Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, CO
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Sparks leads 13 of 23 categories
Aurora
Colorado
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,685
Violent Crime Index
249⚠ High
Population
387,349 ✓ Larger
Sparks
Nevada
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,938 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,025
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, CO
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.5%)
More college-educated — 31.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Longer commutes — 29.4 min average each way
Higher rents — median is $1,651/mo
Sparks, NV
Pros
58% less violent crime than Aurora
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Rent averages $125/mo less ($1,526 vs $1,651)
Households earn $4,253 more per year on average
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Aurora
Cons
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Median Home Value
$14k less
$409,700 vs $423,500
Aurora
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.1% unemployment
Sparks
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 103.2 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Sparks
Median Income
$4,253
$82,938 vs $78,685/yr
Sparks
Violent Crime
58% lower
394.4 vs 947.8 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, CO | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $409,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $423,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,651⚠ High | $1,526⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,685 | $82,938 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.4 min⚠ High | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 209⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 249⚠ High | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 148⚠ High | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 86.9% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Aurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.3°F | 48.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.4°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.5" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" | 6.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 387,349 ✓ Larger | 108,025 |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 37.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 59.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Sparks is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sparks leads 13 of 23 categories. Aurora wins 10 and Sparks wins 13. 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 Aurora to Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($409,700 vs $423,500 median home), income ($78,685 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, CO and Sparks, NV are about 797 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.