City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Denver, CO

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

713,734
Residents
$91,681
Median income
$586,700
Median home
$2,089
Median rent (state)

Denver - the verdict

Denver ranks in the 72nd percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

72nd
percentile, household income
89th
percentile, home value
85th
percentile, median rent
3rd
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: Denver, CO

713,734 people live in Denver, Colorado - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Denver brings in $91,681 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.7%. Typical homes in Denver are valued around $586,700, and the median resident age is 35.2 years. About 55.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 70.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3,994 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 46% from five years earlier. Denver's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 5754.6 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 51.2°F with 14.5 inches of precipitation per year.

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,089 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $202 across Colorado, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 19.2 minutes, with 57.7% driving alone and 24.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 95.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

713,734 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$91,681 /yr

Poverty 7.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Denver compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 72% higher than other cities
Home value 89% pricier than other cities
Median rent 85% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Colorado, Denver ranks #108 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Denver against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Colorado only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Colorado-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Denver toward the top of Colorado's cities

Among the 408 Colorado cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Denver ranks #99 - the 76th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Denver only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#143 of 379
62nd percentile in Colorado
Median Gross Rent
#44 of 408
57th percentile in Colorado
Median Home Value
#113 of 388
71st percentile in Colorado
Poverty Rate
#138 of 408
66th percentile in Colorado
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#99 of 408
76th percentile in Colorado

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Colorado only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

72ndIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

72nd percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Denver's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Denver'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 29 Avg. percentile National median
Denver'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 Denver's home value compares nationally

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

$586,700 11th percentile more affordable than 11% 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%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Denver $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 - Denver, CO Denver, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Denver, 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 Denver, CO median $91,681/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%
Denver, 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 Denver, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 55.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.7%

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

Population
713,734
Median Income
$91,681
Median Home Value
$586,700
Median Age
35.2
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Labor force participation
70.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
55.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5754.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
993.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4761.6
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
51.2°F
Annual Precipitation
14.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
232
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
700,000 residents710,000 residents720,000 residents730,000 residents740,000 residents750,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 717,680 residents 740,613 residents ▲ +3.2%
Denver's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3,994
housing units authorized
Single-Family
872
detached homes
Multifamily
3,122
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 7,330
2020 5,059
2021 10,000
2022 8,296
2023 5,725
2024 3,994

Permit volume decreased 46% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.2 minutes
Drive Alone
57.7%
Carpool
6.5%
Public Transit
4.5%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
24.4%
Other
3.0%

Based on 415,071 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 Denver 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
Aurora
390,201 people
Fort Collins
169,705 people
Lakewood
156,309 people
Thornton
142,878 people
Arvada
122,835 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Denver's 713,734 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Oklahoma City, OK
688,693 people
Seattle, WA
741,440 people
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN
684,298 people
El Paso, TX
678,147 people
Washington, DC
672,079 people
Boston, MA
663,972 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Denver's $91,681 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

York Harbor, ME
$91,675 median income
Watauga, TX
$91,669 median income
North High Shoals, GA
$91,667 median income
Huntley, MT
$91,667 median income
Trego, MT
$91,667 median income
Northeast Ithaca, NY
$91,667 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Denver, 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 Denver, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 62.9% 8.8% 8.2% 15.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 27.9% White 62.9% Black or African American 8.8% Asian 3.6% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 8.2% Two or more races 15.5% 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 Denver 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
Denver (this city) 713,734 $91,681
Colorado Springs 483,099 $83,198
Aurora 390,201 $84,320
Fort Collins 169,705 $83,598
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Denver, CO?

What is the population of Denver, CO? +

Denver, CO has a population of 713,734 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Denver households earn a median of $91,681 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Denver? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Denver; 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 Denver, CO safe? +

Denver has a total crime rate of 5754.6 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 Denver, CO? +

The median home value in Denver is $586,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Denver? +

Climate normals put Denver's yearly average temperature at 51.2°F, 14.5 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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

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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.