Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
Lakewood, CO
🏆 Bend leads 14 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
Lakewood
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,786 ✓ Higher
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.
Bend, OR
Pros
79% less violent crime than Lakewood
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Homes cost $83k less ($494,100 vs $576,900)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
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
Snowy winters — about 58" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Violent Crime
79% lower
168.5 vs 787.2 per 100k
Bend
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.4% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 105.8 on the COL index
Lakewood
Median Home Value
$83k less
$494,100 vs $576,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | Lakewood, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $494,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,665⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 | $82,786 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 16.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 221⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 243⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 93.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 85.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 17.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" ✓ Less | 58.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 156,149 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 38.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 58.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 17.0% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs Lakewood's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Lakewood is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 14 of 23 categories. Bend 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 Bend to Lakewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $494,100 median home), income ($82,671 vs $82,786), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and Lakewood, CO are about 884 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.