The Town FilesDenver, Colorado
City in Denver County · population 715,522 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $616,000
- Household income
- $94,718
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 49
- Median age
- 35.3
Denver is a city of 715,522 people in Denver County, Colorado. The median home is worth $616,000, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Colorado towns, better transit than 98% of Colorado towns, more vibrant than 97% of Colorado towns.
How Denver ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Denver is worth $616,000, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 6.5 times the median household income of $94,718, which is more affordable than 22% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,831 a month. 48.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Denver | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $616,000 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,831 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $94,718 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 48.8% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Denver
| People | Denver | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.5% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.5% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.2% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.5% | — |
| Work from home | 27.3% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 92.9% |
Weather in Denver
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.0 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 42 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
49 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Denver since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 15, 1988 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 22, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 444 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on August 5, 1983.
Severe weather in Denver County since 1996
Denver County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| July 16, 2015 | Flood | DR-4229: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 12, 2013 | Flood | EM-3365: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Denver County
Denver County had 565,183 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $101,834 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Denver itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Denver
227 public schools with 98,191 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High School | 9-12 | 2,359 | 18.9 |
| Northfield High School | 9-12 | 2,066 | 18.8 |
| South High School | 9-12 | 1,846 | 18.8 |
| North High School | 9-12 | 1,635 | 17.2 |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | 9-12 | 1,375 | 18.8 |
| McAuliffe International School | 6-8 | 1,371 | 19.0 |
| George Washington High School | 9-12 | 1,272 | 18.4 |
| D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School | 6-12 | 1,197 | 21.4 |
| Montbello High School | 9-12 | 1,095 | 17.1 |
| Denver School of the Arts | 6-12 | 1,039 | 18.9 |
| Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College | 6-12 | 1,022 | 15.0 |
| Abraham Lincoln High School | 9-12 | 992 | 15.0 |
Towns near Denver
- Glendale, CO5.0 mi · 4,613 people · home $413,500
- Four Square Mile, CO5.6 mi · 22,872 people · home $474,200
- Derby, CO5.8 mi · 8,407 people · home $353,000
- Holly Hills, CO6.9 mi · 2,683 people · home $702,000
- Welby, CO7.0 mi · 15,553 people · home $385,000
- Twin Lakes, CO7.8 mi · 8,226 people · home $587,500
- Sherrelwood, CO8.3 mi · 19,228 people · home $432,200
- Berkley, CO8.4 mi · 12,536 people · home $468,100
Denver questions
Is Denver, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Denver scores better for retirees than 15% of Colorado towns and quieter than 4%. 12.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Denver?
The median owner-occupied home in Denver is valued at $616,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,718, so homes cost about 6.5 times income. Median rent is $1,831 a month.
What is the weather like in Denver?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 49.0 inches of snow.
Does Denver get tornadoes?
49 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Denver since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 15, 1988. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)