Longmont vs Wheat Ridge
Longmont, Colorado versus Wheat Ridge, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Longmont and Wheat Ridge score about the same overall (46 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Longmont | Wheat Ridge |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $90k | $80k |
| Cost of Living | $70k | $70k |
| Home Value | $488k | $538k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.53% | 0.46% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.86% | 10.07% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.1 in | 17.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 47.4 in | 75.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 210 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 49°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 25 days | 44 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 26.9 | 77.3 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.3 | 56.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1331/100k | 1335/100k |
| Property Crime | 2867/100k | 5120/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 98,282 | 32,263 |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 41.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | D+28 | D+28 |
| White (%) | 69.6% | 74.5% |
| Black (%) | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 22.6% | 20.5% |
| Asian (%) | 2.8% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 3.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 13.4/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 31 mi | 24 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.5% | 89.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.66 | 232.77 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
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 Longmont or Wheat Ridge more affordable?
- Wheat Ridge has the lower cost of living: its index is $70k, compared with Longmont's $70k and Wheat Ridge's $70k. Median rent is $2k in Longmont versus $1k in Wheat Ridge.
- Is Longmont or Wheat Ridge safer?
- Longmont has the lower violent crime rate. Longmont reports 1331/100k and Wheat Ridge reports 1335/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Longmont or Wheat Ridge?
- The median home value is $488k in Longmont and $538k in Wheat Ridge, so homes are more affordable in Longmont.