Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Aurora, CO
🏆 Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845
Aurora
Colorado
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,685
Violent Crime Index
249⚠ High
Population
387,349 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $58,702 more per year on average
73% less violent crime than Aurora
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Aurora
Aurora, CO
Pros
Homes cost $424k less ($409,700 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $576/mo less ($1,651 vs $2,227)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $58,702/yr
Violent crime (947.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3103.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$58,702
$137,387 vs $78,685/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
73% lower
254.4 vs 947.8 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.5% unemployment
Aurora
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Aurora
Median Home Value
$424k less
$409,700 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Aurora, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $409,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,651⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $78,685 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 13.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 209⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 249⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 148⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 31.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 86.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 47.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 90.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 17.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 49.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 | 387,349 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 35.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 62.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 11.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Aurora's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Aurora is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 13 and Aurora wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Aurora or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $409,700 median home), income ($137,387 vs $78,685), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Aurora, CO are about 1,472 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.