Living in Denver, CO
Big city in Colorado
Denver is a big city in Colorado, home to about 714,000 people, with 3.0 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
In short: An outdoorsy city with lots of sunshine and the Rockies about an hour away. Housing has become expensive.
Is Denver a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 18 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low taxes: about $1,517 state income tax per resident, 0.44% property tax
- Easy flying: DEN is 17 mi away
- Highly educated: 56% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 4 research universities are within 31 mi
👎 Cons
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $556k, and rent is $2,730 a month
- Higher crime: violent crime is 2.0× the US rate (FBI 2019)
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Denver ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Denver: common questions
What is the cost of living in Denver?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $556k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,730 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 106, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Denver?
Colorado collects about $1,517 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.44% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Denver safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.0× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Denver?
Denver has cold winters: winter days average around 48°F and summer days around 89°F, with roughly 41″ of snow a year.
Does Denver get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, hail and tornadoes: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.33 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Denver?
The nearest major airport is DEN, about 17 mi away.
How Denver scores
Each bar compares Denver with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Denver right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.