Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denver, CO
VS
Lakewood, CO
🏆 Denver leads 13 of 21 categories
Denver
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,853 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
261⚠ High
Population
710,800 ✓ Larger
Lakewood
Colorado
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,786
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
156,149
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denver, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 54.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Households earn $3,067 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (993.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4761.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Pricier housing — median home is $540,400
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Lakewood, CO
Pros
21% less violent crime than Denver
Homes cost $46k less ($494,100 vs $540,400)
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
Median income trails Denver by $3,067/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Denver
Median Income
$3,067
$85,853 vs $82,786/yr
Denver
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 90.2°F vs 85.9°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 105.5 on the COL index
Lakewood
Violent Crime
21% lower
787.2 vs 993.0 per 100k
Lakewood
Median Home Value
$46k less
$494,100 vs $540,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denver, CO | Lakewood, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $540,400⚠ High | $494,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,665⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,853 ✓ Higher | $82,786 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.3 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 20.9% ✓ Higher | 16.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 247⚠ High | 221⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 261⚠ High | 207⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 227⚠ High ✓ Safer | 243⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% | 93.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F ✓ Warmer | 44.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F ✓ Warmer | 85.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.4" ✓ Drier | 17.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" ✓ Less | 58.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 710,800 ✓ Larger | 156,149 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 58.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denver's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Lakewood's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Denver leads 13 of 21 categories. Denver wins 13 and Lakewood wins 8. 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 Denver to Lakewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($540,400 vs $494,100 median home), income ($85,853 vs $82,786), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denver, CO and Lakewood, CO are about 13 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.