Grand Junction vs Lakewood
Grand Junction, 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.
Grand Junction edges out Lakewood on overall objective livability (52 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Grand Junction | Lakewood |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $63k |
| Home Value | $318k | $494k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.41% | 0.50% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.05% | 9.93% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.7 in | 19.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.7 in | 58.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 280 days | 283 days |
| Summer Humidity | 43°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 39 days | 45 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 30.4 | 24.1 |
| Air Quality | 30 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 41.2 | 56.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1690/100k | 2131/100k |
| Property Crime | 3143/100k | 5340/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 65,918 | 156,149 |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 38.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.24 | 0.37 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+29 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 77.9% | 68.2% |
| Black (%) | 0.6% | 1.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.5% | 22.4% |
| Asian (%) | 1.2% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 9.8/20 | 9.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 214 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.3% | 92.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 34.89 | 29.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Grand Junction or Lakewood more affordable?
- Grand Junction has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Grand Junction's $46k and Lakewood's $63k. Median rent is $1k in Grand Junction versus $2k in Lakewood.
- Is Grand Junction or Lakewood safer?
- Grand Junction has the lower violent crime rate. Grand Junction reports 1690/100k and Lakewood reports 2131/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Grand Junction or Lakewood?
- The median home value is $318k in Grand Junction and $494k in Lakewood, so homes are more affordable in Grand Junction.