Federal Heights, CO — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Colorado·Federal Heights

Adams County · Denver-Aurora-Lakewood · population 13,971

ShrinkingSmall-town feel
View watchlist →
43
Cooling
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Federal Heights stands

Home values down 3.7% in the last year. population shrinking 0.7% per year.

Median home $398,432
1-year -3.7%
5-yr CAGR +1.3%
vs 5-yr peak -12.0%
Population -0.7%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2022-06$398k$226k$307k$389k$471k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
53/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,611/mo$1,325$1,548$1,77120242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent9410110020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 20.6
Lean rent

At a 20.6 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Federal Heights. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
32 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
43 · w22%
Distance from peak
39 · w18%
Population growth
34 · w16%
Rent YoY
68 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
62 · w10%
Long thesis

Federal Heights has held up across the cycle: home values at $398,432 with +1.3% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Federal Heights's population is shrinking 0.7% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.

About Federal Heights

Federal Heights is a city in Adams County, Colorado, with an estimated population of 13,971. It anchors the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro area. The population has contracted 0.7% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Federal Heights is $398,432 as of 2026-04, down 3.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +1.3% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 12% below its 5-year peak. Rents in Federal Heights average $1,611 per month, up 3.4% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 43 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.

Bull case

The data is the data: Federal Heights has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 1-criteria momentum score on this page.

Bear case

Cooling: -3.7% over the trailing year — momentum has stalled.
12% off recent peak — buyers are getting through-the-cycle pricing, not the peak.
Flat or shrinking population: -0.7% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.

Playbook

Buyer

You have leverage. Negotiate price, ask for closing-cost credits, and don't waive inspection. Walk-away power is real in a Cooling market — use it.

Seller

Price aggressively (at or below recent sold comps) or be prepared to wait. Concessions — rate buydowns, closing costs, repair credits — are how deals close right now.

Investor

Cap rates are more attractive than they were 12 months ago but the appreciation tailwind is gone. Confirm tenant demand, vacancy rates, and exit liquidity before committing capital.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Adams County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Adams County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Federal Heights

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
43° / 16°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
86° / 56°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
245
~67% of year
Annual precip
17″ rain
55″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
High
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Federal Heights listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
54%
Dry climate
Median household income
$87,600
Colorado state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechAerospaceHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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