Denver County vs Jefferson County
Denver County, Colorado versus Jefferson County, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Denver County and Jefferson County score about the same overall (43 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Denver County | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $103k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $63k |
| Home Value | $540k | $557k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.45% | 0.49% |
| Income Tax | 4.76% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.19% | 9.60% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.9 in | 19.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 48.4 in | 74.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 243 days | 283 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 45 days | 44 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 95.2 | 94.9 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 65.7 | 56.1 |
| Violent Crime | 2042/100k | 1173/100k |
| Property Crime | 6453/100k | 3492/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 710,800 | 580,519 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 40.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.29 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+63 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 53.9% | 76.5% |
| Black (%) | 8.5% | 1.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 29.2% | 15.8% |
| Asian (%) | 3.5% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.0% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 14.4/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 37 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.3% | 93.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 9.68 | 0.50 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
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 Denver County or Jefferson County more affordable?
- Denver County has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Denver County's $60k and Jefferson County's $63k. Median rent is $2k in Denver County versus $2k in Jefferson County.
- Is Denver County or Jefferson County safer?
- Jefferson County has the lower violent crime rate. Denver County reports 2042/100k and Jefferson County reports 1173/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Denver County or Jefferson County?
- The median home value is $540k in Denver County and $557k in Jefferson County, so homes are more affordable in Denver County.