Adams County vs Arapahoe County
Adams County, Colorado versus Arapahoe County, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Adams County and Arapahoe County score about the same overall (39 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Adams County | Arapahoe County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $92k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $63k |
| Home Value | $425k | $481k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.61% | 0.55% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.97% | 9.82% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.9 in | 19.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.3 in | 62.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 210 days | 253 days |
| Summer Humidity | 49°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 45 days | 46 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 91.2 | 93.8 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 50.8 | 65.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1195/100k | 1639/100k |
| Property Crime | 3531/100k | 4009/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 520,149 | 654,453 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 37.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.53 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+17 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 47.5% | 57.8% |
| Black (%) | 3.4% | 10.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 41.4% | 20.2% |
| Asian (%) | 3.8% | 6.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 11.9/20 | 12.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 21 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.1% | 93.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Adams County or Arapahoe County more affordable?
- Adams County has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Adams County's $62k and Arapahoe County's $63k. Median rent is $2k in Adams County versus $2k in Arapahoe County.
- Is Adams County or Arapahoe County safer?
- Adams County has the lower violent crime rate. Adams County reports 1195/100k and Arapahoe County reports 1639/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Adams County or Arapahoe County?
- The median home value is $425k in Adams County and $481k in Arapahoe County, so homes are more affordable in Adams County.