Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kirkland, WA
VS
Westminster, CO
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Kirkland
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
92,015
Westminster
Colorado
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$90,651
Violent Crime Index
80
Population
115,502 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kirkland, WA
Pros
80% less violent crime than Westminster
Households earn $44,957 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 62.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $937,700
Higher rents — median is $2,250/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Westminster
Westminster, CO
Pros
Homes cost $471k less ($467,200 vs $937,700)
Rent averages $518/mo less ($1,732 vs $2,250)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.1%)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Kirkland
Cons
Median income trails Kirkland by $44,957/yr
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
Kirkland
Median Income
$44,957
$135,608 vs $90,651/yr
Kirkland
Violent Crime
80% lower
60.6 vs 303.6 per 100k
Westminster
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Westminster
Median Home Value
$471k less
$467,200 vs $937,700
Westminster
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.1% vs 4.7% unemployment
Westminster
Summer Heat
14.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kirkland, WA | Westminster, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $937,700⚠ High | $467,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250⚠ High | $1,732⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $135,608 ✓ Higher | $90,651 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.5 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 80 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 18.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 42.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.6% ✓ Higher | 92.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Westminster Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 48.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8" | 17.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 54.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,015 | 115,502 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% | 63.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 14.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkland's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Westminster's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Westminster is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Kirkland wins 11 and Westminster wins 11. 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 Kirkland to Westminster or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($937,700 vs $467,200 median home), income ($135,608 vs $90,651), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kirkland, WA and Westminster, CO are about 1,008 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.