Denver vs Lakewood
Denver, 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.
Lakewood edges out Denver on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Denver | Lakewood |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $63k |
| Home Value | $540k | $494k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.45% | 0.50% |
| Income Tax | 4.90% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.33% | 9.93% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.4 in | 19.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0 in | 58.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 283 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 38 days | 45 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 53.3 | 24.1 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 71.5 | 56.1 |
| Violent Crime | 2034/100k | 2131/100k |
| Property Crime | 6437/100k | 5340/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 710,800 | 156,149 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 38.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.37 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+63 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 53.9% | 68.2% |
| Black (%) | 8.5% | 1.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 29.2% | 22.4% |
| Asian (%) | 3.5% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.0% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 12.7/20 | 9.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.3% | 92.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 9.64 | 29.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Denver or Lakewood more affordable?
- Denver has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Denver's $60k and Lakewood's $63k. Median rent is $2k in Denver versus $2k in Lakewood.
- Is Denver or Lakewood safer?
- Denver has the lower violent crime rate. Denver reports 2034/100k and Lakewood reports 2131/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Denver or Lakewood?
- The median home value is $540k in Denver and $494k in Lakewood, so homes are more affordable in Lakewood.