WEST DENVER · JUST SOUTH OF SLOAN’S LAKE
West Colfax
Post-war brick houses and new townhomes between Sloan’s Lake and Lakewood Gulch, with West Colfax Avenue running through the middle. Typical values sit well below the neighborhoods to the north.
Location: West Denver, from Federal Boulevard to Sheridan Boulevard, between Sloan’s Lake and Lakewood Gulch | Vibe: Changing fast, mixed old and new | Known for: West Colfax Avenue, the old St. Anthony site, the W Line
West Colfax is the stretch of west Denver between Sloan’s Lake and Lakewood Gulch, running from Federal Boulevard out to Sheridan, where Jefferson County starts. It was its own town until Denver annexed it in 1897, and for most of the last century it was home to Denver’s oldest Jewish community, followed by Latino and Southeast Asian families who still shape the neighborhood today.
What the housing looks like
Most of the older houses are small brick bungalows and post-war ranches from the 1940s and 50s, many on narrow lots. Mixed in with them are a lot of newer townhomes and duplexes, and the blocks closest to Sloan’s Lake have the most new construction. A renovated ranch and a new three-story townhome a block apart can sell for very different prices, so the neighborhood average is only a starting point.
The biggest change came from the old St. Anthony Central Hospital campus between Colfax and 17th Avenue. The hospital moved to Lakewood in 2011, and the site has been rebuilt as the Sloans development, with apartments, condos, townhomes and the Alamo Drafthouse on Colfax.
West Colfax Avenue itself is still a busy commercial street, with older motels and auto shops alongside newer spots like the Little Man Ice Cream Factory and Side Pony. Which side of that mix a house sits closest to matters more here than in most Denver neighborhoods.
West Colfax highlights
Sloan’s Lake next door
The park and its 2.6-mile loop are just north of the neighborhood.
The W Line
Light rail stations at Perry, Knox and Sheridan along Lakewood Gulch, with trains to Union Station.
Lakewood Gulch Trail
A paved trail along the gulch that connects east toward the South Platte.
The Sloans development
Apartments, townhomes and the Alamo Drafthouse on the old St. Anthony campus.
Corky Gonzales Library
One of Denver’s largest library branches, at Colfax and Irving.
Lower price point
Typical values run about $150K below West Highland to the north.
“West Colfax is where I look when someone wants to walk to Sloan’s Lake and doesn’t need to pay Sloan’s Lake prices to do it.”
West Denver
Discover West Colfax
Local spots worth knowing
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Little Man Ice Cream Factory
Little Man’s production kitchen and scoop shop at 4411 W. Colfax. You can watch the ice cream being made through the windows, and the lines are shorter than at the milk can in LoHi.
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Side Pony
An all-day cafe and bar at 4635 W. Colfax. Coffee and breakfast burritos in the morning, cocktails at night, and a weekday happy hour from 4 to 7.
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Seedstock Brewery
A neighborhood brewery at 3600 W. Colfax that brews from old Czech and German family recipes, so the menu leans toward lagers. Open afternoons on weekdays and from noon on weekends.
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Lake Steam Baths
A Russian-style steam bath and sauna at 3540 W. Colfax, open since 1927 and a holdover from the neighborhood’s Jewish history. Men and women have separate days, so check the schedule before you go.
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Corky Gonzales Library
The Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Branch Library opened in 2015 at Colfax and Irving and is one of the largest branches in the Denver system. It’s named for the Chicano civil rights leader who founded the Crusade for Justice in Denver.
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Sloan’s Lake
The lake is a few blocks north of most of the neighborhood. The 2.6-mile loop, paddleboarding in summer and sunsets over the mountains are why a lot of people look here first. More on Sloan’s Lake.
West Colfax real estate
Values have come down a little over the past year, which gives buyers more room to negotiate here than in most of northwest Denver. The typical home is worth about $150K less than in West Highland, a few minutes north. That number blends older ranches, new townhomes and condos, so for a specific house I pull sales that match its age, size and block.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index for West Colfax, Denver, as of August 31, 2026. All home types, including condos and townhomes.
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Who buys in West Colfax
Most West Colfax buyers have priced out Sloan’s Lake or West Highland and want to stay close to both.
First-time buyers
People who want a house or townhome inside Denver city limits, near the lake and the light rail, at a price that still works on one or two incomes.
Townhome buyers
Buyers who want newer construction with a garage and a rooftop deck, often in or near the Sloans development, without the maintenance of an older house.
Buyers betting on the corridor
People who have watched Colfax change over the last decade and would rather buy before the rest of the street catches up.
West Colfax questions I get asked
What happened to the old St. Anthony Hospital site?
St. Anthony Central moved to Lakewood in 2011, and the campus between Colfax and 17th Avenue has been redeveloped as Sloans, with apartments, condos, townhomes and the Alamo Drafthouse. If you’re buying near it, ask whether any lots nearby are still waiting on construction, because that affects both views and traffic on your block.
How close to Colfax is too close?
It depends on the house, not the distance. A block or two off Colfax is usually quiet, but a home that backs onto the avenue or sits next to a bar or a motel will feel very different at night. I check what’s on the lots behind and beside a house, and which way the bedrooms face, before you make an offer.
Is the W Line actually useful from here?
For some blocks, yes. The Perry, Knox and Sheridan stations sit along Lakewood Gulch on the south side of the neighborhood, with direct trains to Union Station. If you commute downtown, a house within a short walk of a station is worth more to you than the same house near the lake.
Do Broncos game days affect West Colfax?
The east end, yes. Empower Field is just across Federal Boulevard, so Colfax and Federal back up on game days and some blocks near Federal fill with parked cars. The western half of the neighborhood, closer to Sheridan, barely notices.
New construction in West Colfax
Most new homes here are townhomes and duplexes on infill lots, plus the condos and townhomes at Sloans. If you’re comparing a new build with an older house, remember the person in the sales office works for the builder. I’m happy to walk a new build with you before you sign anything.
Buying in West Colfax? My Denver home buyer’s guide walks through the whole process in 10 steps.
Thinking about West Colfax?
Let’s talk about which blocks feel close to the lake and which feel close to Colfax, how a new townhome compares with an older ranch a few streets over, and what homes like the one you want have actually sold for.
Or call or text 720.454.5432