Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaverton, OR
VS
Lakewood, CO
🏆 Beaverton leads 14 of 23 categories
Beaverton
Oregon
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$88,899 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96 ✓ Safer
Population
97,554
Lakewood
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,786
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaverton, OR
Pros
54% less violent crime than Lakewood
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.9%)
More college-educated — 48.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $6,113 more per year on average
Cons
Property crime (2661.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Beaverton by $6,113/yr
Snowy winters — about 58" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaverton
Median Income
$6,113
$88,899 vs $82,786/yr
Beaverton
Violent Crime
54% lower
364.8 vs 787.2 per 100k
Beaverton
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.9% vs 4.4% unemployment
Lakewood
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Lakewood
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 85.9°F vs 82.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaverton, OR | Lakewood, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,700⚠ High | $494,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,663⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,665⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,899 ✓ Higher | $82,786 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 16.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 221⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer | 243⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.3:1 | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.3% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% ✓ Higher | 93.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Beaverton SD 48J | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.7°F ✓ Warmer | 44.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.3°F | 85.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.0" | 17.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" ✓ Less | 58.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,554 | 156,149 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.7 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.3% | 58.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaverton's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Lakewood's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Lakewood is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Beaverton leads 14 of 23 categories. Beaverton wins 14 and Lakewood wins 9. 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 Beaverton to Lakewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,700 vs $494,100 median home), income ($88,899 vs $82,786), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaverton, OR and Lakewood, CO are about 982 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.