What's it like to live in Denver, CO?

Denver, CO (Last updated: October 18, 2026)

Denver is Colorado's capital and part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metro area. Set on the plains east of the Rocky Mountains, the city combines a downtown skyline with lower-rise neighborhoods, historic commercial corridors, and the South Platte River. Brick warehouses and older houses sit alongside newer apartment and condominium buildings.

Housing includes owner-occupied homes and rental properties, with detached houses, townhomes, condos, and apartments across the city. The average home value is $520,947, down 1.9% over the past 12 months; average rent is $1,855/mo, up 0.2% over the same period. Costs vary by location, property size, and building condition.

Government, healthcare, energy, and telecommunications contribute to Denver's employment base, with employers including the State of Colorado and Denver Health. Regional Transportation District buses and rail serve the city and surrounding area, while commuter rail connects Union Station with Denver International Airport. Sidewalk continuity, transit access, and the distance between everyday destinations vary by neighborhood.

Amenities include City Park, Washington Park, and trails along Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. The Denver Art Museum, Denver Performing Arts Complex, and converted warehouse buildings in Lower Downtown add distinct cultural and architectural landmarks. Grocery stores, restaurants, and other daily services are distributed across neighborhood commercial streets and larger shopping corridors.

Average home value

$520,947-1.9% YoY

Average rent

$1,855+0.2% YoY

Homes for sale

3,476

Homes for rent

16,021

Walk score

Transit score

Walk and transit scores are based on listings near the region's geographic center.

Homes for sale Rentals

What are Denver home prices and rents today?

How sale and rent prices have moved over time, and where Denver sits today.

Denver house prices

Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI)

$520,947-1.9% YoY

Average home value in Denver, Colorado is $520,947, down 1.9% over the past 12 months. As a buyer, aim to keep your mortgage payments at or below 28% of your gross monthly income—what you earn before taxes and deductions.

Denver rental prices

Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI)

$1,855/mo+0.2% YoY

Average rent in Denver, Colorado is $1,855/mo, up 0.2% over the past 12 months. As a renter, aim to spend no more than 30% of your gross monthly income on rent—using your income before taxes and deductions.

How competitive is Denver Housing?

Buyers: market comparison

Denver has more active for-sale listings and more days on market than each nearby market, with 32 days on market. All five markets fall in the lower-competitiveness category, though Wheat Ridge shows the strongest relative competition.

Most competitive nearby marketWheat Ridge has the highest market temperature among these markets, along with the fewest days on market at 23 and the smallest inventory at 138 active listings. It still falls in the lower-competitiveness category.
Nearby market with more choiceAurora has the most active for-sale listings among nearby markets at 2,087, though that remains below Denver.
Nearby market that's more affordableAurora is lower-cost than Denver and has the lowest home value among the nearby markets.
Closest comparable market conditionsAurora is closest to Denver in active listing count and shares its lower-competitiveness category. Its for-sale pace is 27 days on market, compared with Denver's 32.

Region	Average home value	Inventory	Days on market	Competitiveness	Key driver
Denver	$520,947	High	32 days	Lower	Largest inventory; 32 days on market
Lakewood	$550,008	Moderate	27 days	Lower	744 active listings; 27 days on market
Aurora	$447,833	High	27 days	Lower	Largest nearby inventory; 27 days on market
Westminster	$510,555	Low	26 days	Lower	478 active listings; 26 days on market
Wheat Ridge	$581,865	Low	23 days	Lower	Smallest inventory; fewest days on market

Renters: market comparison

Denver and all four nearby rental markets have excess supply, placing each in the lower-competitiveness category. Denver has the largest inventory, with a median active rental listing age of 56 days compared with 41–59 days nearby.

Most competitive nearby marketAll four nearby markets share Denver's excess supply status, so none ranks as more competitive on this measure.
Nearby market with more choiceAurora has the most active rentals among nearby markets at 2,164, though fewer than Denver.
Nearby market that's more affordableAurora has the lowest rent among the nearby markets and is lower-cost than Denver.
Closest comparable market conditionsAurora shares Denver's excess supply status and has the closest active rental count among nearby markets, though its 2,164 listings remain well below Denver.

Region	Average rent	Inventory	Average listing age	Competitiveness	Key driver
Denver	$1,855/mo	High	56 days	Lower	Excess supply; largest rental inventory
Lakewood	$1,800/mo	Moderate	47 days	Lower	Excess supply; 1,084 active rentals
Aurora	$1,742/mo	High	47 days	Lower	Excess supply; largest nearby rental inventory
Westminster	$1,872/mo	Low	59 days	Lower	Excess supply; 401 active rentals
Wheat Ridge	$1,881/mo	Low	41 days	Lower	Excess supply; smallest rental inventory

Understand affordability

Mortgage calculator

Estimate what it takes to own in this area. Zillow's mortgage calculator helps buyers understand their potential monthly payment-including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance-so they can quickly gauge what home prices fit their budget in this market. Adjust key factors like down payment and interest rate to see how affordability changes and confidently move into your home search.

Calculate mortgage cost

Rent vs. buy calculator

Not sure whether to rent or buy in this community? This tool compares the long-term costs of both options and shows your breakeven point: the time it takes for buying to become more affordable than renting. Use it to understand how local home prices, rents, and your timeline impact the smarter financial move before starting your search.

Compare rent vs. buy

Rent affordability calculator

See what you can comfortably afford to rent in this area. By factoring in your income, budget, and expenses, Zillow's rent affordability tools help you set a realistic price range-so you can focus on listings that fit your lifestyle and avoid stretching beyond your means as you explore rentals in this market.

Calculate affordability

How does Denver compare to nearby cities

Denver's average sale price is higher than Lakewood's, Aurora's and Westminster's but lower than Wheat Ridge's, while its monthly rent falls within the range of these nearby cities. Denver combines a dense downtown street grid with bus and rail connections, while the surrounding cities generally feature more spread-out development, shopping districts and parkland, with walkability varying by location.

Metric	Denver	Lakewood	Aurora	Westminster	Wheat Ridge
Average sale priceExplore price per property type	$570,611	$560,527	$443,000	$502,500	$621,333
Average rent priceExplore price per unit size	$1,855/mo	$1,800/mo	$1,742/mo	$1,872/mo	$1,881/mo
Transit access	Extensive bus and rail	Light rail and buses	Light rail and buses	Commuter rail and buses	G Line and buses
Neighborhood vibe	Downtown grid and parkland	Spread-out blocks and foothills	Broad avenues and reservoirs	Residential blocks and open space	Low-rise blocks and greenbelts
Top POIs	Denver Botanic Gardens (Botanical Garden); City Park (Park)	Belmar Park (Park); Bear Creek Lake Park (Park)	Aurora Reservoir (Recreation Area); Great Plains Park (Park)	Butterfly Pavilion (Invertebrate Zoo); McFall Park (Park)	Anderson Park (Park); Prospect Park (Park)