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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 120, 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
So, Centennial. Cost index of 120, rent at $2,056/month. It's higher than the national average. Median income is $128,167, which is above average. That tracks (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
121,414 residents · Colorado
The #2 spot goes to Arvada, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $2,053/month — costing renters $1,896 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 104, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 120. At a 22% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
144,922 residents · Colorado
A closer look at Thornton: the cost index of 110 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 102 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 110 (weakest). Median rent is $1,888/month — 0% above the national median — while household income sits at $100,985, meaning locals spend about 22% of income on rent. You get the picture. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
114,875 residents · Colorado
What does daily life actually cost in Westminster? Start with the 22% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. And on balance, on the category level, Healthcare (index 101) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 104) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $96,145 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and homes at $520,025 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons (your mileage may vary — literally).
716,577 residents · Colorado
The #5 spot goes to Denver, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,818/month — saving renters $924 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 101, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 106. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
#1 Ranked: Centennial — cost index 120, rent $2,056/mo, income $128,167
43-point cost gap between #1 and #11
8 of 11 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centennial | 120 | $2,056 | Details |
| 2 | Arvada | 120 | $2,053 | Details |
| 3 | Thornton | 110 | $1,888 | Details |
| 4 | Westminster | 104 | $1,788 | Details |
| 5 | Denver | 106 | $1,818 | Details |
| 6 | Lakewood | 101 | $1,733 | Details |
| 7 | Aurora | 99 | $1,689 | Details |
| 8 | Fort Collins | 115 | $1,970 | Details |
| 9 | Colorado Springs | 97 | $1,667 | Details |
| 10 | Greeley | 84 | $1,442 | Details |
| 11 | Pueblo | 77 | $1,316 | Details |
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Colorado — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Centennial (index 120, 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.
One more thing before the rankings — this context changes everything: 43-point cost gap between #1 and #11. Centennial (index 120) and Pueblo (index 77) sit 43 points apart on the cost index — proof that Colorado is far from monolithic in affordability. If you're debt-free, those savings go straight to building wealth.
Here's Centennial by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 120. Rent: $2,056/month. Income: $128,167/year. Home price: $638,401. Population: 106,883. The strongest category is Healthcare at 104; the most expensive is Housing at 120. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $1,932 more per year vs. the national median. That's a margin of safety most budgets don't have.
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. Centennial (index 120, rent $2,056); Arvada (index 120, rent $2,053); Thornton (index 110, rent $1,888). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Zooming out, Colorado — outdoor lifestyle with a rising price tag. The 11 cities we track here average a cost index of 103 and median income of $90,112. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,765/month, which is $130 less than the national median.
Bottom line: Centennial leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
Centennial ranks #1 in Colorado for this analysis with a cost index of 120 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 120 and rent of $2,056/mo, while Pueblo (ranked #11) has a cost index of 77 and rent of $1,316/mo — a 43-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.