Where is University Hills in Denver?

University Hills sits in southeast Denver, southwest of I-25, with Colorado Boulevard on the west side and Hampden Avenue on the south.

University Hills sits in southeast Denver, southwest of I-25, with Colorado Boulevard on the west side and Hampden Avenue on the south. The east side of Dahlia Street is full of classic starter homes, mostly 1950s and 60s post-World War II builds. Think mid-century ranches with basements, wider streets, and larger lots than you'll find closer to the city core.

Eisenhower Park is the neighborhood's anchor, and the shopping center nearby has a King Soopers, Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, and other quick options right around the corner. Is it walkable? Sort of. You can walk, but you're looking at 10 to 15 minutes to get anywhere useful. This is where Denver starts to feel more suburban. Nobody's parking in front of your house, streets are easier to drive, and the whole area has that open, practical feel rather than dense infill.

What are the different pockets of University Hills?

University Hills breaks into three distinct pockets: north of Yale, east of Dahlia, and west of Dahlia.

University Hills breaks into three distinct pockets: north of Yale, east of Dahlia, and west of Dahlia. North of Yale is the most interesting and the most dense. You'll find multi-family housing, row houses, townhomes, and some commercial activity mixed in. Very different vibe from the rest of the neighborhood.

South of Yale, Dahlia Street is the dividing line. The east side of Dahlia has the smaller, more affordable homes, and a lot of first-time buyers land here. The west side is mostly newer construction on some of the larger lots in Denver, which is exactly why builders scrape the old houses and put up big new ones. The west side also gives you the easiest access to the High Line Canal, so depending on where you are in the neighborhood, you can walk right onto one of Denver's best trail systems.

How much does a home cost in University Hills?

Entry-level homes in University Hills start around $440,000 for a three bedroom, one bath at about 900 square feet.

Entry-level homes in University Hills start around $440,000 for a three bedroom, one bath at about 900 square feet. That's east of Dahlia, where most homes are starter ranches. A moderately updated three bedroom, two bath around 1,100 square feet runs about $550,000, and a fully updated home on that side can hit $640,000.

North of Yale, newer slot-home style builds sit in the $500s and $600s. I'll be honest, slot homes are some of my least favorite properties in Denver. Garage on the bottom, kitchen on the main level, all the bedrooms up top. Those stairs become a real problem for a lot of buyers. You'll also find brick ranches up there, like a three bed, two bath at 1,300 square feet for around $570,000.

West of Dahlia is where prices jump. New builds run $1.65 million for 4,500 square feet up to $2.3 million for five beds and 4,800 square feet, with some topping 5,400 square feet.

How do schools work in University Hills?

Bradley is the neighborhood elementary school, and Thomas Jefferson is the assigned high school.

Bradley is the neighborhood elementary school, and Thomas Jefferson is the assigned high school. Bradley is a great school, and plenty of families in the neighborhood use the full assigned track.

But here's what most people moving to Denver don't know: Colorado is a school choice state, and choicing into a different school is extremely common here. My own family did it. We used our neighborhood elementary school, then our daughter choiced into a smaller middle school, and picked a bigger high school after that.

If you're worried about the odds, don't be. Families who apply through school choice have about a 93 percent chance of getting their first pick. The practical result is that kids on your street may go to schools all over the city. There will probably be kids a few doors down you've never met because they don't go to your school. That's just normal in Denver.

What parks and trails are near University Hills?

Eisenhower Park is the big one, and my family walks our dogs there almost daily.

Eisenhower Park is the big one, and my family walks our dogs there almost daily. It's a huge, phenomenal park, and if you own a home west of Dahlia you might be a block and a half from it. You'll always see people out there with their dogs (off leash, which they're technically not supposed to do). There's also a rec center on the south end of the neighborhood, which is a nice bonus most Denver neighborhoods don't have.

The other major amenity is the High Line Canal Trail, which runs right through Eisenhower Park and the west side of the neighborhood. The full trail stretches about 71 miles, weaving through the metro area, including Cherry Hills Village just to the south, one of the more exclusive areas around Denver. From University Hills you can hop on and ride or walk through a huge stretch of the city without dealing with traffic.

Is University Hills a good place to live?

University Hills is one of my favorite Denver neighborhoods because it mixes $440,000 starter homes with $2 million new builds in the same square mile.

University Hills is one of my favorite Denver neighborhoods because it mixes $440,000 starter homes with $2 million new builds in the same square mile. That range is rare in Denver, and it means you can buy your first house and your forever house without leaving the neighborhood.

The commute story is strong too. Yale gives you immediate access to I-25, so you're a few exits south of the Denver Tech Center and a handful of exits north of downtown. For anyone splitting time between the two, this location is hard to beat.

One honest caveat: the first-time buyer price points east of Dahlia mean a fair number of rentals. That's been shifting as prices keep climbing and those homes turn over to owner-occupants. If you want practical lots, a real park, trail access, and a price point that actually exists for normal buyers, University Hills should be on your list.