Your Guide to Buying a Home in Wheat Ridge, CO

Buying a Home in Wheat Ridge, Colorado

(A quiet lane in Wheat Ridge. Notice that there are no sidewalks - Wheat Ridge, known as)

Wheat Ridge is located in Jefferson County

Wheat Ridge - also known as "Tree City USA" - is a bedroom community to Denver and its population is approximately 33,000. The city fathers have worked hard to keep the community rural in nature as many streets do not have sidewalks and the majority of streets are 25 mile an hour zones.

Although commercial wheat production is a thing of the past, the ridges remain which provide expansive views of the front range. Wheat Ridge occupies approximately 10 square miles of rolling land in the northwest area of metropolitan Denver and is adjacent to the Interstate 70 transportation corridor between Denver and the Rocky Mountains. In 1859 a small group of farmers, some who came to Colorado in search of gold and silver began a rural village in this location. By the late 1800's, good soils and plentiful water led to the development of a small farming community. Until World War II, the Wheat Ridge community was a major supplier of fresh produce to Denver. During the 40's and 50's as the city evolved, carnation production became a major growth industry. Today several carnation greenhouses survive in the northwest metropolitan area. Each year in August the City celebrates this heritage with the Carnation Festival. Initiated in 1970, the festival draws thousands of people to this premier civic event.

Even before incorporation as a City, the Wheat Ridge Recreation District identified Clear Creek, which runs through the City, as a tremendous community resource and an ideal area for a system of parks and greenbelt trails. Over time, and using City funds and Jefferson County Open Space funds, Wheat Ridge acquired large tracts along the creek to be preserved as greenbelts. The value of open space and recreational opportunities continues to be a priority for the City. Overall, there are 140 acres of developed parks, and an additional 250 acres of open space in the City. Additionally in November 1998, the City began construction of its 71,000 square foot recreation center, and it opened in early 2000. The City has a 68 member Police Force, and Fire Protection is covered by three districts, run largely by and with volunteers.

The Jefferson County R-1 School District operates six elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and one charter school in Wheat Ridge. There are also several private schools in Wheat Ridge including Foothills Academy, Colorado Catholic Academy, Saint Peter & Paul Elementary, and Beth Eden Baptist School. Larger businesses include Exempla Lutheran Medical Center, Jolly Rancher Candies (Leaf), Rocky Mountain Bottling, Volant Skis & Aggression Snowboards, and Star Guide Corporation. Today, Wheat Ridge is a mature city with a strong sense of community and history. The City's individuality, manageable scale and tree lined streets, combined with its convenient location adjacent to Interstate 70 and between downtown Denver and the mountains, make the City a desirable place to live and do business. Over 30,000 people make this 9 square miles of property "home." Over 3200 businesses are licensed in the City; about one half of those are locally owned and operated.