Census-designated place · Douglas County, Colorado

Stepping Stone, Colorado

Stepping Stone is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Colorado, part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area. It has 3,137 residents. Stepping Stone, Colorado has a quality-of-life score of 96 out of 100 (very high), ranking #598 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Colorado it ranks #5 of 220 cities and towns. It ranks best on poverty rate (low), income inequality (Gini index) (low) and voter turnout (high). It ranks worst on grocery stores (low), high ozone days (high) and public libraries (low).

96Very high

Quality-of-life score: #598 of 15,651 cities and towns
Colorado: #5 of 220 in CO
Population: 3,137 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 4,268.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 0873925

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 71 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety76#3,708/15,637
Economy100#16/15,631
Housing—
Health96#575/15,609
Healthcare86#2,191/15,650
Environment54#7,093/15,453
Education96#620/15,649
Infrastructure92#1,230/15,650
Community76#3,808/15,651
Leisure & amenities48#8,175/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Stepping Stone, Colorado ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Douglas County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Poverty rate · low0.0%
100/100Colorado 9.6%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.237
100/100Colorado 0.458United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Voter turnout · high89.6%
100/100Colorado 74.4%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionDouglas County value
Bachelor's degree or higher · high82.1%
100/100Colorado 45.7%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Broadband subscriptions · high100.0%
99/100Colorado 93.5%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Physical inactivity · low12.8%
99/100Colorado 19.0%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Weaknesses

Grocery stores · low0.5 /10k
2/100Colorado 1.0 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDouglas County value
High ozone days · high16 days
4/100Colorado 10 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyDouglas County value
Public libraries · low0.2 /10k
4/100Colorado 0.5 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesDouglas County value
Pharmacies · low0.9 /10k
11/100Colorado 0.9 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDouglas County value
Drought exposure · high80%
12/100Colorado 70%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAADouglas County value
Restaurants and bars · low5.5 /10k
14/100Colorado 9.4 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDouglas County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,798 (2016-2020) → 3,137 (2020-2024)
+74%4 yearsCensus table B01003US 331,578,104 → 340,003,797
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
75.8% (2016-2020) → 82.1% (2020-2024)
+6.4 pts4 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.9% → 35.7%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Improving
8.7% (2016-2020) → 3.5% (2020-2024)
−5.2 pts4 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.4% → 9.8%
Median household incomeImproving
$193,700 (2016-2020) → $223,839 (2020-2024)
+16%4 yearsCensus table B19013US $67,340 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherImproving
97.7% (2016-2020) → 100.0% (2020-2024)
+2.3 pts4 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.5% → 89.6%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
3.2× (2016-2020) → 3.5× (2020-2024)
+11%4 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

There is not enough history to compare Stepping Stone, Colorado over five years.

Cities and towns like Stepping Stone, Colorado five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Stepping Stone, Colorado in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

No place that looked like Stepping Stone, Colorado five years ago has more measures that improved than declined, with a higher standing among its peers today.

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

3,137 residents (±579)

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

3,137 residents (±579)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

White72%2,260
Black8.1%†254
Hispanic or Latino3.1%†98

Education

2,081 residents (±416)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

No high school diploma0.0%0
High school or GED4.1%†86
Some college10%†217

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,005 households (±182)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $25k0.0%0
$25k–50k1.6%†16
$50k–75k1.2%†12
$75k–100k1.9%†19
$100k–150k21%†209
$150k–200k15%†154
$200k or more59%595

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,005 households (±182)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

Own99%993
Rent1.2%†12

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Home values

993 homes (±184)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

Under $150k3.9%†39
$150k–250k0.0%0
$250k–400k0.0%0

Age of homes

1,005 homes (±182)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

2010 or later89%897
2000–20090.0%0
1980–19993.3%†33

Size of homes

1,005 homes (±182)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom0.0%0
2 bedrooms4.7%†47
3 bedrooms

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,835 workers (±403)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

Drive alone47%855
Carpool5.0%†91
Public transit0.4%†7
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home46%†850
Other1.7%†32

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

985 workers (±283)

Stepping Stone, Colorado
Colorado share

Under 15 min21%†209
15–29 min35%†343
30–44 min26%†258

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Douglas County, the county holding most of Stepping Stone's residents.

Douglas County has 10,563 employer establishments, 275 for every 10,000 residents (1.11× the US rate of 248; 0.89× Colorado's), with 132,499 paid employees at an average annual pay of $72,160. The Census Bureau also counts 41,421 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 10,563; 41,421 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 275; US 248 · Colorado 309
Paid employees: 132,499
Average annual pay: $72,160; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Douglas County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	978	25.4	1.22×About typical	8,953	$76,844	2,278
Lessors of real estate	895	23.3	1.89×More than typical	1,904	$76,433	5,042
Specialty trade contractors	671	17.4	1.13×About typical	5,726	$75,830	1,778
Management, scientific and technical consulting	665	17.3	2.58×More than typical	1,863	$86,052	3,001
Real estate agents and brokers	584	15.2	3.12×More than typical	684	$72,844	1,740
Restaurants and other eating places	579	15.1	0.82×About typical	13,787	$27,333	103
Computer systems design and related services	431	11.2	2.59×More than typical	2,844	$135,019	831
Personal care services	351	9.1	1.91×More than typical	1,922	$36,329	1,300
Offices of other health practitioners	327	8.5	1.40×More than typical	1,453	$49,583	1,310
Construction of buildings	315	8.2	1.08×About typical	2,225	$104,876	845
Offices of physicians	271	7	1.09×About typical	2,762	$92,995	418
Limited-service restaurants	269	7	0.87×About typical	5,976	$24,403	42

Rank places for an industry Open Douglas County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 384,579 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $760.3K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Stepping Stone, Colorado: $242 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $760.3K; +817% vs FY2025
Per resident: $242; US $1,994
Sole-source: 100.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Air Force$760.1K100.0%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service$2730.0%
Department of Energy$2690.0%

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

46.3KFY2017
68.5KFY2018
54.6KFY2019
43.9KFY2020
30.2KFY2021
35KFY2022
54.9KFY2023
56.4K

Top industries (NAICS)

Other professional, scientific, and technical services · 5419$760.1K100.0%
Other textile product mills · 3149$2730.0%
Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing · 3331$2690.0%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Stepping Stone, Colorado, so they do not add up across cities.

Stepping Stone, Colorado's figures are part of those of Douglas County, CO ($2.3B in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Stepping Stone is mostly in Douglas County.

See federal money in Douglas County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Stepping Stone, Colorado is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).

House

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Douglas County91100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO78

Other cities and towns in Douglas County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/0873925

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Cities and towns like Stepping Stone, Colorado five years ago that improved