Arvada vs Grand Junction
Arvada, Colorado versus Grand Junction, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Grand Junction edges out Arvada on overall objective livability (52 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Arvada | Grand Junction |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $106k | $63k |
| Cost of Living | $70k | $46k |
| Home Value | $553k | $318k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.41% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.56% | 9.05% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.9 in | 11.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 62.5 in | 17.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 280 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 43°F |
| Comfortable Days | 31 days | 39 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 52.6 | 30.4 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 30 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.1 | 41.2 |
| Violent Crime | 635/100k | 1690/100k |
| Property Crime | 3050/100k | 3143/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 123,066 | 65,918 |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 39.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.28 | 0.24 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+28 | R+29 |
| White (%) | 77.9% | 77.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Asian (%) | 2.3% | 1.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 9.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 27 mi | 214 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.1% | 90.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.68 | 34.89 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Arvada or Grand Junction more affordable?
- Grand Junction has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Arvada's $70k and Grand Junction's $46k. Median rent is $2k in Arvada versus $1k in Grand Junction.
- Is Arvada or Grand Junction safer?
- Arvada has the lower violent crime rate. Arvada reports 635/100k and Grand Junction reports 1690/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Arvada or Grand Junction?
- The median home value is $553k in Arvada and $318k in Grand Junction, so homes are more affordable in Grand Junction.