Aurora vs Denver
Aurora, Colorado versus Denver, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Aurora and Denver score about the same overall (43 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Aurora | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $60k |
| Home Value | $410k | $540k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.53% | 0.45% |
| Income Tax | 4.90% | 4.90% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.22% | 10.33% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.5 in | 15.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0 in | 49.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 45 days | 38 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 27.2 | 53.3 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 70.6 | 71.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2174/100k | 2034/100k |
| Property Crime | 4253/100k | 6437/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 387,349 | 710,800 |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.54 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+63 | D+63 |
| White (%) | 42.8% | 53.9% |
| Black (%) | 16.1% | 8.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 29.7% | 29.2% |
| Asian (%) | 5.9% | 3.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.5% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 10.8/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 12 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.8% | 91.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.86 | 9.64 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Aurora or Denver more affordable?
- Denver has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Aurora's $60k and Denver's $60k. Median rent is $2k in Aurora versus $2k in Denver.
- Is Aurora or Denver safer?
- Denver has the lower violent crime rate. Aurora reports 2174/100k and Denver reports 2034/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Aurora or Denver?
- The median home value is $410k in Aurora and $540k in Denver, so homes are more affordable in Aurora.