Arvada vs Lafayette
Arvada, Colorado versus Lafayette, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lafayette edges out Arvada on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Arvada | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $106k | $106k |
| Cost of Living | $70k | $70k |
| Home Value | $553k | $612k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.47% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.56% | 9.70% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.9 in | 16.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 62.5 in | 65.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 210 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 49°F |
| Comfortable Days | 31 days | 26 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 52.6 | 22.4 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.1 | 61.9 |
| Violent Crime | 635/100k | 1067/100k |
| Property Crime | 3050/100k | 2660/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 123,066 | 30,295 |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.28 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+28 | D+28 |
| White (%) | 77.9% | 72.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.2% | 16.7% |
| Asian (%) | 2.3% | 3.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 6.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 13.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 27 mi | 25 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.1% | 95.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.68 | 117.84 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Lafayette more affordable?
- Lafayette has the lower cost of living: its index is $70k, compared with Arvada's $70k and Lafayette's $70k. Median rent is $2k in Arvada versus $2k in Lafayette.
- Is Arvada or Lafayette safer?
- Arvada has the lower violent crime rate. Arvada reports 635/100k and Lafayette reports 1067/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Arvada or Lafayette?
- The median home value is $553k in Arvada and $612k in Lafayette, so homes are more affordable in Arvada.