Denver metro, CO relocation guide
Moving to Aurora, CO
About Aurora
Aurora is Colorado's third-largest city (population ~386,000 in 2020, roughly 410,000 estimated today), spanning Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas counties directly east of Denver. Founded as the town of Fletcher in 1891 and renamed Aurora in 1907, it grew from a streetcar suburb along East Colfax into a sprawling edge city — named an All-America City in 2008. Major anchors include Buckley Space Force Base, the Anschutz Medical Campus (UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado), and the Gaylord Rockies Resort near DIA. Housing runs the full spectrum: older Colfax-corridor neighborhoods, 1960s–70s subdivisions like Hoffman Heights, and big southeast master plans (Southlands, Tallyn's Reach, Aurora Highlands).
Home prices in Aurora
The median list in Aurora is $449,000.
Top places in Aurora
- Stanley Marketplace — food hall and makers' market in a former aviation building on the Colfax corridor.
- Southlands — southeast Aurora's open-air town center for shopping and dining.
- Aurora Fox Arts Center — historic 1946 theater anchoring the Aurora Cultural Arts District on East Colfax.
- Plains Conservation Center — 1,100-acre prairie preserve with historic farm buildings and bison-viewing.
- Aurora History Museum — city history museum in the Aurora Cultural Arts District.
- Cherry Creek State Park — 4,200-acre park on Aurora's west edge with reservoir, trails, and marina.
- Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch — wildlife refuge along Sand Creek.
- Town Center at Aurora — the city's longtime enclosed mall, now being redeveloped.
Commuting from Aurora
- Approximate drive to downtown Denver: ~25–35 minutes (approximate; via I-225/I-70 or I-270; longer with traffic).
- RTD R Line light rail runs through Aurora (Peoria, Fitzsimons, Colfax stations) south to Lone Tree; downtown via transfer, approximately 45–60 minutes (approximate).
- RTD A Line commuter rail: 40th & Colorado and 61st & Peña (Gaylord) stations to Union Station in approximately 25–35 minutes (approximate).
Aurora FAQs
- What is the housing market like in Aurora, CO?
The median list in Aurora is $449,000. Median listing price · Sep 2026 - How is the commute from Aurora, CO?
Approximate drive to downtown Denver: ~25–35 minutes (approximate; via I-225/I-70 or I-270; longer with traffic).
Town links
Schools
Transit
Official town resources. School report cards via the National Center for Education Statistics.