Denver, CO Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Denver, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Denver →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Denver, Colorado runs approximately 710,800. Median household income sits at $85,853, landing above the benchmark median we track across cities (+19%).
For renters and buyers alike, Denver offers a median home value of $540,400 (above the tracked median, +65%) and median rent of $1,665 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Home prices in Denver run about 6.3× median household income — a stretched ratio that puts real pressure on affordability for local buyers. Year-over-year, home prices near Denver have eased by about 0.43%, a mild cooldown rather than a sharp drop. FEMA classifies Denver's hazard risk as Relatively High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,665/mo in Denver would take 23.3% of your income.
$481/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($540,400) would take 40.3% of your income toward principal & interest.
$882/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Denver
Median home value is $540,400 and median gross rent is $1,665/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Denver fell 0.43% 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 Denver's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Denver reported a violent crime rate of 882.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Denver
Planning a move to Denver? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Explore neighborhoods in Denver →
Cost estimates for moving between Denver and nearby popular destinations:
- Moving from Denver to Seattle
- Moving from Denver to Austin
- Moving from Denver to Phoenix
- Moving from Denver to Detroit
- Moving from Denver to Los Angeles
- Moving from Denver to San Francisco
- Moving from Denver to San Jose
- Moving from Denver to San Diego
- Moving from Denver to Chicago
- Moving from Denver to Minneapolis
- Moving from Denver to Raleigh
- Moving from Denver to Atlanta
- Moving from Denver to Salt Lake City
- Moving from Denver to Portland
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Denver, CO?
- In Denver, the median home value is $540,400 and median rent is $1,665 per month, against a median household income of $85,853. These figures come from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Denver?
- Comfortably affording rent in Denver — where the median runs $1,665/month — typically means earning about $66,600 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Denver.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Denver?
- Denver's median rent of $1,665/month translates to about $66,600 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $123,641 a year for principal and interest on the $540,400 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Denver safe?
- In 2025, Denver reported 882.3 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data.
See the full salary breakdown for Denver →
Compare Denver to similar cities
- Seattle vs Denver: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Austin vs Denver: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Denver vs Phoenix: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Detroit vs Denver: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- Los Angeles vs Denver: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
- San Francisco vs Denver: Cost of Living & Housing Comparison
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Denver's.