner from the Security Industry Alarm Coalition
• " Tree City USA " designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the 21 st consecutive year
• " Climate Protection Award " (one of 25 individuals, teams and organizations from around the world) in the Corporate and Governmental category from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• " Housing Award " from the Colorado National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) for the Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) work on the Holiday Neighborhood
• " Starburst Award " from the Colorado Lottery received by the City of Boulder's Parks and Recreation Department and Public Works Greenways Program
• " Outstanding Achievement Award for Forensic Science " from the Rocky Mountain Division of the International Association for Identification (RMDIAI) to Boulder Police Criminalist Shelli Hisey
• " Best Workplaces for Commuters District " award from the International Downtown Association (IDA) for the City of Boulder's Eco Pass Program for downtown employees
• " First Place " in the Traffic Management Category from the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) for the City of Boulder's Broadway Street and Bridge Reconstruction Project
• Colorado's first " Green Power Community " designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

2003 Community Honors

• "Best Overall Place to Live" - Men’s Journal, May 2003
• "5 Favorite Run America Club (RAC) Trails" - May/June 2003
• "Best cities for singles" (with Denver) - Forbes, June 2003
• "Best College Sports Towns" - Sports Illustrated on Campus, September 2003
• "Outside University: The top 40" - Outside Magazine, September 2003
• 2003 Governor's Awards for Downtown Excellence - Merit Award - Design - Pearl Street Mall Renovation
• 2003 International Downtown Association Achievement Awards - Pearl Street Mall Renovation - Merit Award for Public Space

2002 Community Honors

• "Best Places to Retire" - Money Magazine, 2002
• "America’s 50 Healthiest Places to Live" - USA Today, 2002
• "The Boulder Sampler: Better than Whitman's" - Buzz in the Burbs, February 2002
• "Boulder: A Path Runs Through It" - Knight Ridder News Service, March 2002
• "Cooking School of the Rockies" - NBC's Today Show, March 2002
• "Pearl Street Mall is a Colorado Gem" - The Dallas Morning News, April 2002
• "Being Boulder" - Flying Adventures Magazine, Summer 2002
• "Boulder, CO: Paradise Found" - GORP.com, August 2002
• "Boulder Rocks" - Arizona Daily Star, September 2002
• "No.1 Thinnest City" - Self Magazine, October 2002
• Digital Cities Survey, 5th Place , 75,000 - 124,999 population category
• Digital Cities Survey, Landlink, Best of Breed
• 2002 AIA Colorado - Downtown Boulder Pedestrian Mall - 25 year award

2001 Community Honors

• "The Thinnest City in America" - Self Magazine, 2001
• "America’s Best Running City" - Runner’s World, January 2001
• "Where are you on the talent map?" - Fast Company magazine, January 2001
• "Bowled over by Boulder: It's Hard to Beat the Town's High Alpine Adventure" - Continental, September 2001
• "10 Healthiest Places for Women to Live" (Boulder ranked No.8) - Self Magazine, October 2001
• 2001 International Parking Institute Award of Excellence - 15th and Pearl Parking Garage
• Digital Cities Survey, 2nd Place , 75,000 - 124,999 population category

2000 Community Honors

• "Best Farmer's Markets" - Sunset Magazine, 2000
• "America’s 10 Fittest Cities" - Health magazine, March 2000
• "Republic of Boulder cherishes independent identity" - Rocky Mountain News, May 2000
• "A Dozen Distinctive Destinations" - National Trust for Historic Preservation, May 2000
• "15 Best Places for Businesses and Career Advancement" (Boulder ranked No. 4) - Forbes, May 2000
• "3-Day Weekend: Boulder at its best" - Sunset Magazine, May 2000
• "Top Green and Clean City, Best Places to Retire" (Boulder ranked No. 1) - Modern Maturity, May/June 2000
• "Boulder/Longmont Area Leads the Nation in High Tech Jobs" - Software & Information Industry Association, June 2000
• "Fittest Cities in America" (Boulder ranked No. 2) - Shape, September 2000
• "Get a Life" - Business 2.0, October 2000
• "Boulder" - Successful Meetings magazine, 2000

1999 Community Honors

• "Great Places to Live" - Snowboard Life Magazine, 1999
• "The West's Best City" - Sunset Magazine, 1999
• "America's Best Places to Live and Work" - USA Today, 1999
• "Best Sports Town in America" (Boulder ranked No. 1) - Outside, 1999
• "Top U.S. Arts Destinations" - Travel Weekly, 1999
• "17th for Family Fun" - Outdoor Explorer Magazine, April 1999
• "Ideal Location for Runners" - Runner’s World, May 1999
• "Top 10 Cities for Teens" - Seventeen Magazine, September 1999
• "10 Great Places to Soak Up Campus Culture" - October 1999
• "Small City Runner Up: The Best Places to Live 2000" - Money Magazine, November 1999
• "Best Transportation" - Sunset Magazine, November 1999
• "The Best Cities in America for Starting and Growing a Business" - Inc. Magazine, December 1999

1998 Community Honors

• "20 Hottest Markets to Sell Your Products This Year" - Sales & Marketing Management, January 1998
• "Boulder area’s beauty calls visitors back" - Baltimore Sun, January 1998
• "All over Boulder with Cameron Widoff" - Triathe, February 1998
• "Best medium-sized city in the West" - Money magazine, July 1998

