Water damage restoration · Golden, Colorado
Water damage restoration in Golden, CO
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Golden-area ZIPs: 46 flood claims since 1980[1]; 43% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Golden, in Jefferson County — ZIPs 80401, 80403, 80419, counts 20,390 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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Golden at a glance for water damage
- Population (2025 est.)
- 20,390[3]-0.1% since 2020
- County
- Jefferson[3]
- Land area
- 9.6 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 46 since 1980[1]$247,656 paid across 24 claims · ZIP 80401, 80403, 80419
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 3[5]2016–2025 · latest Jun 29, 2023
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Jefferson Co.
- 3[6]of 13 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 43%[2]the 6th-highest share of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 43%[2]2020–2024
What Golden's numbers say about water damage
Golden is one of the most established suburbs tracked here — 20,390 people (2025 estimate), down just 0.1% since 2020[3]. It covers 9.6 square miles (2,115 residents per square mile, the 13th densest), sits entirely in Jefferson County, in ZIP codes 80401, 80403, 80419[4].
Golden mixes 13% of homes built since 2010 and 43% before 1980[2]: new supply lines and water heaters in one house, aging pipe and original valves in the next — so where a leak starts depends a lot on the address.
Mail to Golden goes through 3 ZIP codes — 80401 (75% of the city's land), 80403 (24% of the city's land), 80419 (1% of the city's land)[7].
The tracked suburbs closest by are Lakewood (5.8 mi SE), Arvada (7.1 mi NE) and Westminster (12.4 mi NE)[4].
46 flood-insurance claims have come from Golden-area ZIP codes (80401, 80403, 80419) since 1980, and $247,656 has been paid on them (about $10,319 per paid claim)[1]. 2013 was the worst year, with 13 claims. That is the 6th-most of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Lakewood (200), Arvada (103), and Westminster (45). Of the 38 claims rated in a flood zone, 16 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 22 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Golden-area flood claims cluster in May (6), June (13), and September (12) — 31 of 46 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Golden, weather observers filed 3 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025 (3 flash floods)[5]. Countywide: 3 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes (DR-4731, 2023)[6]. Nearby: Lakewood (10), Arvada (12), and Westminster (14).
43% of Golden's 8,175 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 6th-highest share of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover (Lakewood (56%), Arvada (53%), and Westminster (34%)). Expect a mix of original and replaced plumbing.
43% of Golden households rent[2]: tenants should report leaks to the landlord in writing, with photos.
Measured against the 15 suburbs on this site, Golden records the highest median home value ($837,700)[2] and the 2nd-highest renter share (43%)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Leaked water spreads outward and wicks up drywall the longer it runs.
Get water damage help in Golden
Water damage restoration contractors taking requests around Golden cover ZIP codes 80401, 80403, 80419.
Before you pick up the phone: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Golden homes by building type
44%[2] of Golden's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 38%, the 4th-highest multi-unit share of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover). Water crosses those lines: in an attached or stacked unit, tell the neighbour and the association or landlord right away, and check whose policy covers which part of the damage.
After detached houses, the biggest group is 20–49 units: 982 of 8,175 housing units[2].
Golden also has 613 mobile homes (7.5%); for a leak under one, ask for a crew that works on manufactured homes.
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 3,936 | 48.1% | ±315 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 555 | 6.8% | ±127 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 108 | 1.3% | ±60 |
| 3–4 units | 444 | 5.4% | ±150 |
| 5–9 units | 431 | 5.3% | ±183 |
| 10–19 units | 586 | 7.2% | ±232 |
| 20–49 units | 982 | 12.0% | ±194 |
| 50 or more units | 520 | 6.4% | ±153 |
| Mobile home | 613 | 7.5% | ±169 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
The Golden numbers behind this page
| Measure | Golden | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 3 | 6 | 3 fewer |
| Median home value | $837,700 | $574,400 | 46% higher |
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 46 | 35 | 11 more |
| Built before 1980 | 43% | 37% | 6 pts higher |
| Renter-occupied | 43% | 37% | 6 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 57% | 63% | 6 pts lower |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1987 | 2 years newer |
Sorted by largest difference. Each median is the middle value across the covered Denver-area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden | 46 | 3 | 43% | 43% |
| Lakewood 5.8 mi | 200 | 10 | 56% | 42% |
| Arvada 7.1 mi | 103 | 12 | 53% | 25% |
| Westminster 12.4 mi | 45 | 14 | 34% | 38% |
| Englewood 13.2 mi | 26 | 11 | 68% | 51% |
| Littleton 14.6 mi | 35 | 4 | 46% | 39% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80401 | 35 | $75,837 | 2013 (9) | 17 of 28 |
| 80403 | 11 | $171,819 | 2013 (4) | 5 of 10 |
| 80419 | 0 | $0 | — | — |
ZIPs extend past city limits. Outside high-risk zones: claims rated in zone B, C or X, of the claims that carry a zone.
| Year | Claims |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| April | 4 |
| May | 6 |
| June | 13 |
| July | 5 |
| August | 4 |
| September | 12 |
| October | 1 |
| December | 1 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 2023 | Flash Flood | 9.7 mi |
| Jul 20, 2019 | Flash Flood | 4.8 mi |
| Jul 20, 2019 | Flash Flood | 4.3 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Golden's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 80401 | 75% | 15% |
| 80403 | 24% | 2% |
| 80419 | 1% | 100% |
Common Golden water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Golden?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Golden-area ZIPs have 6 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Golden ZIP codes do these crews cover?
80401, 80403, and 80419[7], in Jefferson County. Nearby pages: Lakewood (5.8 mi), Arvada (7.1 mi), and Westminster (12.4 mi)[4].
Which Golden ZIP code has the most flood claims?
80401, with 35 NFIP claims and $75,837 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Golden?
Jun 29, 2023: a flash flood report 9.7 miles from the city center[5].
I rent in Golden. Who arranges the repair?
43% of occupied Golden homes are rented[2], the 2nd-highest share of the 15 Denver-area suburbs we cover. Tell your landlord or property manager in writing first; your lease says who arranges repairs.
Sources
- OpenFEMA NFIP claims
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (keyless bulk)
- Census population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Gazetteer 2025
- NOAA Storm Events Database
- OpenFEMA disaster declarations
- Census 2020 ZCTA–place file
- FEMA, Flood Zones (link unverified)
- FEMA FloodSmart (link unverified)
Data pulled Sep 28, 2026. Full citations and method.