Aurora, CO Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Aurora, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Aurora →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
With a population near 387,349, Aurora, Colorado sits roughly in line with the multi-city income median: households earn a typical $78,685 per year (+9% vs. that benchmark).
Home values in Aurora run a median $409,700, above the benchmark across cities in our dataset (+25%). Renters see a median monthly cost of $1,651. Mortgage rates and property taxes are worth checking before you commit either way.
Home values run about 5.2× median income in Aurora, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. The local housing market has cooled a bit — prices are down roughly 0.11% over the past year. FEMA classifies Aurora's hazard risk as Relatively Moderate, a comparatively low rating among the cities we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,651/mo in Aurora would take 25.2% of your income.
$316/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($409,700) would take 33.4% of your income toward principal & interest.
$351/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Aurora
Median home value is $409,700 and median gross rent is $1,651/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Arapahoe fell 0.11% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $2,089/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Aurora's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Aurora reported a violent crime rate of 763.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Aurora
Planning a move to Aurora? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Aurora, CO?
- Aurora's key cost-of-living figures: $409,700 median home value, $1,651 median monthly rent, and $78,685 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Aurora?
- Comfortably affording rent in Aurora — where the median runs $1,651/month — typically means earning about $66,040 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Aurora.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Aurora?
- Renting in Aurora at the median $1,651/month calls for about $66,040 a year under the standard 30% guideline; buying the median home at $409,700 takes roughly $93,737 a year in principal and interest (20% down, 30-year fixed, current rates). Timeline and down payment usually decide which makes more sense.
- Is Aurora safe?
- In 2025, Aurora reported 763.3 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for Aurora →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Aurora's.