1997 Community Honors

• "It takes a Cybervillage" - Inc. Tech, 1997
• "Boulder: A City of Contrasts, with an Attitude" - Denver Post, February 1997
• "Most Enlightened City in Colorado" - Utne Reader, April 1997
• "10 Great Places to Raise a Family" - Parenting Magazine, May 1997
• "The 25 Best Business Schools" - Success , September 1997

1996 Community Honors

• "Making Small Hydro Work Well on a Water Supply System" - Hydro Review, February 1996
• "Boulder’s Backyard: The Flatirons" - The Denver Post, July 1996
• "High-tech boom in Boulder" - Forbes, October 1996
• "30 Best Cities for Small Businesses" - Entrepreneur, October 1996

1995 Community Honors

• "For Hikers, Skiers, Browsers – Boulder’s Just Your Cup of Tea" - Dallas Morning News, January 1995
• "Outdoor Haven Also Beckons with Tea and Brews" - The Herald, Omaha, January 1995
• "Boulder Over" - The Star, Chicago, IL, March 1995
• "Boulder is One Smart City" - The Star, Chicago, IL, March 1995
• "Mountain Haven Fulfills Needs of Both Body, Soul" - Omaha World Herald, April 1995
• "Boulder Makes the Most of its Spectacular Setting" - Omaha World Herald, April 1995
• "It’s Tea Time in Colorado" - Omaha World-Herald, April 1995
• "Boulder and Outdoor Fun Go Hand in Hand" - The Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA, May 1995
• "Zen and the Art of Bouldering" - Outdoor Gear, June 1995
• "The Battle of Boulder" - Wilderness, Summer 1995
• "Growing Pains" - Newsweek , October 1995
• "30 Best Cities for Small Business" - Entrepreneur, October 1995

1994 Community Honors

• "Boulder and Seattle: Separated at Birth?" - Sunset Magazine, January 1994
• "Mountain Bike Movie" - Bicycling, February 1994
• "A New Generation of Tours" - Better Homes and Gardens, March 1994
• "Boulder Life" - GEO Magazine, April 1994
• "Boulder Street Performers" - Fox Broadcasting, Spring 1994
• "Events" - Adventure West Magazine, Spring 1994
• "Boulder Meetings" - Successful Meetings Magazine, Spring 1994
• "Frommer’s Guide to Boulder-Denver-Colorado Springs" - Spring 1994
• "Rocky Mountain Cultures and Lifestyles" - Meriam (German lifestyles magazine), Summer 1994
• "Best of Show for High-Growth Companies" - Inc. 500, Summer 1994
• "Fitness Meccas" - Shape, June 1994
• "Boulder Fights to Save Wide Open Spaces" - June 1994
• "Jeep National Trails" - ESPN, July 1994
• "Jose Cuervo Tournament Coverage" - Volleyball Magazine, July 1994
• "A Place to Hang Your Hat" - A Better Tomorrow Magazine, July – August 1994
• "A City that Works: Boulder, Colorado" - The Joy Gazette, July 1994
• "Sports Mecca" - Brigette (German), August 1994
• "Meetings in College Towns" - Meetings and Conventions Magazine, August 1994
• "Campus Classics" - The Denver Post, September 1994
• "Fall Festival Highlights" - Endless Vacation Magazine, September-October 1994
• "The Top 5 College Towns for Retirement" - Successful Retirement, September-October 1994
• "Learning the Ropes in Boulder" - The Dallas Morning News, October 1994
• "Boulder Highlights" - Rocky Mountain News, October 1994
• "Positive Inc. for Boulder" - Denver Business Journal, October-November 1994
• "Homemade Millionaires" - Home Office Computing Magazine, December 1994
• "The Bachelor Book", 1994
• Fit and Fun Magazine (German) , 1994
• Maturity News Service , 1994
• "High Adventure, Art and Culture" - The Observer (London), 1994

1993 Community Honors

• "Boulder: A Pillar of Correctness" - USA Weekend , January 1993
• "Sky’s the Limit" - Time , September 1993

1992 Community Honors

• "Boulder, University of Colorado: It’s a town in motion" - Sunset, October 1992

1991 Community Honors

• "Boulder Offers a Model for us" - Philadelphia Inquirer, March 1991
• "The Town that Can’t Sit Still" - The New York Times, November 1991

1990 Community Honors

• "Charlotte can Learn from Boulder" - The Observer, March 1990
• "Boulder: Ideal Terrain for Training" - Sports Illustrated, April 1990
• "Serious Business in Boulder" - Commercial Dispatch (Columbus, MS), May 1990

1989 Community Honors

• "Best Sports Town" - Outside, May 1989
• "A beautiful American city that controls its destiny" - Description And Travel, May 1989
• "City prospers from quality of life" - Chicago Tribune, May 1989
• "Despite its 'wacky' image, Boulder" - The Denver Post, May 1989
• "Boulder is a sophisticated little city with God’s country in the back yard" - Providence Sunday Journal, May 1989
• "Trout fishing and inner-tubing near downtown Boulder" - Sunset, July 1989