Median Income
$106,014
household / year
Median Home Value
$553,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,706
gross / month
Cost of Living
106
national avg = 100

Is Arvada, CO a Good Place to Live?

Arvada is a mid-sized city of 123,066 in Colorado, with a median household income of $106,014 and a 3.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.

Strengths: Arvada stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Arvada is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Arvada city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 105.5

Arvada's overall cost of living index is 105.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Arvada costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.

Metric Arvada, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $553,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,706 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 74.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $106,014 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Arvada's violent crime rate is 285.6 per 100,000 residents — 25% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
285.6 /100k
Property Crime
2478.9 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Arvada is served primarily by Jefferson County School District No. R-1. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Arvada, CO National Avg
School District Jefferson County School District No. R-1 —
Elementary Schools 85 —
Middle Schools 19 —
High Schools 30 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 16.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 47.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Arvada sees average highs of 47.2°F in January and 88.2°F in July, with 17.9 inches of annual precipitation and 54.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricArvada, CO
Average High — January47.2°F
Average High — July88.2°F
Annual Precipitation17.9"
Annual Snowfall54.8"

Demographics

MetricArvada, CONational Avg
Population123,066—
Median Age40.238.9
Unemployment Rate3.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time26.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)84.5%59.3%
Black or African American0.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino8.8%18.9%
Asian2.4%6.3%
Under 1820.1%22.2%
65 and over17.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Fairmount, CO 3 mi Wheat Ridge, CO 5 mi Westminster, CO 6 mi Applewood, CO 6 mi Shaw Heights, CO 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Arvada

Arvada, CO is covered by 5 ZIP codes:

80007 80004 80005 80003 80002

Arvada vs Other Cities

Arvada, CO vs Fairmount, CO Arvada, CO vs Wheat Ridge, CO Arvada, CO vs Westminster, CO Arvada, CO vs Applewood, CO Arvada, CO vs Shaw Heights, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Arvada's cost of living index is 106, where 100 is the national average. That puts Arvada roughly 6% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $553,000 and median rent is $1,706/month.
Arvada's violent crime rate is 285.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2478.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Arvada are operated by Jefferson County School District No. R-1. The district has 85 elementary, 19 middle, and 30 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.7:1. 47.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Arvada, CO has a population of 123,066, a median household income of $106,014, and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Arvada averages 47.2°F in January and 88.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 17.9 inches with about 54.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Arvada, CO is covered by 5 ZIP codes: 80007, 80004, 80005, 80003, 80002.
The population of Arvada, Colorado is 123,066 with a median age of 40.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Arvada: cost of living index 106 (100 = US average), median home $553,000, median household income $106,014, crime index 92 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Arvada side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.