Boulder vs Erie
Boulder, Colorado versus Erie, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Boulder and Erie score about the same overall (48 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Boulder | Erie |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $80k | $155k |
| Cost of Living | $59k | $70k |
| Home Value | $920k | $644k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.51% | 0.75% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.79% | 10.09% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.6 in | 16.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.2 in | 65.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 210 days | 210 days |
| Summer Humidity | 49°F | 49°F |
| Comfortable Days | 20 days | 27 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 52.4 | 49.8 |
| Air Quality | 31 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.9 | 45.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1063/100k | 359/100k |
| Property Crime | 3020/100k | 1039/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 106,598 | 30,447 |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.07 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+58 | D+28 |
| White (%) | 78.1% | 79.1% |
| Black (%) | 1.0% | 0.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.7% | 10.7% |
| Asian (%) | 5.9% | 5.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 15.1/20 | 9.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 32 mi | 24 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.0% | 96.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 41.84 | 56.49 |
| 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 Boulder or Erie more affordable?
- Boulder has the lower cost of living: its index is $59k, compared with Boulder's $59k and Erie's $70k. Median rent is $2k in Boulder versus $3k in Erie.
- Is Boulder or Erie safer?
- Erie has the lower violent crime rate. Boulder reports 1063/100k and Erie reports 359/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Boulder or Erie?
- The median home value is $920k in Boulder and $644k in Erie, so homes are more affordable in Erie.