Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denver, CO
VS
Westminster, CO
🏆 Westminster leads 13 of 22 categories
Denver
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,853
Violent Crime Index
261⚠ High
Population
710,800 ✓ Larger
Westminster
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$90,651 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
80 ✓ Safer
Population
115,502
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
Cons
Violent crime (993.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $540,400
Property crime (4761.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Westminster, CO
Pros
69% less violent crime than Denver
Homes cost $73k less ($467,200 vs $540,400)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.1%)
Households earn $4,798 more per year on average
Cons
Property crime (3540.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 55" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 105.5 on the COL index
Westminster
Median Income
$4,798
$90,651 vs $85,853/yr
Westminster
Violent Crime
69% lower
303.6 vs 993.0 per 100k
Westminster
Median Home Value
$73k less
$467,200 vs $540,400
Westminster
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.1% vs 4.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denver, CO | Westminster, 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 | $467,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,732⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,853 | $90,651 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 20.9% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 247⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 261⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 227⚠ High | 169⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 42.2% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% | 92.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C | Westminster Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 48.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.4" ✓ Drier | 17.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" ✓ Less | 54.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 710,800 ✓ Larger | 115,502 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 19.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 14.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denver's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Westminster's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Westminster leads 13 of 22 categories. Denver wins 9 and Westminster 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 Denver to Westminster or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($540,400 vs $467,200 median home), income ($85,853 vs $90,651), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denver, CO and Westminster, CO are about 13 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.