City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Aurora, CO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Aurora - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

390,201
Residents
$84,320
Median income
$444,500
Median home
$2,089
Median rent (state)

Aurora - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Aurora places in the 66th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

66th
percentile, household income
81st
percentile, home value
85th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Aurora, CO

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 390,201 residents in Aurora, a mid-sized U.S. city within Colorado. Aurora households earn a median of $84,320 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.3%. Typical homes in Aurora are valued around $444,500, and the median resident age is 35.1 years. About 32.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 67.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 2,374 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Stable), up 2% from five years earlier. Aurora's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 4051.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,089 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Colorado's average monthly utility costs around $202 (state average). The average commute for Aurora workers runs 24.6 minutes, with 68.3% driving alone and 14.8% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.2 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

390,201 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$84,320 /yr

Poverty 8.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Aurora compare to other US cities?

Aurora measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 66% higher than other cities
Home value 81% pricier than other cities
Median rent 85% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Colorado and the picture shifts: Aurora ranks #100 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Aurora's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Colorado, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

66thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

66th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Aurora's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Aurora's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Aurora's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Aurora's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$444,500 19th percentile more affordable than 19% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Aurora $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Aurora, CO Aurora, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Aurora, CO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Aurora, CO median $84,320/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Aurora, CO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Aurora, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
390,201
Median Income
$84,320
Median Home Value
$444,500
Median Age
35.1
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Labor force participation
67.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4051.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
947.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3103.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
105
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
380,000 residents390,000 residents400,000 residents410,000 residents420,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 386,688 residents 410,053 residents ▲ +6.0%
Aurora's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
2,374
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,711
detached homes
Multifamily
663
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2,328
2020 2,725
2021 4,176
2022 3,280
2023 3,846
2024 2,374

Permit volume increased 2% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.6 minutes
Drive Alone
68.3%
Carpool
10.1%
Public Transit
3.6%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
14.8%
Other
1.7%

Based on 202,962 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Colorado - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$202
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Colorado state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Colorado state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Aurora sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,089/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Colorado Springs
483,099 people
Fort Collins
169,705 people
Lakewood
156,309 people
Thornton
142,878 people
Arvada
122,835 people
Westminster
115,546 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Aurora's 390,201 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Tampa, FL
393,389 people
Arlington, TX
394,769 people
Wichita, KS
396,488 people
New Orleans, LA
376,035 people
Bakersfield, CA
408,366 people
Tulsa, OK
412,322 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Aurora's $84,320 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wallowa Lake, OR
$84,321 median income
Deming, WA
$84,315 median income
Clemmons, NC
$84,326 median income
Greilickville, MI
$84,327 median income
Saco, ME
$84,328 median income
Mebane, NC
$84,312 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Aurora, CO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Aurora, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 49.2% 15.8% 11.9% 15.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 30.6% White 49.2% Black or African American 15.8% Asian 6.0% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 0.4% Some other race 11.9% Two or more races 15.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Aurora compares to nearby Colorado cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Aurora (this city) 390,201 $84,320
Colorado Springs 483,099 $83,198
Fort Collins 169,705 $83,598
Lakewood 156,309 $85,789
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Aurora, CO?

What is the population of Aurora, CO? +

Aurora, CO has a population of 390,201 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Aurora, CO? +

The median household income in Aurora is $84,320 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Aurora? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Aurora; the closest available measure is the Colorado state average, a cost of living index of 103.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Colorado vary by metro area.

Is Aurora, CO safe? +

Aurora has a total crime rate of 4051.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Aurora, CO? +

The median home value in Aurora is $444,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.