With 740,613 people, Denver can't be summed up by one letter: its C+ averages neighborhoods that are worlds apart. It ranks 119th of 158 graded places in Colorado. Residents are healthier than 94% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and it is more walkable than 98% of U.S. towns. What weighs on its grade: its police reported 6,421 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 98% of U.S. towns, and the typical home is worth about $521K, 4.9 years of the Denver metro’s $106K median household income. 45% of working residents work locally in Denver, against 7.5% in Colorado’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Denver Civic Center and Denver Mint. Only 1 of the 93 Colorado towns we compare have a higher violent crime rate than Denver.

StrongestA⁺Walkability AHealth A⁻OutdoorsWeakestD⁻Safety C⁻Cost of living

What makes Denver stand out

Where Denver beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Emmanuel Shearith Israel Chapel

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1858

326 places on the National Register

A history going back 168 years.

Biggest of 7

College	Students
Metropolitan State University of Denver	13,478
University of Denver	10,402
Community College of Denver	5,660

Colleges in town

7 colleges

33,853 students on campus

Students are 6% of residents.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Denver8.8

Colorado4.4

U.S.3.3

Worth knowing · SafetyD⁻

2 times the violent crime than CO

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

Emmanuel Shearith Israel Chapel · National Register of Historic Places

Denver’s story

168 years in pictures

Denver Civic Center is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1858, comes before those of 98% of the Colorado towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 4,749 in 1860, 715,522 in 2020. The archive holds 30 old photos and papers going back to 1859 and 6 maps from 1940 on.

326 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1858Denver is settled

Explore the history →

How Denver grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far Denver is from typical.

How grading works

Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 98% of comparable towns) to D− for safety (better than 2%), so the C+ overall blends very different results.

WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.5 of 20; 10.3% of households have no car; 8.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁺Open →SafetyD⁻Open →HealthUniversity of Colorado Hospital Authority 2.5 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingC⁻Open →Jobs & income$95K median household incomeB⁺Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC⁺Open →SchoolsB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

OutdoorsA⁻Open →History34 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life3.6 library visits per resident; 4.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market21 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.3; 56% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Empower Field at Mile High and 57 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Denver. Close and well known come first.

All 76 attractions →

Big drawin town Stadium & arenaEmpower Field at Mile High

in town Stadium & arenaBall Arena

in town Stadium & arenaCoors Field

Big draw19 mi TheatreRed Rocks Amphitheatre

in town Theme parkElitch Gardens Theme Park

3 mi Stadium & arenaDick's Sporting Goods Park

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Empower Field at Mile High: Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ball Arena: KM Newnham, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Coors Field: Matt Kozlowski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Red Rocks Amphitheatre: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Elitch Gardens Theme Park: USGS, Public domain · Dick's Sporting Goods Park: Tom Pratt, CC BY 2.0

Getting set up

Moving to Denver: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Denver, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerXcel Energy15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterDenver Water BoardNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet10 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpCity of Denver Recycling Center7400 East Cherry Creek South DriveOpenStreetMap

SchoolsDenver County School District 1Which school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereDenver County Clerk and Recorder, Elections DivisionThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2018

ZIP codes80219, 80239, 80210, 8021180219 9% · 80239 6% · 80210 6% · 80211 5%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Denver.

Denver draws workers from Aurora and beyond and has a shorter frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Colorado; it also reports more crime than Englewood and its other graded neighbors.

SafetyD⁻

Denver’s grade for safety is a D−

Each of the 4 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Englewood (D−) to Commerce City (D). Reported crimes fell from 48,234 to 36,508 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

Denver’s property crime rate is 41 per 1,000 residents. Denver reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 98% report less.

