What it's like to live in Denver
Denver is a major city in Colorado with household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, several well-rated hospitals, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Denver deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
- Several well-rated hospitals
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 49" per year
How Denver compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Denver
Based on Denver's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,662
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $73,240 a year
- 46% of Denver renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$123,200
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $61,600
- Homes cost 6.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 30% above US
$1,831/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,831 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $616,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $616,000 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 168% above US
882 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 4142/100k · Denver Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 27% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
7 hospitals
There are 7 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.6 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 57% above US
57% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
199 public schools inside the boundary
There are 199 public schools inside the boundary and 45 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Rocky Mountain National Park (60 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Denver's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,831/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (27% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Denver
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