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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Colorado — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Centennial (index 122, rent $2,056/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 11 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
106,883 residents · Colorado
Why Centennial ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And broadly, take it or leave it — the data is what it is. At 122 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 10% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $2,056/month while the median household pulls in $128,167/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 112, though Housing (155) lags behind. Home prices average $638,401 — $171,031 above the national median.
121,414 residents · Colorado
Dive into Arvada's numbers: cost index 121 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — (9 points above national average), rent $2,053/month, income $113,396, and a home price of $608,988. And broadly, the city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 111, while Housing runs 152. With 121,414 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
144,922 residents · Colorado
Thornton earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And roughly speaking, the 113 cost index sits 1 points above the national baseline, and the $100,985 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $497,741 — $30,371 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 104, while Housing trails at 132.
114,875 residents · Colorado
Dive into Westminster's numbers: cost index 112 (0 points above national average), rent $1,788/month, income $96,145, and a home price of $520,025. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 103, while Housing runs 131. With 114,875 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling). A real contender.
716,577 residents · Colorado
A closer look at Denver: the cost index of 113 — and that's before you even look at taxes — breaks down to a Utilities index of 104 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 133 (weakest). There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. Median rent is $1,818/month — 4% below the national median — while household income sits at $91,681, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
#1 Ranked: Centennial — cost index 122, rent $2,056/mo, income $128,167
4 of 11 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Median Income | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centennial | $128,167 | 122 | $2,056 | Details |
| 2 | Arvada | $113,396 | 121 | $2,053 | Details |
| 3 | Thornton | $100,985 | 113 | $1,888 | Details |
| 4 | Westminster | $96,145 | 112 | $1,788 | Details |
| 5 | Denver | $91,681 | 113 | $1,818 | Details |
| 6 | Lakewood | $85,789 | 114 | $1,733 | Details |
| 7 | Aurora | $84,320 | 108 | $1,689 | Details |
| 8 | Fort Collins | $83,598 | 117 | $1,970 | Details |
| 9 | Colorado Springs | $83,198 | 107 | $1,667 | Details |
| 10 | Greeley | $68,650 | 102 | $1,442 | Details |
| 11 | Pueblo | $55,305 | 94 | $1,316 | Details |
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Colorado — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Centennial (index 122, rent $2,056/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 11 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Real talk: the ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Fairly typical for a city this size. Centennial (index 122, rent $2,056); Arvada (index 121, rent $2,053); Thornton (index 113, rent $1,888). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The #1 spot goes to Centennial, and the breakdown explains why. And in practical terms, renters here pay $2,056/month — for better or worse — — costing renters $1,932 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 112, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 155. At a 19% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
If you only look at rent, it's perfect. Zoom out and it's complicated. In Centennial, the housing index sits at 155 — above average and worth factoring in (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Look, If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. The data is here; the decision is yours.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Centennial | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
2Arvada | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
3Thornton | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
4Westminster | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
5Denver | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
6Lakewood | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
7Aurora | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
8Fort Collins | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
9Colorado Springs | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
10Greeley | 4.4% | 7.81% | 0.49% | $88,920 |
Centennial ranks #1 in Colorado for this analysis with a cost index of 122 and median income of $128,167.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Centennial (ranked #1) has a cost index of 122 and rent of $2,056/mo, while Pueblo (ranked #11) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,316/mo — a 28-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Centennial is $2,056/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $161 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Centennial is $638,401, which is 5.0× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Colorado has a 4.4% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.81%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.49%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.