2%of U.S. towns report more crimeD⁻Safety Grade

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Denver8.8

Colorado4.4

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Denver41

Colorado22.4

U.S.15.5

2nd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

7th

percentile among CO towns

6,421

violent crimes reported in 2025

30,087

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageDenver’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type8.8 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 6 graded neighbors Questions“Is Denver, CO safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

SchoolsB⁻

Denver’s schools rank behind 51% of Colorado districts

Its public schools are run by the Denver County School District No. 1. Three of its 241 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

49%of CO districts it outscoresB⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
McAuliffe International SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	1,329	A⁺
East High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	2,476	A
Polaris Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades 1–5	Grades 1–5	350	A⁺

Full pageDenver’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsSchool District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C Vs. the neighborsAhead of 3 of its 8 graded neighbors Every school241 schools · Denver Language School Questions“Are Denver’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B⁺

About half of working residents work right in Denver

523,496 jobs are based in Denver, 1.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

27% of workers work from home in Denver. Jobs based in Denver grew to 523,496 in 2023, 98,494 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Aurora (9%), Lakewood (4%) and Greenwood Village (3%).

45%work in town

	Denver	Colorado towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	27%	18%	11%
Below the poverty line	11%	8.4%	9.6%
Median household income	$95,000	$95,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Denver45%

Aurora9%

Lakewood4%

Greenwood Village3%

Centennial3%

7 mi

median commute distance

523,496

jobs based in Denver

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: more walkable than 98% of U.S. towns

Full pageDenver’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here523,496 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work45% work in Denver Commute times25 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 7 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HealthA

Denver’s grade for health is an A

Within Colorado it is healthier than 67% of the 159 graded towns: Colorado sets a high bar.

26% of Denver adults binge drink. Denver beats the Colorado average on 9 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 21% of Denver adults have high blood pressure.

94%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade

	Denver	Colorado towns	U.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	26%	18%	16%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	21%	27%	35%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	22%	26%	35%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	69%	71%	79%

26 measures vs. Colorado

9 better13 too close to call4 worse

What stands out	Denver	CO
Fewer adults who have had cancer	5.8%	7.8%
Fewer adults with COPD	4.1%	5.3%
More binge drinkers	25.9%	19%

University of Colorado Hospital Authority

2.5 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

67th

percentile among CO towns

Full pageDenver’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore binge drinkers Hospitals & doctors nearby2.5 miles to an ER · University of Colorado Hospital Authority How adults are doingFewer adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than CO on 9 of 26

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

OutdoorsA⁻

Conserved land covers 7% of Denver

181 miles of trail in 245 parks and preserves. The trail density in Denver is 1.2 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is City Park, 325 acres with 6.4 miles of trail.

#87for trails in CO

	Denver	Colorado towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	1.2 miles per square mile	1.3	0.4
Conserved land	7%	6.8%	4.3%

conserved · 6,910 of 98,461 acres

181 mi

of trails · 1.2 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. City Park	6.4 mi	325
2. Washington Park	5.4 mi	155
3. Prairie Uplands Park	4.3 mi	113

Full pageDenver’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map181 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk6.4 miles of trail · City Park Conserved land7% conserved · 6,910 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Denver?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

Snowy winters and hot summers in Denver

The Denver-stapleton weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 156 days: shorter than most of the country, but longer than 77% of Colorado places with climate records.

Denver has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 19° and about 49 inches of snow falls in a winter.

49″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter19–46°

Spring35–63°

Summer56–87°

Fall37–67°

Oct 8

typical first frost

May 4

typical last frost

+1.5°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageDenver’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 89°, January lows 19°Rain & snow49″ of snow a winter · 15 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.5° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C⁺

Denver faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 82 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Denver.

60risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingHailTornadoes

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageDenver’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims82 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Denver Get ready0.8 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HousingCost of living grade C⁻

Denver’s grade for cost of living is a C−

The typical value, about $521K, is 12% below its June 2022 peak.

The typical Denver home is worth about $521,000, down 1.9% in a year, close to the Colorado typical home.

$521KZillow home value

	Denver	Colorado towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	49%	71%	73%
Median rent	$1,831 a month	$1,807 a month	$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	48%	53%	48%

Typical home value

Denver$521K

Colorado$529K

Market temperature

days on market

99.1%

sale-to-list price

−1.9%

value change, 1 year

984

homes sold in May

Full pageDenver’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1.9% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.5 years of income Rents$1,831 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 3 of its 8 graded neighbors

