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Columbine vs Lakewood

Columbine, Colorado versus Lakewood, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Columbine

Solid · objective livability52/100

Lakewood

Mixed · objective livability48/100

Columbine edges out Lakewood on overall objective livability (52 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorColumbineLakewood
Affordability
Median Household Income$122k$83k
Cost of Living$63k$63k
Home Value$551k$494k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.50%0.50%
Income Tax4.40%4.40%
Sales Tax7.81%7.81%
Estimated total tax burden9.22%9.93%
Unemployment3.6%4.4%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)32°F32°F
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F74°F
Annual Precipitation18.9 in19.8 in
Annual Snowfall34.1 in58.0 in
Sunny Days283 days283 days
Summer Humidity48°F48°F
Comfortable Days47 days45 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk34.024.1
Air Quality43 AQI46 AQI
School Quality56.156.1
Violent Crime1173/100k2131/100k
Property Crime3492/100k5340/100k
Community
Population25,940156,149
Median Age41.038.1
Racial Diversity0.210.37
Male/Female Ratio0.970.99
Political LeaningD+19D+19
White (%)83.3%68.2%
Black (%)2.1%1.5%
Hispanic (%)10.4%22.4%
Asian (%)1.3%3.9%
Other / Multiracial (%)3.0%4.0%
Getting Around
Commute Time27 min27 min
Walkability8.2/209.9/20
Airport Distance28 mi27 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.3%92.0%
Amenities Nearby172.7129.91
Park & Nature AccessGoodGood

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 Columbine or Lakewood more affordable?
Lakewood has the lower cost of living: its index is $63k, compared with Columbine's $63k and Lakewood's $63k. Median rent is $2k in Columbine versus $2k in Lakewood.
Is Columbine or Lakewood safer?
Columbine has the lower violent crime rate. Columbine reports 1173/100k and Lakewood reports 2131/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Columbine or Lakewood?
The median home value is $551k in Columbine and $494k in Lakewood, so homes are more affordable in Lakewood.
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