Dakota Ridge vs Lakewood
Dakota Ridge, 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.
Dakota Ridge edges out Lakewood on overall objective livability (53 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Dakota Ridge | Lakewood |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $117k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $63k | $63k |
| Home Value | $512k | $494k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.52% | 0.50% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.24% | 9.93% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.0 in | 19.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.1 in | 58.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 283 days | 283 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 46 days | 45 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 26.7 | 24.1 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.1 | 56.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1173/100k | 2131/100k |
| Property Crime | 3492/100k | 5340/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 34,234 | 156,149 |
| Median Age | 40.0 | 38.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.37 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+19 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 74.9% | 68.2% |
| Black (%) | 1.0% | 1.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.2% | 22.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.9% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.0% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 9.8/20 | 9.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 30 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.9% | 92.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 81.50 | 29.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 Dakota Ridge or Lakewood more affordable?
- Lakewood has the lower cost of living: its index is $63k, compared with Dakota Ridge's $63k and Lakewood's $63k. Median rent is $2k in Dakota Ridge versus $2k in Lakewood.
- Is Dakota Ridge or Lakewood safer?
- Dakota Ridge has the lower violent crime rate. Dakota Ridge reports 1173/100k and Lakewood reports 2131/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Dakota Ridge or Lakewood?
- The median home value is $512k in Dakota Ridge and $494k in Lakewood, so homes are more affordable in Lakewood.