Breckenridge vs Vail
Breckenridge, Colorado versus Vail, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Breckenridge and Vail score about the same overall (46 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Breckenridge | Vail |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $129k | $97k |
| Cost of Living | $70k | $70k |
| Home Value | $903k | $847k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.35% | 0.38% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.42% | 10.28% |
| Unemployment | 0.6% | 7.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 58°F | 58°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 21.8 in | 22.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 184.6 in | 189.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 283 days | 283 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 10 days | 13 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 94.9 | 97.6 |
| Air Quality | 58 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.2 | 60.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1514/100k | 2276/100k |
| Property Crime | 2988/100k | 4015/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 5,017 | 4,833 |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 49.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.11 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.16 | 1.26 |
| Political Leaning | D+41 | D+41 |
| White (%) | 82.1% | 93.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.3% | 3.5% |
| Asian (%) | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 12.3% | 2.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 20 min |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 9.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 91 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.2% | 94.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 205.30 | 211.05 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
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 Breckenridge or Vail more affordable?
- Vail has the lower cost of living: its index is $70k, compared with Breckenridge's $70k and Vail's $70k. Median rent is $1k in Breckenridge versus $2k in Vail.
- Is Breckenridge or Vail safer?
- Breckenridge has the lower violent crime rate. Breckenridge reports 1514/100k and Vail reports 2276/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Breckenridge or Vail?
- The median home value is $903k in Breckenridge and $847k in Vail, so homes are more affordable in Vail.