Arapahoe County vs Denver County
Arapahoe County, Colorado versus Denver County, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Arapahoe County and Denver County score about the same overall (42 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Arapahoe County | Denver County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $92k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $63k | $60k |
| Home Value | $481k | $540k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.55% | 0.45% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.76% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.82% | 10.19% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.5 in | 16.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 62.1 in | 48.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 253 days | 243 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 46 days | 45 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 93.8 | 95.2 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 65.2 | 65.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1639/100k | 2042/100k |
| Property Crime | 4009/100k | 6453/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 654,453 | 710,800 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.54 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+63 |
| White (%) | 57.8% | 53.9% |
| Black (%) | 10.6% | 8.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 20.2% | 29.2% |
| Asian (%) | 6.1% | 3.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.4% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 12.2/20 | 14.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 21 mi | 12 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.6% | 91.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 9.68 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Arapahoe County or Denver County more affordable?
- Denver County has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Arapahoe County's $63k and Denver County's $60k. Median rent is $2k in Arapahoe County versus $2k in Denver County.
- Is Arapahoe County or Denver County safer?
- Arapahoe County has the lower violent crime rate. Arapahoe County reports 1639/100k and Denver County reports 2042/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Arapahoe County or Denver County?
- The median home value is $481k in Arapahoe County and $540k in Denver County, so homes are more affordable in Arapahoe County.