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Denver

20pages on Denver

The big questions

SchoolsB⁻Behind 51% of CO districts · 241 schools SafetyD⁻8.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than CO on 9 of 26 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁻$521K typical home · down 1.9% in a year Work & commuteB⁺$95K median household income · 523,496 jobs here Natural hazardsC⁺FEMA risk higher than 60% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻181 mi of trails · 7% conserved land PlacesAttractions76 nearby · Empower Field at Mile High under 1 mi LibraryB3.6 library visits per resident CollegesIliff School of Theology, in town

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1858 · 326 on the National Register Famous people34 born in Denver Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 53 residents Climate89° summer highs · 49″ of snow

Day to day

News12 recent stories about Denver WeatherHandbookZIP code 80201, 80202, 80203 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

19 within 15 miles of the center of Denver

Metropolitan State University of DenverUniversity or college · Public · DenverIn town$11,124 in-state tuition Iliff School of TheologyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · DenverIn town Community College of AuroraCommunity college · Public · Aurora5.2 mi$4,470 in-state tuition

About 6 of every 100 Denver residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Colorado.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A growing town

Denver has grown 23% since 2010

600,158 counted in 2010 and 715,522 in 2020; an estimated 740,613 in 2025.

600,1582010

715,5222020

740,6132025 est.

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025

Landmarks

326 places in Denver on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Emmanuel Shearith Israel ChapelBuilt 1876

St. Elizabeth's Church

Colorado Governor's MansionBuilt 1908

Daniels and Fisher TowerBuilt 1911

Famous people from Denver

34 notable people were born in Denver.

See all 34 →

David FincherAmerican film director · born 1962

John L. HallAmerican physicist · born 1934

Douglas FairbanksAmerican actor, screenwriter, director, and producer · 1883–1939

AnnaSophia RobbAmerican actress · born 1993

John SearleAmerican philosopher · 1932–2025

Paul M. RomerAmerican economist · born 1955

About Denver

Capital of Colorado, U.S.

Official town website ↗

Denver ( DEN-vər) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Officially a consolidated city and county, it is located in the South Platte River valley on the western edge of the High Plains, and is just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains (Rockies). Denver is the 19th-most populous city in the United States and the fifth-most populous state capital, with a population of 715,522 at the 2020 census. The ten-county Denver metropolitan area, with 3.1 million residents, is the 19th-largest metropolitan area in the country and functions as the economic and cultural center of the broader Front Range Urban Corridor. Denver's downtown district lies about 12 miles…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1858
Area: 155 sq mi
Elevation: 5,279 ft
ZIP code: 80201, 80202, 80203

Denver’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Denver.

Explore the map →

How the neighbors grade

Town	CO rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Denver	#119	C⁺	C⁻	D⁻	B⁻	A
Lakewood	#97	B⁻	C⁻	D⁻	A⁻	A
Aurora	#122	C	C	D⁻	B	B⁺
Four Square Mile	#43	A⁻	C⁻	—	A⁻	A⁻
Englewood	#131	C	C	D⁻	C⁻	A
Bow Mar	—	—	—	—	—	—
North Washington	—	—	—	—	—	—
Commerce City	#139	C⁻	D	D	C⁺	B

Four Square Mile reports no FBI crime data of its own. Bow Mar and North Washington aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Denver with a neighbor →

Questions about Denver

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Denver, CO a good place to live?

Denver grades C+ overall, better than 36% of U.S. towns and #119 of 158 in Colorado. It grades A for health, D− for safety and B− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Denver, CO expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.

What is Denver, CO known for?

34 notable people were born here, including David Fincher and John L. Hall.

Post to Denver

Check your email

DenverCO

What is it like to live in Denver?

What makes Denver stand out

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

168 years in pictures

How Denver grades

Empower Field at Mile High and 57 more within 40 miles

Moving to Denver: who provides what

The data

Denver’s grade for safety is a D−

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Denver’s schools rank behind 51% of Colorado districts

About half of working residents work right in Denver

Where working residents work

Denver’s grade for health is an A

Conserved land covers 7% of Denver

Snowy winters and hot summers in Denver

Typical low → high °F

Denver faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Denver’s grade for cost of living is a C−

Typical home value

Everything we know about Denver

Colleges nearby

Denver has grown 23% since 2010

Landmarks

Famous people from Denver

About Denver

Denver’s neighbors

Questions about Denver