Denver, Colorado
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Denver.
Key figures
Each metric shows how Denver compares with the U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals where available; catalog-city averages for crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 713,734City limits · not metro/MSA
- Median household income
- $91,681Incorporated place (ACS)17% above U.S. avgU.S. $78,538
- Housing cost index
- 162ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)62% above U.S. avgU.S. 100
- Median home value
- $586,700City limits (ACS)93% above U.S. avgU.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,770City limits (ACS)31% above U.S. avgU.S. $1,348
- Unemployment
- 3.8%County LAUS · not city-onlyNear U.S. avg (4.2 pts)U.S. 4.2 pts
- Avg commute
- 27 min8% above U.S. avgU.S. 25 min
- Walk Score
- 6136% above U.S. avgU.S. 45
- Violent crime rate
- 748.9annualized per 100k · citywide24% above U.S. avgU.S. 602.7
- Property crime rate
- 3743.5annualized per 100k · citywide21% above U.S. avgU.S. 3084.9
- Summer high
- 87°FNear U.S. avg (87°F)U.S. 87°F
- Winter low
- 18°F16.0°F below U.S. avgU.S. 34°F
- Annual rainfall
- 15.4 in53% below U.S. avgU.S. 32.9 in
- Sunny days
- 2816% above U.S. avgU.S. 266
Compare Denver with another city
Denver, Colorado counts about 713,734 residents inside the city limits. Households here report a median income near $91,681; our housing-derived cost index is about 162 (well above the national housing-cost baseline). A typical home near $586,700 and rents around $1,770 frame most shortlists.
High plains sun and Front Range mountain access pull outdoor-oriented movers. Winter lows around 18°F mean heating costs and snow logistics belong on the checklist. Commutes average near 27 minutes one-way, with walkability near 61/100. BLS LAUS puts recent unemployment around 3.8% for the surrounding county. Violent-offense rates near 748.9 per 100k sit in a mid-to-elevated band versus many peer cities in this catalog.
Ask locals about LoDo versus RiNo — those two pockets illustrate how different daily life can feel inside the same city limits, with Capitol Hill as a common third option. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Denver with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Neighborhoods often researched
- LoDo
- RiNo
- Capitol Hill
- Highlands
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Denver city, 1600000US0820000)
- BLS: BLS LAUS LAUCN080310000000003 (Denver County, May 2026)
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019) city offenses known to law enforcement — rates per 100k; CDE API unavailable at enrich time
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00023062 DENVER-STAPLETON)
Last updated 2026-07-28