Median Income
$82,786
household / year
Median Home Value
$494,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,665
gross / month
Cost of Living
106
national avg = 100

Is Lakewood, CO a Good Place to Live?

Lakewood is a mid-sized city of 156,149 in Colorado, with a median household income of $82,786 and a 4.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.

Strengths: Lakewood stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, a higher-than-average crime index. Whether Lakewood is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Lakewood 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

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

Metric Lakewood, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $494,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,665 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 58.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $82,786 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Lakewood's violent crime rate is 787.2 per 100,000 residents — 107% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
787.2 /100k
Property Crime
5093.4 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Lakewood 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 Lakewood, 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 44.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Lakewood sees average highs of 44.8°F in January and 85.9°F in July, with 17.8 inches of annual precipitation and 58.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricLakewood, CO
Average High — January44.8°F
Average High — July85.9°F
Annual Precipitation17.8"
Annual Snowfall58.0"

Demographics

MetricLakewood, CONational Avg
Population156,149—
Median Age38.138.9
Unemployment Rate4.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)78.6%59.3%
Black or African American1.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino11.0%18.9%
Asian4.1%6.3%
Under 1816.8%22.2%
65 and over17.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

East Pleasant View, CO 3 mi West Pleasant View, CO 4 mi Applewood, CO 4 mi Edgewater, CO 5 mi Wheat Ridge, CO 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Lakewood

Lakewood, CO is covered by 6 ZIP codes:

80228 80227 80226 80215 80214 80232

Lakewood vs Other Cities

Lakewood, CO vs East Pleasant View, CO Lakewood, CO vs West Pleasant View, CO Lakewood, CO vs Applewood, CO Lakewood, CO vs Edgewater, CO Lakewood, CO vs Wheat Ridge, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Lakewood's cost of living index is 106, where 100 is the national average. That puts Lakewood roughly 6% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $494,100 and median rent is $1,665/month.
Lakewood's violent crime rate is 787.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 5093.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Lakewood 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. 44.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Lakewood, CO has a population of 156,149, a median household income of $82,786, and an unemployment rate of 4.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Lakewood averages 44.8°F in January and 85.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 17.8 inches with about 58.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Lakewood, CO is covered by 6 ZIP codes: 80228, 80227, 80226, 80215, 80214, 80232.
The population of Lakewood, Colorado is 156,149 with a median age of 38.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lakewood: cost of living index 106 (100 = US average), median home $494,100, median household income $82,786, crime index 221 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lakewood side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.